A phenomenographical inquiry into experiences of using game based approaches among physical education teachers in England and Australia

This study focuses on the analysis of collective meaning associated with secondary physical education teachers’ (N=12) experiences of teaching games using a Game Based Approach (GBA). Participants taught in one of two different international contexts, southeast Australia or southeast England, and all had some experience of using a GBA to teach games. An elicitation interview technique was used to help understand experience ‘in context’ within a phenomenographic research framework with the purpose being to uncover the qualitatively finite number of ways that GBA-related teaching was/can be experienced. As guided by use of a phenomenographic analysis framework three conceptions of awareness were identified that detail the collective meaning associated with participants’ experiences of teaching using a GBA, namely that of a Learner, a Collaborator, and/or a Catalyst. An analysis of findings is presented with discussion focusing on the context and meaning of GBA-related teaching experience. Implications for both GBA-related teaching practice and physical education teacher education programmes are presented. A number of recommendations from findings are offered for physical education teachers and teacher educators.