Background: The world experienced challenges due to the COVID-19
pandemic which resulted in school closures across the globe in early
2020. Schools pivoted to remote delivery of learning using a variety of
online and offline resources. PE is vital in providing motor development
opportunities for children and it is essential to ensure that the provision
of quality PE experiences is continued, even in the context of a
pandemic. It was in this context that the PE at Home lessons were
developed.
Purpose: This study examined teachers’ and parents’ experiences of using
the PE at Home resource and contributes to documenting the PE homelearning experience and can inform how the education system might
respond and incorporate remote teaching into the future.
Methods: A mixed-methods study utilising online surveys with 29
teachers and 173 parents/guardians and online interviews with five
teachers, five parents and seven resource developers was undertaken.
Quantitative data were descriptively analysed while qualitative data
were analysed using a thematic approach (Braun, V., and V. Clarke.
2006. “Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology.” Qualitative Research in
Psychology 3 (2): 77–101).
Findings: The PE at Home lessons had excellent viewership with over
27,000 Facebook and 937 website views. Three themes (i) ensuring the
‘E’ remained in PE; (ii) home-schooling and physical education; (ii) and
context and relatability were developed from the data. While some
parents demonstrated that their knowledge of PE was that it consisted
of physical activity, other parents along with teachers and developers
reflected on the educative component of the lessons. The PE at Home
lessons provided teachers with a resource to share with parents to
support parents home-school during Covid-19 school closures. An Irish
resource featuring Irish children and aligned with the Irish curriculum
was seen as a strength by both parents and teachers.
Conclusion: The PE at Home lessons address the teaching and learning of
PE in multiple contexts, particularly in an online environment, and they
can be used in multiple ways to promote learning.