Assessing the implementation of physical activity-promoting public policies in the Republic of Ireland: a study using the Physical Activity Environment Policy Index (PA-EPI).

BACKGROUND: Government policy can promote physical activity (PA) as part of a multilevel systems-based approach. The Physical Activity Environment Policy Index (PA-EPI) is a monitoring framework which assesses the implementation of government policy by drawing on the experience of national stakeholders. This study is the first to assess the extent of policy implementation in the Republic of Ireland using the PA-EPI tool, and to provide information on how policy implementation can be improved, with the intention of maximizing its impact on population levels of PA. METHODS: This mixed-methods research study, comprising eight steps, was carried out in 2022. Information documenting the evidence for implementation of PA policy, across all 45 PA-EPI indicators, was collected via systematic document analysis, and validated via survey and interview with government officials. Thirty-two nongovernment stakeholders rated this evidence on a five-point Likert scale. Aggregated scores were reviewed by stakeholders who collectively identified and prioritized critical implementation gaps. RESULTS: Of the 45 PA-EPI indicators, one received an implementation rating of 'none/very little', 25 received a rating of 'low' and 19 received a 'medium' rating. No indicator was rated as fully implemented. The indicators that received the highest level of implementation related to sustained mass media campaigns promoting PA and PA monitoring. Ten priority recommendations were developed. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals substantial implementation gaps for PA policy in the Republic of Ireland. It provides recommendations for policy action to address these gaps. In time, studies utilizing the PA-EPI will enable cross-country comparison and benchmarking of PA policy implementation, incentivizing improved PA policy creation and implementation.

Solidariedade em ação: uma seção em foco codesenhada com pesquisadores brasileiros e internacionais / Solidaridad en acción: un número especial codiseñado con investigadores brasileños e internacionales / Solidarity in action: a co-designed special issue with brazilian and international researchers

O objetivo deste artigo é oferecer um modelo para colegas que desejam aproveitar a oportunidade de trabalhar juntos em todas as nacionalidades para questionar a solidariedade. Nesta seção Em Foco, vinte e dois pesquisadores (nove brasileiros e treze internacionais) trabalharam em seis pequenos grupos durante dois anos para escrever sobre suas experiências com práticas colaborativas. Partindo do conceito de solidariedade de Freire, os editores compartilharam as etapas do processo de co-design, bem como suas visões que resultaram em três temas: (a) a necessidade de aumentar a visibilidade da comunidade acadêmica brasileira; (b) nosso cuidado coletivo com linguagem e comunicação; e (c) como ao liderar este projeto nos repensamos de diferentes maneiras. Defendemos que o modelo da seção Em Foco coelaborada deve ser fundamentado na solidariedade quando utilizado por colegas de outros países. É uma solidariedade baseada na partilha da luta para mudar as desigualdades sociais com as pessoas e a vontade de doar e repensar a nós mesmos. (AU)

El objetivo de este artículo es ofrecer un modelo para colegas que desean aprovechar la oportunidad de trabajar juntos en todas las nacionalidades para cuestionar la solidaridad. En este número especial, 22 investigadores (nueve brasileños y trece internacionales) trabajaron en seis pequeños grupos durante dos años para escribir sobre sus experiencias en prácticas colaborativas. Basados en el concepto de solidaridad de Freire, los editores compartieron las etapas del proceso de codiseño, así como sus puntos de vista, que dieron como resultado tres temas: (a) la necesidad de aumentar la exposición de la comunidad académica brasileña; (b) nuestra preocupación colectiva por el lenguaje y la comunicación; y (c) cómo al liderar este proyecto nos repensamos de diferentes maneras. Argumentamos que el modelo del número especial codiseñado debe basarse en la solidaridad cuando sea utilizado por colegas de otros países. Es una solidaridad basada en compartir la lucha por cambiar las desigualdades sociales con las personas y la voluntad de donar y repensarnos. (AU)

The purpose of this paper is to offer a template for colleagues who wish to seize the opportunity to work together across nationalities to interrogate solidarity. In this Special Issue, twenty-two researchers (nine Brazilians and thirteen international) worked in six small groups for two years to write about their experiences with collaborative practices. Drawing on Freire's concept of solidarity, the editors shared the steps of the co-design process as well as their views which resulted in three themes: (a) the need of heightening the exposure of the Brazilian academic community; (b) our collective care about language and communication; and (c) how in leading this project we rethought ourselves in different ways. We argue that the template of the co-designed Special Issue should be grounded on solidarity when utilised by colleagues in other countries. It is a solidarity based on sharing the struggle to change social inequalities with people and the will to give and rethink ourselves. (AU)

One Teacher's Experience of Teaching Physical Education and Another School Subject: An Inter-Role Conflict?

PURPOSE: This study was situated within a longitudinal study of 5 teachers examining the realities of teaching physical education by determining the impact of individual dispositions and contextual factors on the career trajectories of postprimary physical education teachers in Ireland (Iannucci & MacPhail, 2017). One of these participants, Jane, was examined in this study to gain a greater understanding of the realities and tensions experienced by a postprimary teacher enacting 2 distinct sets of role expectations when teaching physical education and another school subject concurrently. METHOD: Data reported in this article were collected through a semistructured interview and living graph. An interpretative framework was used for analysis, assessing Jane's perceived meanings of the identified critical incidents in relation to role theory. RESULTS: Teachers timetabled with physical education and another subject concurrently may be expected to navigate and negotiate 2 distinctly different roles within the school community causing difficulty in assuming both roles simultaneously. Short narratives were used to convey 2 themes: (a) role prioritization and (b) role performance. CONCLUSION: The study results suggest that the already complex and multifaceted role of a school teacher (Richards, Templin, Levesque-Bristol, & Blankenship, 2014) seems to be further complicated when teachers are tasked with simultaneously teaching physical education and another school subject. With the presence of a role conflict management strategy such as role prioritization (Stryker, 1968), one can presume that teachers who are tasked with teaching physical education and another school subject may experience some level of role conflict.

Physiotherapists and Physiotherapy Student Placements across Regions in Ontario: A Descriptive Comparison.

PURPOSE: To describe the distribution and type of physiotherapy student placements in one year relative to the number of practising physiotherapists of Ontario. METHODS: Site information about physiotherapy students' clinical placements in Ontario in 2010 was obtained from Academic Coordinators of Clinical Education. Worksite information about physiotherapists who reported providing direct patient care at a primary employment site in Ontario and at least 600 practice hours in their annual renewal was obtained from the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario. Each placement and each physiotherapist was attributed to one of Ontario's 14 local health integration networks (LHINs). For each LHIN, a ratio of student placements to practising physiotherapists was calculated, using summed counts. Counts of placement types by setting, patient mix, and practice area were also calculated for each LHIN. RESULTS: The 5 LHINs in which the university programmes are located had high placement:physiotherapist ratios, from 0.92 to 0.38. The other 9 LHINs had lower ratios, the 3 lowest at approximately 0.15. There was a wide mix of clinical placement types across LHINs. CONCLUSION: Physiotherapists' participation in physiotherapy students' clinical education varied widely among Ontario regions. Future research could explore whether regional differences are persistent, why they occur, and whether they should be reduced.

Objectif : Mesurer la répartition et décrire le type de stages des étudiants en physiothérapie en une année, comparativement au nombre de physiothérapeutes en exercice en Ontario. Méthode : Les renseignements sur les lieux des stages des étudiants en physiothérapie en Ontario en 2010 ont été obtenus en faisant appel aux coordonnateurs de l'enseignement clinique des universités. Les renseignements sur les milieux de travail des physiothérapeutes qui ont dit offrir des soins directement aux patients dans un établissement de soins de santé primaires en Ontario et qui comptent au moins 600 heures de pratique lors de leur renouvellement annuel ont été obtenus auprès du College of Physiotherapists of Ontario. Chaque stage et chaque physiothérapeute ont été attribués à l'un des 14 Réseaux locaux d'intégration des soins de santé (RLISS) de l'Ontario. Pour chaque RLISS, un rapport entre le nombre de stages étudiants et le nombre de physiothérapeutes en exercice a été calculé à l'aide du total cumulé de chacun. Le nombre de stages d'un type précis par établissement, par type de patients et par domaine de pratique a aussi été calculé pour chaque RLISS. Résultats : Les cinq RLISS situés dans la même région où sont offerts les programmes universitaires affichaient un fort taux de stages: le rapport par physiothérapeute y variait de 0,92 à 0,38. Les neuf autres RLISS affichaient des rapports moins élevés, et les trois RLISS comportant le rapport le plus faible affichaient un coefficient de 0,15. On a dénombré un ensemble très varié de types de stages à travers les différents RLISS. Conclusion : En Ontario, la participation des physiothérapeutes à la formation clinique des étudiants en physiothérapie varie d'une région à l'autre. Des recherches futures pourraient se pencher sur les différences entre les régions et voir si ces différences sont persistantes, pourquoi elles surviennent et s'il serait important de les atténuer.

Children's experiences of fun and enjoyment during a season of sport education.

This paper reports on a 16-week sport education (SE) unit with just over 70 year 5 students (M age = 10.04 years) in one United Kingdom school during the spring and summer terms and discusses students' SE experiences. Student interviews were conducted throughout the season and a questionnaire on different motivation aspects was administered prior to and before completing the SE season. We report and examine the data in relation to hypothesized influences on fun and enjoyment, including being part of a team, autonomy, and improving game play. The principal reasons SE may be more enjoyable than previous physical education lessons include the greater opportunities for autonomy, affiliation, and competition, plus perceived learning.

A cross-cultural investigation of the use of teaching styles.

Teacher beliefs are a major influence on teacher actions. Because context influences beliefs, it was the purpose of this study to explore teachers' beliefs about Mosston's Spectrum of Teaching Styles from an international perspective. Over 1,400 teachers from 7 countries completed a survey related to their self-reported use of and beliefs about various teaching styles. Data suggested a shared core of reproduction teaching style use. The use of and beliefs about the production styles of teaching were more varied. Teachers' use of styles was significantly related to their beliefs about the styles.