Wilkie, Brett ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0310-1360 (2023) Ecological dynamics: a theoretical framework for understanding physical literacy in children. Doctoral thesis, York St John University.

Text (Professional Doctorate thesis) Ecological dynamics a theoretical framework for understanding physical literacy in children.pdf - Published Version Restricted to Repository staff only until 8 November 2025. Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (1MB) Request a copy

Abstract

In recent years the concept of physical literacy has (re)emerged, gaining global popularity as an increasingly influential concept. Commonly expressed themes within academic literature highlight that physical literacy involves the equal consideration of movement competence, affective behaviours, knowledge, understanding, and the valuing of physical interactions with the environment. Developing a framework for the assessment of a multifaceted phenomenon such as physical literacy is acknowledged as being difficult. The often-taken route of decontextualised assessment, or disconnected evaluation fails to fully account for the role that environment and context have within the revelation of physical literacy. There has been encouragement to develop creative, nonconventional approaches to the evaluation of physical literacy that better reflect the holistic nature of the construct. In an attempt to address such shortcomings, this thesis outlines how the assessment of physical literacy, conceptualised in an ecological dynamics theoretical rationale might be undertaken. The emergent games-based assessment developed through this thesis is the first tool of its type which frames physical literacy assessment and evaluation through an ecological dynamics rationale, providing insight to children’s knowledge of the environment, revealed through their perception of affordances, their intentionality, and how they functionally move to effectively wayfind within performance environments. The studies presented provide a foundation for new perspectives on physical literacy assessment, providing a mechanism to successfully differentiate higher- and lower-physical literacy behaviour, while remaining more faithful to the philosophically complex and holistic nature of the concept.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Status:	Published
Subjects:	L Education > LB Theory and practice of education
School/Department:	School of Education, Language and Psychology
URI:	https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/9954

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