Education for Physical Activity and Sport: Informal and Non-formal Settings

<< Background >>The decisive factors for the EduPASS project were the following current developments or aspects:1.Ongoing migration processes in EU-countries require focusing more intensively on early childhood development in a balanced whole before entering primary schools. Early childhood institutions need more attention as preparatory learning institutions in developing fundamental motor skills (FMS) through different non-formal and informal physical activities.2.The lack of regular physical activity in childhood and the resulting need to increase children’s daily physical activity, movement and sports (PAMS) in primary school age through increased participation in extracurricular activities at sport clubs and in after-school programs at school. Informal physical activities offered by youth sport coaches at sport clubs or/and in after-school programs are essential to achieve a sufficient daily load of PAMS.3.To ensure the quality of work of early childhood educators (ECEs) and youth sport coaches (YSCs), it was long overdue to develop a uniform training program across Europe with core modules which address not only the competence areas of knowledge and skills but also consider equally the attitudes and values of future ECEs and YSCs.<< Objectives >>The achievement of the following three objectives was the focus of the EduPASS project:1.To develop a modular training program for future ECEs and YSCs which guarantees a high quality training throughout Europe. The training program includes core modules which reflect competence areas of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values in a balanced structure. To ensure both theoretical and practical quality and relevance of the new program, various activities were carried out: (1) a comprehensive literature analysis, (2) a Delphi study in which experts from 23 European countries were consulted, and (3) two LTTs in which specific modules of the training program were presented. 2.To make the training program, a handbook and teaching materials available to stakeholders (e.g., ECEs, YSCs, ECE/YSC educators 3.To develop a valid and easy-to-use evaluation tool with which ECE and YSC training measures can be evaluated from both the perspective of the participants (students) and the lecturers.<< Implementation >>In accordance with the project planning, the following TPMs were carried out:-TPM 1: Kick-off meeting hosted by the University of Luxembourg, June 2022.-TPM 2: First interim meeting hosted by Valgo Sport, January 2023.-TPM 3: Second interim meeting hosted by the Willibald Gebhardt Research Institute, May 2023.-TPM 4: Third interim meeting hosted by Sport Ireland, May 2024.-TPM 5: final project interim meeting hosted by the University of Luxembourg, October 2024.To prepare, test and evaluate certain modules of the training program, three LTTs were organized:LTT 1: Short-term joint staff training event hosted by the University of Seville, September 2022.-LTT 2+3: Focus YSC, hosted by Sport Ireland, October 2023.-LTT 4+5: Focus ECE, hosted by INAPS and the University of Luxembourg, January 2024.To introduce and disseminate the training programs to the target groups, NMEs in four partner countries took place: -NME 1 Germany, hosted by the Willibald Gebhardt Research Institute, September 2024.-NME 2 Luxembourg, hosted by the University of Luxembourg, October 2024.-NME 3 Spain, hosted by the University of Seville, October 2024.-NME 4 Ireland, hosted by Sport Ireland, October 2024.Finally, an international multiplier event (IME) was organized and hosted by the University of Luxembourg and CEREPS in October 2024.These activities were intended to support the achievement and dissemination of the planned project results. Some preparatory work was completed in the first 15 month (June 2022 up October 2023) which included: different national surveys on the qualification frame of national curricula (Ireland, Spain, Luxembourg, Germany) how to become an early childhood educator and a youth sport coach on basic level; an European based literature review on basic laws and curricular frames and empirical research studies on early childhood education and youth sport coaches; an European-based. Delphi-Study on the different formats of the main four competence sectors (knowledge, skills, attitudes, values); with reference of all preparatory results for the design and structure of the 6 six core modules for ECE and YSC. This part of the implementation started in May 2023 at Münster with the identification of core modules for YSC (LTT at Dublin in October 2023) and the core modules for ECE which started in September 2023 (LTT at Luxembourg in January 2024). Form February 20024 up to September 2024 the final structure and content of all 12 core modules were revised and finished prior of the four National Multiplier Events (NME) (September to October 2024 in Münster, Luxembourg, Seville, Dublin) with the final International Multiplier Event (October 2024, in Luxembourg). During the two LTTs at Dublin and Luxembourg we implemented the online tool of our evaluation instrument for student`s and teacher`s assessment of structure, content and delivery of the core modules for ECE and YSC.<< Results >>In accordance with the application, eight different units of result were realized in the EduPASS project (R 1-R 8). All results can be viewed and downloaded on the project website (www.edupass-project.eu). R 1: Overview on ECE and YSC Education and Training in Europe (Leading organization: CEREPS).Based on a comprehensive literature analysis and a survey of experts from 23 European countries (Delphi study), an overview of the current situation of the ECE and YSC education/training in Europe was prepared. Existing frameworks, concepts, profiles, curricula etc in this field were analyzed. R 2: Recommendations on ECE and YSC Education and Training (Leading organization: CEREPS).Under the leadership of CEREPS, the project partners presented programs and course modules for ECE and YSC training in their respective countries. At TPM 4 (May 2023) and 5 (October 2023) and during LTT 1 (October 2023), the program and course structures were discussed intensively and recommendations were derived for the unified training program to be developed in the project. R# 3: ECE and YSC Profile (Leading organization: University of Seville).Based on the outcomes of R 1 and R 2, the project partners identified the minimum requirements of ECEs and YSCs regarding the competence areas knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values and developed a profile in form of a policy recommendation document.R 4: Theoretical and methodological framework for ECE and YSC Education and Training (Leading organization: University of SevilleThe previous project work (R 1-R 3) was summarized in a theoretical and methodological framework for a Europe-wide standardized training program for future ECEs and YSCs. This framework was then used as basis for the development of the training program structure (e.g., modules and courses).R 5: Modular program for ECE and YSC Education and Training consisting of modules, courses and teaching units (Leading organization: Willibald-Gebhardt Research Institute).R 5 is one of the key results of the EduPASS project: The development of two separate (but structurally identical) modular training programs for ECEs and YSCs, each consisting of six core modules (e.g., ECE training: Daily Physical Activity and Play, Principles of Teaching Children). The trainings are now available for download on an open course platform, including further materials such as PP-slides, literature references and links (www.edupass-project.eu/teaching-platform/). R 6: Method and tool to evaluate the ECE and YCS Education and Training course modules (Leading organization: University of Luxembourg).To evaluate the training program, a questionnaire was designed with which both the participants/students and the trainers/lecturers can evaluate the training as well as individual teaching units regarding various aspects (e.g., relevance, organization, teaching methods, learning progress). The questionnaire was used in both LTTs (October 2023 and January 2024) to obtain feedback from participants and lecturers on the modules and teaching units implemented there. R 7: Evaluation study and report (Leading organization: University of Luxembourg).As part of an evaluation study, the results of (1.) the LTT evaluations and (2.) a peer-evaluation of the developed course modules and teaching units by the project partners were analyzed and discussed in an evaluation report. This report formed the basis for the final revision of the modules and teaching units of the training program.R 8: Handbook and guidance material for the implementation of the modular ECE and YSC Education and Training program (Leading organization: Willibald Gebhardt Research Institute).Based on R 1-R 4 and especially R 5, a handbook and guidance material for the implementation of the training program was developed in the form of a manual. The handbook is aimed at institutions that offer trainings for ECEs and YSCs and is intended to support them in the implementation of the training program. Among other things, quality criteria are listed that should be taken account during implementation.