The Global Forum for Physical Education Pedagogy (GoFPEP) was established as a way to rethink, reform and renew ways physical education and health programs are offered in the schools. Additionally, GoFPEP helps to re-conceptualize the preparation of physical education teachers. With its international focus, great emphasis is placed on reviewing current physical education practices and methods by examining model school physical education programs and exploring current trends, issues and contemporary concepts for teaching physical education. Over 80 educators, practitioners, government leaders, businessmen/women and students from over 40 countries around the world meet to discuss topics of significance and importance in the fields of physical education and health.
Grundy Center Community Schools and UNI is hosting the first-ever in the U.S. international health and physical education global forum. More than 70 educators, health professionals, administrators and policy makers from 30 countries -- representing 64 universities, institutions, organizations and schools will attend the Global Forum for Physical Education Pedagogy 2010 (GoFPEP 2010). The forum will focus on reform in health and physical education programs for K-12 students.
Worldwide, physical education programs need to be reconceptualized. In an ever-changing world, the examination of new forms of pedagogy, use of technology and new methods for preparing physical educators need to be examined. This article aims to present the Consensus Statement entitled Health and Physical Education Pedagogy in the 21st Century fostered at the Global Forum for Physical Education Pedagogy 2010 - GoFPEP 2010.The Global Forum for Physical Education Pedagogy 2010 (GoFPEP 2010) drew more than 70 renowned educators, professionals, administrators, business leaders, and policy makers from 26 countries, representing 64 universities, schools, and other institutions. The primary purpose was to craft a global consensus statement entitled Health and Physical Education Pedagogy in the 21st Century. Recommendations include healthy active lifestyles, student centered learning, advancing knowledge, skills, and dispositions required by 21st Century learners with physical literacy, programs as models of social justice, re-conceptualizing assessment strategies using technology and engaging a multiple stakeholders. The consensus statement calls for integrating health and PE, promoting best practices, building partnerships, developing sensitivity to diversity, strategies to promote accountability, and linking practice to theory.
The need to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals worldwide has increasingly gained attention of all of civil society. The challenges presented by increased incidents of non- communicable diseases are growing at an alarming rate on a worldwide basis. A clear call to the attention of the world of the need to address this issue was made by the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on September 19, 2011. The Secretary General called for an increased focus on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (Ki-moon, 2011). This landmark presentation was only the second time in the history of The United Nations that the Secretary General discussed health related issues to members of the General Assembly. Emphasized in his presentation was the necessity to address the challenges brought about by non-communicable diseases, especially among women and children. Exercise, nutritious diet, improving eating habits, limiting alcohol consumption and stopping smoking were among the strategies emphasized in his presentation. The importance of governments, civic groups, businesses and individuals working together in a holistic fashion as partners linked to various public health initiatives was highlighted.
Children and youth today are particularly vulnerable to challenges of obesity and overweight as they currently represent the single largest cohort group of young people in history. There are 2.2 billion children and 1.5 billion youth in the world today and, of this number, 1.9 billion and 1.3 billion respectively live in developing countries (United Nations Children’s Fund, 2005; World Bank, 2007). It is evident that providing children and youth with the opportunity to have a fun and active experience which reinforces their desire to make physical activity a life-long habit may be one of the key elements in addressing the epidemic of obesity and overweight. When school programs are linked with community activities including sports, there is the opportunity to amplify the efforts of both environments in addressing the challenge of obesity and overweight. Further, urban planning policies which are aimed at developing parks and open spaces where people can practice enjoyable physical activities in clean and safe spaces as well as promoting active transportation (e.g. cycling, walking paths, etc.) can be effective community strategies to support the development of a built environment which enhances health and wellbeing (United Nations Office of Sport for Development & Peace, 2008).
The Willibald Gebhardt Research Institute at the University of Duisburg-Essen (WGI) will host the Global Forum for Physical Education Pedagogy 2012 (GoFPEP 2012). The event will be staged at the historic and rustic Sport Castle Hotel and on the HCSC Andreas School campus in Velen, Germany, May 9 – 11, 2012. The theme of GoFPEP 2012 “Revitalizing Health and Physical Education through Community Based Networking” will address threats to physical activities for children and youth within their living settings, particularly at school and in the community. In addition, GoFPEP 2012 will emphasize the spirit of local community partnership models, the importance of networking and the application of technology.
Distinguished delegates from 60 countries around the world have been invited to participate in the forum. Individuals will represent their local schools, universities, national and international based sport associations, national and continental PE teacher and sport science associations, including businesses, government agencies and some other organizations interested in promoting the wellbeing of children and youth. Delegates will be in attendance from the following countries: Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, The Netherlands, Turkey, Ukraine, United States and Venezuela.
GoFPEP 2012 will build on the previous forum held in the United States in 2010 and focus on the international outcomes found in recent studies, publications and concerns expressed regarding the threats to wellbeing of children and youth. To counteract current trends of physical inactivity, poor nutritional habits, increased screen time and a de-emphasis of physical education in the schools, new concepts of health-enhanced physical education will be explored. In addition, GoFPEP 2012 will examine the need for new partnerships with sport clubs and community departments of education, health, sport, leisure and social affairs.
The GoFPEP 2012 program has been arranged to accentuate the theme of the event and organized in several different formats including: keynote presentations; workshops; on-sight clinics emphasizing best practice; discussion groups; and poster presentations. Leading experts from Europe, North America and China will offer keynote lectures including Prof. Brian Martin, MD MPH, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Prof. Tom McKenzie, San Diego State University, California, USA; and Prof. Dr. Mingkai Chin, Hong Kong, China, HOPSports. Five workshops will be offered focused on the topics of Exercise is Medicine, Technology in Physical Education; Teaching Physical Education; PE Teacher Training and finally, establishing a new common "Global Network of Healthy Schools". All delegates will be encouraged to share their experiences and provide recommendations as related to the five workshop topics, in poster and small discussion group sessions.
The third in a series of biennial international forums known as the Global Forum for Physical Education Pedagogy (GoFPEP) was hosted by the North-West University – Potchefstroom Campus in South Africa. Initially established in 2010, GoFPEP has drawn together academics, professionals, educators, businessmen and government leaders to discuss the ways in which individuals working holistically can promote reform in the areas of health and physical education (Edginton, Chin & Naul, 2012, p.32). GoFPEP seeks to address two major elements in its process of discovery. The first is to discover and reveal “best practices” in the teaching of health and physical education and the second is to revitalize the way in which health and physical education teachers are prepared.
GoFPEP as it is currently organized has framed itself as a new social movement. Like other social movements, GoFPEP seeks change and works to promote collective or group action aimed at the challenges of obesity and overweight amongst children and youth worldwide (Tilly, 2004). As has been noted by Macionis (2009, p. 487), “. . . people commonly band together to form a social movement . . . an organized activity that encourages . . . social change.” As such, GoFPEP seeks to challenge existing institutional structures and ways of practice and teaching. GoFPEP as a social movement is working to bring about social change by creating new ways of thinking as well as proposing new solutions to existing problems. As a social movement, GoFPEP seeks to network individuals on a worldwide basis to influence to bring about change.
GoFPEP 2014 was focused on the theme of “Physical Education and Health: Global Perspectives and Best Practice.” Keynote invitations, invited speakers, workshops and school visitations were included in the program as well as several discussion sessions. The program included over 80 delegates from nearly 50 countries. The program was endorsed by 111 different professional organizations, universities, agencies and institutions. Delegates were asked to prepare a poster presentation which revealed best practice in their home environment. In addition, poster presentations included research which revealed in an applied fashion evidence of best practice in schools and community settings. The program focused on examining best practice using an interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary approach with applications in community based settings.
Presentations by the invited speakers focused on the interesting and interactive approached of increasing physical activity in the different cultural contexts. Best practice physical activity in schools from Western, Asian, European and African settings was presented. From the presentations is became obvious that tradition and cultural influences cannot be ignored when physical activity and physical education changes are negotiated. Deep rooted traditions are captured within the way different groups choose to move and engage in physical activity. The application of physical activity to enhance the learning experience of children was an approach used in both Europe and Africa. Math, history and geography to name a few, are taught through various games that involve movement and physical activity.
The Faculty of Sport Science, Physical Education and Sport Teacher Education Department at Hacettepe University in Ankara, Turkey, is pleased to welcome all invited delegates to the Global Forum for Physical Education Pedagogy (GoFPEP 2016). 120 delegates representing over 60 countries/regions have been invited to participate in the 4th biannual forum distinguished for gathering together leading experts from collaborative disciplines world-wide.
Hotel Altinel Ankara, Turkey plays host to GoFPEP 2016 May 26-28, 2016. The forum is recognized for the depth and range of its roster of world renowned speakers, workshops and model school presentations showcasing best practices from different countries/regions, school and community program implementation and site visits, and most importantly expanded opportunities for shared dialog and discovery.
GoFPEP is uniquely constructed for delegates to continue to work locally while connecting globally. The end goal is for sustainable behavioral change, and while this may vary in look from community to country, GoFPEP provides the structure for a sharing of local perspectives within a global construct as a means to this achievable end.