ºÚÁ϶Å

Social justice references aligned with UNESCO Chair team members, partners and adjuncts 

• Scanlon, D., MacPhail, A., Calderón, A., Moody, B. & Murtagh, E. (2024) Working principles of practice for enacting social justice pedagogies in physical education teacher education. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 95(8), 48-50.  

• Scanlon, D., Murtagh, E., Calderon, A. MacPhail, A. & Walsh, C. (2024) Aligning pedagogies of teacher education with the teaching of social justice. In, Butler, B.M. & Bullock, S.M. Understanding a Pedagogy of Teacher Education. Contexts for Teaching and Learning About Your Educational Practice, pp. 96-112. New York: Routledge.  

• MacPhail, A., Calderón, A., Moody, B., McAuley, C., Scanlon, D., Murtagh, E., Davidson, M., McFlynn, P., Luguetti, C., Walton-Fisette, J., and Campbell, A. (2023) Shared Responsibility Across a Shared Island (SRASI): Teaching Social Justice in Initial Teacher Education. Research Report, SCoTENS.  

• Ó Gallchóir, C., O’Flaherty, J., Hogan, D., McCormack. O. (2025). The difficult dynamic of teacher educators as policy actors: considerations for counter-conduct, Pedagogy, Culture & Society, DOI: 10.1080/14681366.2025.2455726 

• O’Flaherty, J., McCormack, O., Lenihan, R., & Young, A. M. (2024). Critical reflection and global citizenship education: exploring the views and experiences of teacher educators. Reflective Practice.  

• O’Flaherty, J., Lenihan, R., Young, A. M., & McCormack, O. (2024). Developing Micro-Teaching with a Focus on Core Practices: The Use of Approximations of Practice. Education Sciences, 14(1), Article 35.   

• O’Toole, V., & O’Flaherty, J. (2024). The role of emotion in higher education: exploring global citizenship education. Irish Educational Studies, 43(4), 645-663.  

• Hogan, D., & O’Flaherty, J. (2022). Exploring the nature and culture of Science as an academic discipline: Implications for the integration of Education for Sustainable Development. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 

• Hogan, D., & O’Flaherty, J. (2021). Addressing Education for Sustainable Development in the Teaching of Science: The Case of a Biological Sciences Teacher Education Program. Sustainability, 13, 1-22.  

Sustainability references aligned with UNESCO Chair team members, partners and adjuncts  

Quality PE and sustainable futures 

Ann MacPhail, ºÚÁÏÉç 

Physical education and sport pedagogy explores how teaching/coaching and learning occur in the context of sport, physical education and related disciplines, with a view to informing and improving practice. With respect to the physical education (PE) context, physical education and sport pedagogy strives to inform how best to deliver, and provide for, quality PE. 

Quality PE 

Quality PE (UNESCO 2021; 2015) refers to a well-structured and comprehensive approach to physical education. The key features of quality PE include (i) inclusivity and access (creating an environment where everyone feels welcome, valued, and challenged according to their individual capabilities), (ii) skill development (helping young people develop the ability to move with competence and confidence in a variety of physical activities), (iii) enjoyment, (iv) a holistic approach (encouraging the development of physical fitness, social skills, emotional resilience, and mental well being as well as valuing teamwork, leadership, perseverance, and respect, and (v) lifelong physical activity (promoting the idea that physical activity should be a lifelong pursuit). 

The relevance of GoPE! to Quality PE is evident when considering the monitoring of policies, surveillance systems and research as a fundamental starting point for the pedagogy of physical education and sport and sustainability goals. 

Quality PE and a sustainable future 

Quality PE can help lay the groundwork for a sustainable future by educating young people on the importance of physical activity, environmental stewardship and community engagement; 

(a) quality PE can be linked to environmental sustainability through outdoor activities (e.g., hiking, cycling) that foster environmental awareness and teach young people about environmental stewardship. This can lead to young people appreciating the importance of protecting natural resources, encouraging behaviours like reducing waste and respecting the environment 

(b) social sustainability is possible where quality PE, through promoting values like cooperation, respect, and fair play, contributes to building strong, supportive communities. These values are essential to the long-term well-being of societies, ensuring that people can collaborate effectively across differences, creating a culture of respect and shared responsibility, and 

(c) promoting a culture of lifelong physical activity through quality PE can heighten the expectations that young people grow into adults who value their health and well-being. Regular physical activity contributes to the sustainability of health systems by reducing healthcare costs and improving quality of life. 

UNESCO Chair in Physical Education and Sports Pedagogy for Sustainable Development

This interest in quality PE, and by association meaningful, relevant and worthwhile pedagogical practices, as well as an awareness of the importance of the sustainable creation and maintenance of communities who are physically active, has resulted in the ºÚÁÏÉç successfully securing a UNESCO Chair in Physical Education and Sports Pedagogy for Sustainable Development. The objectives of the project are to; 

(1) educate physical education and sport pedagogy stakeholders in sustainable development and provide an advocacy skillset by which they can promote future-oriented sustainable development across multiple and diverse societies, 

(2) develop and disseminate an innovative research agenda/portfolio that captures the pressing issues and potential synergies between physical education, sport pedagogy and sustainable development, with a view to directing stakeholders in meaningful research endeavours in the area, and 

(3) establish an international and sustainable network across academia, civil society, local communities, practitioners and policymakers that builds stakeholder capacity in physical education and sport pedagogy for sustainable development. 

A specific focus of the UNESCO Chair is to consider the unique characteristics of PE (and sport) that can contribute to addressing elements of the UN 2023 Agenda for Sustainable Development (United Nations, 2015). Within the realm of PE and sport, research exploring the interconnections between human and environmental health has only recently been (re)initiated (Olive & Enright, 2021) with limited literature beginning to address the feasibility of embedding the SDGs in PE and sport (Lundvall & Froberg, 2023). The integration of sustainability (and SDGs) in PE and sport is a largely unexplored area of research. Identified gaps include understanding how sustainability can be understood, framed and integrated in PE and sport (Froberg & Lundvall, 2021), improving the ability to measure and evaluate the contribution of PE and sport to the SDGs (Baena-Morales et al. 2021b) and professional development opportunities that assist PE teachers and sport coaches in achieving a level if literacy that will contribute to the promotion of sustainability (Santos-Pastor et al., 2022).

Several scholarly and professional activities are aligned with the appointment of the UNESCO Chair and strive to address elements of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (United Nations, 2015). For those interested in learning more about aligned opportunities please contact the UNESCO Chair in Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy for Sustainable Development (Ann.MacPhail@ul.ie) or Co-Chair (Marco.Rieckmann@uni-vechta.de) directly. 

References 

Bácsné-Bába, É., Ráthonyi, G., Pfau, C., Müller, A., Szabados, G.N. and Harangi-Rákos, M., 2021. Sustainability-sport-physical activity. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(4), p.1455.

Fröberg, A. and Lundvall, S., 2021. The distinct role of physical education in the context of agenda 2030 and sustainable development goals: An explorative review and suggestions for future work. Sustainability, 13(21), p.11900. 

Lundvall, S. and Fröberg, A., 2023. From individual to lifelong environmental processes: reframing health in physical education with the sustainable development goals. Sport, Education and Society, 28(6), pp.684-696.

Olive, R. and Enright, E., 2021. Sustainability in the Australian health and physical education curriculum: An ecofeminist analysis. Sport, Education and Society, 26(4), pp.389-402. 

Santos-Pastor, M.L., Ruiz-Montero, P.J., Chiva-Bartoll, O., Baena-Extremera, A. and Martínez-Muñoz, L.F., 2022. Environmental education in initial training: Effects of a physical activities and sports in the natural environment program for sustainable development. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, p.867899. 

United Nations (2015) Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. United Nations. 

UNESCO (2021) Quality Physical Education Policy Project: Analysis of Process, Content and Impact. UNESCO: Paris, France. 

UNESCO (2015) Quality Physical Education (QPE): guidelines for policy makers. UNESCO: Paris, France.