TARGETING STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION WITHIN SECONDARY SCHOOL PHYSICAL EDUCATION THROUGH DESIGN
Gwen Weeldenburg, teacher educator and researcher at Fontys University of Applied Sciences, School of Sport Studies, successfully defended her thesis on November 8th. The defense committee consisted of Antonio Calderon (PESS Limerick, Ireland), Peter Iserbyt (KU Leven, Belgium), Arnout Brombacher (TU Eindhoven, NL) and Lars Borghouts (Fontys University, NL). The thesis was supervised by Steven Vos and Lars Borghouts. Within her thesis she explored (i) the motivational perceptions and needs of students within secondary school PE, (ii) how the teacher can meet these motivational needs and (iii) how technology can be better utilized to support teachers in building an optimal motivational PE class climate. By using a participatory approach, the TARGET-tool as a professional development tool for PE teachers to enhance and optimize the motivational climate in PE, was developed. The thesis can be downloaded here. Most of the book chapters have already been published online within peer-reviewed journals.
