About
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Introduction
My current research interests fall into four broad categories:
1. The philosophy of health, and how it is understood in different contexts;
2. Pseudoscientific beliefs about learning and the brain;
3. Mental health and the concept of a meaningful life.
4. Malay culture and the concept of Malayness
Education
September 1991 - July 1996
Publications
Publications (133)
This Special Issue seeks to provide a forum for high-quality research, which contributes important and innovative insights into teaching and learning in Physical Education (PE), as well as addressing new scientific perspectives and evidence-based practices in PE.
We aim to develop public pedagogies and knowledge in the interests of critical educat...
Physical activity is an important part of children’s and young people’s healthy functioning, but evidence suggests many students are inactive to the extent that they are compromising their well-being. Traditionally, schools have played a minor role in contributing to physical activity, but it has held relatively low prestige. Some commentators have...
Abstract: Background: Physical activity is a familiar feature in schools worldwide. Its most common justification for inclusion is its distinctive contribution to students’ physical health and fitness and claimed benefits to non-physical aspects of education, such as social skills. Possible effects on cognitive and academic performance are less fre...
Recent decades have witnessed a growing interest in the topic of a meaningful life among philosophers, psychologists, and the general public. Yet despite this interest, the thinker who is perhaps most closely associated with meaning and mental health, the Austrian psychiatrist Viktor Frankl, has been largely overlooked by academic researchers. This...
Aim/PurposeThe article seeks to articulate a consensus of the opinions of a group of subject experts about the principles and strategies of inclusive physical activity.MethodsA 3-stage Delphi study involving a group of 34 Europe-based subject specialists was used to articulate shared expert opinions on the main research question: What are the key p...
This chapter presents a summary of findings of a series of reviews of the scientific literature on the current evidence of the contributions of different school-based settings on the promotion of health-enhancing physical activity. The objectives of this review are: to review evidence from the last ten years of the contributions of school-based phy...
The Healthy and Physically Active Schools project aimed at building up the capacity of school-related stakeholders (e.g., teachers, educators, school headmasters) when it comes to the improvement of school-based physical activity (PA) for children and adolescents, as well as their healthy lifestyles in general. (HEPAS; https://www.movingschoolsawar...
The Oxford Handbook of Sport and Society features leading international scholars’ assessments of scholarly inquiry about sport and society. Divided into six sections, chapters consider dominant issues within key areas, approaches (theory and method) featured in inquiry, and debates needing resolution. Part I: Society and Values considers matters of...
This chapter considers the current position of sports in schools, focusing on the justifications and consequences of their inclusion and the extent to which they can provide adequate opportunities to meet the needs of all students. It presents some perennial issues related to students’ opportunities, focusing on inequalities based on gender. It pro...
This presents the qualiTePe erasmus+ framework
Measures devised to contain the COVID-19, including isolation, social distancing, and quarantine, have profoundly affected people's lives around the world. One of the consequences of these actions has been a general reduction in the habitual daily physical activity among children and young people for whom schools represent the major setting for the...
Background. Most physical activity (PA) interventions targeting children focus on the school setting. However, children and young
people are often less active at home. The purpose of this article is to review evidence from the last ten years of the contribution
of physically Active Homework (AH) to the promotion of PA.
Methods. Using a rapid review...
This report presents a series of reviews of the scientific literature to summarise the current evidence of the contributions of different school-based settings on the promotion of health-enhancing physical activity.
The objectives of this report are: to review evidence from the last ten years of the contributions of school-based physical activity,...
In one of the most important project outcomes in HEPAS (An International Review of the Contributions of School-based Physical Activity, Physical Education, and School Sport to the Promotion of Health-enhancing Physical Activity; Bailey et al., 2022) a quite complex model was built up. The Healthy and Physically Active School Model includes the dime...
Objective: Schools can serve as settings for promoting their student health, although it is necessary to identify the key elements of provision to leverage change. This study’s objective was to develop a Europe-based list of the elements of learning and health support systems judged by a group of experts to be most effective in influencing school s...
This article reviews recent literature on the contribution of curriculum physical education to health-enhancing physical activity within the context of European countries. Recommended goals for student physical activity are discussed within a curriculum framework based on five ‘forms’ (concept, designed, implemented, results and effects). The study...
In a time when widescale societal changes have led to the increasing normalisation of sedentary lifestyles, the establishment of physically active and healthy lifestyles gains in importance and urgency. By creating early positive experiences for children, especially before the age of ten, special emphasis should be given on schools as a foundation...
This text presents one of the steps in the dissemination process of the ‘HEPAS’ project in the Czech Republic. HEPAS (Healthy and Physically Active Schools in Europe) was funded under the Erasmus+ Programme, Key Action 2: Strategic Partnerships led by the University of Luxembourg. HEPAS Associated Partners (according to the service agreement) was t...
Objectives: Sports coaches are influential in whether athletes dope, but receive very little anti-doping education, particularly within entry level coaching qualifications. We tested the feasibility of an anti-doping intervention, delivered via a mobile application, which was designed to increase coaches’ knowledge of doping and to reduce favourabl...
It seems reasonable to suppose that educational practices should be informed by philosophical and scientific understandings of the character and operation of mental processes. Clark and Chambers’ 1998 ‘The Extended Mind’ is a seminal paper in the philosophy of mind, but has received limited attention by educational researchers. Their Extended Mind...
The term physical literacy (PL) has become widely used in policy and practice discourses, engaging sport, physical activity, and physical education communities. Yet, despite its popularity, the term has taken many forms, encompassing different definitions, aims, and content. So, there is no single account, and this has led some to question the conc...
Objective To measure depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and psychological well-being among a sample of Super League Players, the highest tier of professional rugby league in the northern hemisphere.
Methods Between November 2018 and July 2019, a sample of 233 Super League players completed questionnaires that assessed depressive symptoms, anxie...
The objective of this study was to develop a Europe-based, authoritative list of the most effective components or elements of learning and health support systems influencing school students’ healthy lifestyles education. It was a part of the broader project, ‘Healthy and Physically Active Schools in Europe’ (HEPAS). The basic approach in this study...
It seems reasonable to suppose that educational practices should be informed by philosophical and scientific understandings of the character and operation of mental processes. Clark and Chambers' 1998 'The Extended Mind' is a seminal paper in the philosophy of mind, but has received limited attention by educational researchers. Their Extended Mind...
The term 'physical literacy' (PL) is widely used in both policy and practice discourses, especially among sport, physical activity, and physical education communities. Yet, despite its popularity, interesting questions remain to be answered. For example, is PL a coherent concept, or an umbrella term for a looser collection of ideas and practices? R...
The participation of children and young people in sport has been a perennial concern; despite claimed benefits, many sports have witnessed waning levels of participation. This is true of golf, with reports of dwindling numbers of juniors in clubs, especially girls. This article offers the first expert consensus study of approaches to increase the p...
Gender inequality has been a persistent cause for concern in sport and physical activity contexts. Even when confronted with considerable efforts and funding, inequality seems rather robust, partly expressed by patterns of lower participation rates in sport and lower general physical activity levels around the world for girls and women than for boy...
Research Question: This qualitative research explores the impact of austerity on community sport facilities across England (United Kingdom), drawing upon resource dependence theory (RDT) embedded within network theory.
Research Methods: In-depth semi-structured interview data were collected from 24 stakeholders related to community sport facilities...
Objective
To summarise the current evidence on the effects of physical activity (PA) interventions on cognitive and academic performance in children, and formulate research priorities and recommendations.
Design
Systematic review (following PRISMA guidelines) with a methodological quality assessment and an international expert panel. We based the...
There has been an exponential growth in research examining the neurological basis of human cognition and learning. Little is known, however, about the extent to which sports coaches are aware of these advances. Consequently, the aim of the present study was to examine the prevalence of pseudoscientific ideas among British and Irish sports coaches....
“Evaluating the relationship between physical education, sport and social inclusion”, published in Educational Review in 2005 was concerned formally with an analysis of the potential role of sport and physical education (PE) within the social policy agenda of Blair’s New Labour Government. It was also a contribution to a wider, ongoing programme th...
Taking performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) can cause serious and irreversible health consequences, which can ultimately lead to premature death. Some young people may take PEDs without fully understanding the ramifications of their actions or based on the advice from others. The purpose of this systematic review was to identify the main factors that...
A growing body of research evidence suggests that physical activity can have a positive effect on educational achievement. This book examines a range of processes associated with physical activity that are of relevance to those working in education – including cognition, learning, memory, attention, mood, stress and mental health symptoms – and dra...
Sport and other forms of physical activities have traditionally held an ambiguous place within schooling, often being pushed to the margins. At the same time, there is a consensus that such activities are necessary for the healthy development of young people. This was proven during the second half of the last century, representing a revolution in t...
The development of life skills has been associated with participation in sport, football and other physical activities. A factor in enabling this ambition to be realized is the actions and behaviours of sports coaches. Drawing on the concept of positive youth development through sport, the first part of this paper considers the types of environment...
Sports policy in England has led to considerable recent investment in Primary Physical Education (PE) via the ‘PE and Sport Premium’. An outcome of this has been growth in the outsourcing – handing over control of services to external agencies – of PE, including sport coaches from professional football clubs’ community programmes. Despite the growi...
Physical Education and School Sport (PESS) offers a key vehicle to support the development of lifelong participation in children and young people. At a time of government cuts and the emergence of external providers, including professional football clubs, it is pertinent to explore current practice. This research set out to explore the delivery, an...
Despite the fact that physical activity is universally acknowledged to be an important part of healthy functioning and well being, the full scope of its value is rarely appreciated. This paper introduces a novel framework for understanding the relationships between physical activity (and specific forms of activity like sports) and different aspects...
Background:
The use of physical activity as an alternative to the pharmaceutical management of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is receiving increased attention partly because of claims of the over-diagnosis or mis-diagnosis of pharmaceutical prescription that is inappropriate for the cluster of behaviors exhibited by sufferers.
Methods:
A...
Despite evident differences between approaches to talent development, many share a set of common characteristics and presumptions. We call this the Standard Model of Talent Development (SMTD). This model is articulated and the relevant literature drawn out to highlight the model's strengths and weaknesses. The SMTD has been enormously influential,...
Although widely employed in professional practice of all kinds, ‘reflection’ and ‘reflective practice’ can be considered ‘success words’. That is, they elicit positive and supportive responses and yet the concepts are vague, ill-defined, contradictory and reflective skills can be hard to teach. Using examples from education and somatic movement the...
Despite the fact that physical activity is universally acknowledged to be an important part of healthy functioning and well-being, the full scope of its value is rarely appreciated. This article introduces a novel framework for understanding the relationships between physical activity (and specifically sport-related forms of physical activity) and...
Recent academic literature on sport coaching has acknowledged the importance of domain specificity, emphasising the significance of participant motives and the coaching environment in determining appropriate coaching practice. Although children's motivations for taking part in sport have been a popular research area, there has been no attempt, unti...
The twin challenges of inactivity and the 2012 Olympics have tightened the focus in UK sport promotion. However, the twin track approach which treats these challenges as distinct concerns may limit the efficacy of interventions in either area. We propose that a continuum between participation, performance sport and elite achievement represents the...
In searching for the next edge or the magic ingredient, policymakers in sport are increasingly drawn to seemingly uncritical copying from other systems. Some of the constructs seem attractive, holding an apparent validity that promotes their adoption but, on closer scrutiny, can appear to be based more on rhetoric than evidence. In this article we...
This paper reports on the first systematic review of Gifted and Talented Education. Its main aim was to investigate interventions designed to improve the educational achievement of students identified as Gifted and Talented. A systematic literature review method was used for both content analysis and in-depth thematic synthesis of the articles. The...
Fun and enjoyment are recurring themes in physical education literature, although there has been some debate concerning the distinction between the two concepts. Whereas enjoyment is generally regarded as helpful in fostering positive attitudes towards physical education, fun has not always been considered an appropriate outcome of physical educati...
Playgrounds and play times offer valuable contexts for children to explore and learn about themselves and their social lives. This study sought to gather evidence of children’s perceptions of their playgrounds and play times, specifically whether the playgrounds were seen positively or negatively and the types of activities in which they engaged. C...
Background: Even though all school-aged children in most countries experience some form of curricular physical education many do not maintain a lifelong involvement in sport or physical activity. From a theoretical perspective, the development models that dominate sport are limited by their staged and linear approaches to development (e.g. Côté's D...
Recent literature sees participation in sport and physical activity as a lifelong continuum. As a consequence, youth sport must be seen as more than just about young athletes achieving elite performance. Accordingly, there is a need to improve our understanding of development in order to help grow and maintain involvement in sport and physical acti...
It is widely maintained that sport and physical activities contribute to the development of young people's well-being. Others argue that sports’ contribution to good living is so strong that it is even thought to be a human right. Typically, however, the value of physical activity and sport to our well-being is conceptualized and researched within...
There are no previous reports of energy expenditure and perceived effort during brisk-walking and running at speeds self-selected by young children. Fifty four participants (age 8-11 years old) performed 1500 m of brisk-walking and running in a marked school playground, and were given simple instructions to either 'walk quickly' or to 'jog'. During...
There is evidence of a small but significant proportion of adolescents engaging in doping practices. Young athletes face very specific pressures to achieve results as they strive for a career at an elite level. This study used an anonymized questionnaire to survey 403 (12-21 years old) talented young athletes' attitudes toward performance-enhancing...
This paper was stimulated by the authors' attempt to understand the process of skill learning in dance. Its stimulus was a period of fieldwork based at the Royal Ballet School in London, and subsequent discussions with the school's teachers and with academic colleagues about how it was that the young dancers developed their characteristic set of sk...
Humans live in complex social environments. By the time they reach adulthood, most people have developed highly sophisticated social skills, including the ability to infer the 'invisible' mental states in others, and to act upon those inferences; they have become experts at 'social chess'. This paper draws upon research from developmental and evolu...
Background: Previous research has identified a number of factors that appear to influence attitudes toward physical education, but little research has focused upon the transition between Key Stages (KS) 2 and 3, when many children transfer from primary to secondary schools. Nevertheless, there are clues that this transition can be a significant eve...
Sage Publications (2010). Hardcover £90.00 (ISBN: 9781847874672) Review by Elham Torabian The SAGE Handbook of the Philosophy of Education offers an introduction to philosophical inquiry for those practising or studying education, in a rather innovative fashion. The readers are introduced to the definition of philosophy of education in the early ch...