Assessing Physical Literacy: Deciding what method to use

Barnett, L, Dudley, D, Telford, R, Lubans, D, Bryant, A, Roberts, William M ORCID: 0000-0001-5736-5244, Morgan, P, Schranz, N, Weissensteine, J, Vella, S, Salmon, J, Ziviani, J, Okely, A, Wainwright, N, Evans, J and Keegan, R (2018) Assessing Physical Literacy: Deciding what method to use. In: The International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) 17th Annual Conference 2018, 3 - 6 June, Hong Kong. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Purpose: Very few research groups have recommended ways to measure physical literacy. Arguably, physical literacy is an important construct and likely to relate to children’s health, thus it is important to be able to assess it. The purpose of this paper is to provide a guide to physical literacy assessment using the definition of physical literacy agreed upon in Australia in 2017, which includes the four constructs of physical, psychological, cognitive and social capacities. Methods: We propose a decision-making heuristic to guide and inform the assessment of physical literacy. Results: Nine guidelines to assist decision-making were identified. These included: 1. Domains of importance (i.e. cognitive, social, psychological, physical); 2. Subdomains (e.g., gross motor skill - subdomain of physical); 3. Context (e.g., physical environment); 4. Purpose (e.g., monitor class levels of motor skill); 5. Age group (e.g., primary school); 6. Structured Observation of Learning Outcomes (SOLO) level (i.e., acquisition and accumulation) 7. Method (e.g., objective-vs-subjective); 8. Number of participants; and 9. Cost. Example assessment scenarios will be presented, which highlight the complexities of assessment across the constructs. Discussion/Conclusions: Researchers, practitioners and policy makers who are interested in measuring physical literacy need a process to be able to select the methods that best fit their intention, needs and resources. The examples demonstrate that deciding on an assessment approach for physical literacy is not easy because it is an umbrella term for an enormous number of interrelated elements. Nevertheless, it is not feasible (or arguably appropriate) to be prescriptive about measurement tools because of this very complexity of the construct. Considering that our ability to measure is also always evolving, the other advantage is that this system is effectively independent of whatever measures exist at any given point in time.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Physical literacy; Physical education; Child
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure > GV557 Sports R Medicine > RJ Pediatrics > RJ125 Physiology of children and adolescents > RJ131 Children Growth. Child development
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Education and Science
Research Priority Areas:	Health, Life Sciences, Sport and Wellbeing
Depositing User:	Will Roberts
Date Deposited:	14 May 2018 10:45
Last Modified:	31 Aug 2023 09:08
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/5587

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