Intercultural Education through Physical Activity, Coaching and Training

Although in most European countries, physical education teachers and coaches work with culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse groups, sport educators are not well-prepared to seize the opportunities presented by increasing diversity. Research indicates that many physical education teachers and coaches have not received formal training on working with diverse groups and lack professional competences in the area of intercultural education. Aims:1.Addressing intercultural challenges schools, clubs, PE teachers and coaches are facing, by providing innovative evidence-based intercultural pedagogy in physical education and coaching, thereby improving quality of pre- and in-service education. 2.Development of teaching and learning material for meeting these criteria.3.Conception and implementation of a training course for university staff, PE teachers and coaches.4.Ensuring sustainable access to developed resources, transferability, and long-term implementation.Main activities: 1.Transnational project meetings to coordinate work, elaborate outcomes, test the developed training course, review & validate teaching material and methods, assure quality of the project, counteract impact of COVID-19 pandemic on project activities, discuss project results and coordinate sustainability measures. 2.Needs analysis to determine the state of knowledge and generate expert practice input through rapid evidence analysis & focus group interviews with teachers, researchers and experts.3.Development of respective teaching and learning material necessary for meeting these criteria based on a Needs Analysis: EDU:PACT Module Handbook, Online Toolkit and Teaching Guidelines, Unit Outlines and Course Samples. 4.Development, pilot and implementation of teacher training programme, and training of selected university staff, PE teachers and coaches in applying the EDU:PACT methodology, so they can act as multipliers.5.Adaption of work plan and course format to meet challenges of pandemic related restrictions.6.Implementation of EDU:PACT courses offering a chance for PE teachers and coaches to get acquainted with contents and methods developed within the EDU:PACT project, enabling them to apply their knowledge when teaching in schools and sport clubs. 7.Optimization of elaborated teaching material, approaches and methods through a Review and Validation Process, that integrates participant´s and teaching staff´s feedback from the pilot training and courses and additional surveys (Handbook Survey, Intercultural Sensitivity Survey).8.Quality assurance measures by internal and external procedures. 9.Provision of a website: http://edupact.sporteducation.eu, featuring Handbook and Online Toolkit, additional activities as well as Unit Outlines & Sample Course Plans and a 14 Week University Course as open access resources, also beyond the project runtime ensuring sustainability and transferability to other contexts & organizations.10.Dissemination of developed resources and methods by implementation of 5 national and 2 international dissemination events, connecting sport stakeholders and providing space for discussion. Enhancement of the project visibility by the use of website, social media, newsletter, press releases, folder, presentation at international conferences, preparation of a research article (to be published and available by 2022).11.Inclusion of EDU:PACT modules into continuous professional development, workshops, courses and pre-existing curricula also after the project runtime, thereby ensuring sustainable implementation. The aims of the project were exceeded through the high number of participants in the online activities of the project, the results obtained, their impact, sustainability & transferability.