Teaching outdoor and adventure activities: an investigation of a primary school physical education professional development p

Propositional Statement 5: The professional development programme impacted 
positively on the children and their learning 
Fun and enjoyment.
In the school, teachers noticed a change in children’s 
attitude towards physical education during the O&AA lessons; 
I noticed there was always a buzz around the place…I don’t know when I have 
seen that excitement before and they were really utterly oblivious of me. I was 
standing right beside them and I might as well have not been there whatever that 
was I want more of that, to do that!
(1 FGT Eamonn 3)

Overall children enjoyed the O&AA programme, with some being sick with 
excitement;
 
…I had a girl that went home sick as she had run so hard and so fast. She wasn’t 
well when she came in in the morning, I had to send for her mother to come and 
take her home….sure she got sick she was so excited [taking part]…
(1 FGT 
Sophie 6) 
Children approached me in the corridors or on the yard and said; 
‘They loved it 
and they are saying can we do it again, so the buzz amongst the kids is absolutely 
fantastic’
(FN 07.03.07). The children enjoyed the responsibility, and respected the 
freedom they were given by their teachers when they were allowed to move freely 
around the school when orienteering. They commented on not being under the teacher’s 
nose all the time. The children wanted to be active; 
‘I think it sort of was PE because if 
you are running around it was PE and it was kind of fun.’ 
(1 FGC Boy 4) and expect 
activity in their physical education lessons (chapter 4) and according to the SOFIT 
results, the children were achieving the recommended amount of moderate to vigorous 
activity (50%) in their lessons (Ní Bhriain, Coulter et al, 2007).

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The children’s concept of enjoyment and fun being inherent in physical 
education was evident from the beginning of this study. Throughout the study, fun and 
enjoyment remained important to the children and the teachers. These features were 
evident in the lessons according to the children; 
‘And it’s usually pretty fun.’
(1 FGC 
Boy 5).
‘… and it’s very fun, because I think it’s good…’ 
(1 FGC Boy 2).
‘Um I think 
it’s about um, like having fun, being active and um, getting really healthy doing it’
(1 
FGC Boy 2). Other teachers at second class level and younger felt their classes loved 
O&AA and that the content was suitable; 
‘I had one little one say the other day when 
she was coming in through the hall with her Mum, to the Mum said, this is where we 
have fun , Mum’ 
(1 FGT Kate JI).
‘They loved it…yeah they were delighted, yeah. They 
were very enthusiastic. You cans see it from-they all wanted to do it’
(1 FGT Amanda 
1). The teachers recognised that the children enjoyed working in teams and being 
challenged in the activities; 
‘I think challenges they enjoyed when they worked in teams 
and they had to figure it out for themselves like’ 
(2 FGT Miriam 5). 
‘Pupil motivation 
and interest very high’
(LE Cathal 4).