Thomas, Trish (2012) Investigating primary school students' holistic healthcare practices: enablers and barriers: a small case study with year six students. Masters (Research) thesis, James Cook University.

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Abstract

The development of an Australian national Health and Physical Education (HPE) curriculum is of current interest. The debate over how this curriculum is theoretically structured and embraced by students and teachers is further intensified as educators discuss the changing role of schools to address public health. This small case study investigates the way a holistic healthcare practice program was enacted upon by Year Six students and two teachers in a low socio-economic community in North Queensland, Australia. The study illuminates how the multidimensional environment influences including political, sociocultural, physical and economic, acted as either 'enablers' or 'barriers' to students engaging in holistic healthcare practices in the students’ lives in the school, home and community context. Data from this small case study highlights issues of governance of HPE curricula and teacher pedagogy as having influence on student engagement. Student data demonstrates that Year Six students see themselves as healthy, choose to enact positive healthcare practices and involve many family and community members including grandparents in their health practices. Data analysis suggests that accepted and fractured assumptions about health education exist and that through student voice a more complex understanding is represented in their engagement with health programs in primary schools.

Item ID:	24621
Item Type:	Thesis (Masters (Research))
Keywords:	curricula, health and physical education curriculum, health education, holistic health, pedagogy, physical education, primary education, primary school, Queensland education, school children, year 6, year six
Copyright Information:	Copyright © 2012 Trish Thomas
Additional Information:	Appendices B, E and G (administrative documentation) and appendix O (publication) are not available through this repository.
Date Deposited:	25 Jan 2013 05:51
FoR Codes:	13 EDUCATION > 1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy > 130210 Physical Education and Development Curriculum and Pedagogy @ 100%
SEO Codes:	93 EDUCATION AND TRAINING > 9301 Learner and Learning > 930102 Learner and Learning Processes @ 50% 93 EDUCATION AND TRAINING > 9302 Teaching and Instruction > 930201 Pedagogy @ 50%
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