• University of Birmingham logo

Outstanding Physical Education Lessons

This free online course is designed to help teachers develop and deliver outstanding physical education (PE) lessons.

6,782 enrolled on this course

  • Duration

    3 weeks
  • Weekly study

    4 hours

UNESCO have stressed the urgent need for schools to address physical inactivity, by improving young people’s experiences of physical education. Couple this with the regular external inspections that schools in many countries receive, and there are growing pressures on all PE teachers to reach the highest levels of performance.

This free online course is designed to help PE teachers achieve and sustain these levels. It defines an “outstanding” physical education lesson as one that meets the diverse learning needs of all of its students at a point in time and in a specific context.

Become an “activator” and deliver outstanding PE lessons

The course begins with a guided, expert analysis of students’ needs, local and national curriculum requirements, and teachers’ personal readiness to deliver outstanding PE lessons. Throughout, PE teachers will be positioned as “activators” – practitioners who activate new, inclusive learning possibilities for their students.

By the end of the course, you will:

  • understand the characteristics of an outstanding physical education lesson;
  • know and be able to engage with the process of being an activator of learning;
  • develop the capabilities to engage in self-directed continuous professional development (CPD) using a range of digital tools.

Learn with physical education CPD experts

The course has been developed by the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Birmingham. It is led by Dr Victoria Goodyear, who has extensive experience of supporting physical education teachers, through online CPD, video blogging and social media.

Download video: standard or HD

Skip to 0 minutes and 24 seconds DR.

Skip to 0 minutes and 24 seconds VICKY GOODYEAR: What is an outstanding physical education lesson? And what makes an outstanding physical education practitioner? This course is designed to help you deliver high quality physical education lessons, and reach the highest levels of professional standards and have the greatest impact on students’ learning in PE context.

Skip to 0 minutes and 46 seconds SPEAKER 2: An outstanding PE teacher is on a continuous learning journey. A journey where they continuously seek to learn, develop, and improve their practice.

Skip to 0 minutes and 59 seconds HAYLEY STEMP: An outstanding PE teacher must plan for developmentally appropriate learning journeys for all of their students’ needs. CPD is one of the most exciting opportunities when embark upon as teachers. We have the opportunity to collaborate with fellow colleagues, learning about new research and applying that research to our everyday learning and teaching. This course is designed by teachers for teachers, and so will have great impact on your everyday teaching.

Skip to 1 minute and 24 seconds LEIGH CHURCHWARD: An outstanding lesson is one that demonstrates rapid progress for all students. It will also cover a broad range of learning outcomes, such as physical, cognitive, social, affective. DR.

Skip to 1 minute and 34 seconds VICKY GOODYEAR: This course will draw on the latest evidence in research, policy, and practice. Key topics will include models-based practice, digital technologies, assessment, and a whole host of other things. The thing is that you can select the content that is right for you and your needs. During the course you’ll be positioned as an activator. An activator is someone who can design inclusive and effective learning experiences for their students. Based on the idea of activation, each week will have a different theme. You will diagnose learning, you will respond to students’ learning needs, and then you will evaluate the impact of your practice. Importantly, these are key characteristics of an outstanding practitioner.

Skip to 2 minutes and 16 seconds LEIGH CHURCHWARD: Engaging in professional development with the University of Birmingham has improved my own and my department’s practices. We’ve been supported in the use of models such as cooperative learning, TFfU, and sports education. Our people make rapid progress, and our lessons have been described as, “textbook outstanding.” Engaging in courses like these will improve out practices.

Skip to 2 minutes and 49 seconds SPEAKER 2: The beauty of this course is that you can learn from wherever you are around the world. The course is also relevant for whatever stage you are in your career. If you’re a trainee, a newly qualified teacher, an experienced teacher, a head of department or senior leader, this course will be relevant for you. DR.

Skip to 3 minutes and 5 seconds VICKY GOODYEAR: So this course is designed to be different and offer different things for different practitioners. We will push on whatever stage in your journey you are to becoming or sustaining your ability to be outstanding. So sign up for the first MOOC in physical education, and we look forward to seeing you online.

What topics will you cover?

  • Activating learning; the process of diagnosing student learning needs, responding to student learning needs, and evaluating the impact of practice on student learning
  • Pedagogical Cases; the use of multi-disciplinary perspectives to diagnose the complex, diverse and individual learning needs of young people
  • Competent Bystanders and mechanisms to identify ‘hidden’ students’ learning needs
  • Safeguarding and Child Protection; the pedagogical consequences of no touching in physical education
  • Models-Based Practice; the design of a curriculum around physical, cognitive, social, and affective learning outcomes to positively impact on lifelong engagement with physical activity
  • Online CPD using open access research articles and social media
  • SOLO taxonomy and the design of contextually relevant assessment frameworks that cater for individual learner progression and learning in physical, cognitive, social and affective domains
  • Strategies and tools to engage with reflective practice
  • Methods to embed a collaborative approach to curriculum development within departments and schools
  • Questionnaires and tools to evaluate the impact of engagement with CPD

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Identify key characteristics of an outstanding physical educator
  • Assess the complex, diverse, and individual learning needs of young people in your pedagogical context
  • Design effective learning experiences for young people in response to an identification of your students' learning needs
  • Evaluate the impact of your practice on your students' learning needs
  • Collaborate with colleagues to diagnose learning, respond to student learning needs, and evaluate the impact of your practice
  • Discuss your practices and beliefs with colleagues to support your development as an outstanding practitioner
  • Develop strategies to support your learning and the on-going development of your practice beyond this MOOC

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for physical education teachers globally.

Who will you learn with?

I'm a previous teacher, now lecturer, and I work with teachers and youth in schools. I'll be taking your through the content each week. Hope your ready for an interactive, engaging and fun time.

Hi Everyone,
As a researcher and practitioner in coaching and youth sport, I'm looking forward to working with you in developing new ideas for creative practice.
@Mark_AGriffiths

I am an academic, teacher and researcher and I am passionate about CPD. I look forward to sharing ideas and learning alongside you. Can't wait to get started!

Who developed the course?

University of Birmingham

The University of Birmingham is a public research university, consistently listed as a leading UK university and ranked among the top 100 in the world.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

Do you know someone who'd love this course? Tell them about it...

You can use the hashtag #FLoutstandingPE to talk about this course on social media.