The Meaningful Podcast Experience (MPE)

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Ty, Tori and Kelly reflect on and talk about their recent implementation of meaningful PE in a badminton unit. We chat about ways to engage students, the features of meaningful PE, difference between middle and high school students, adapting on the fly, reflection and much more! Ty, Tori and Kelly are all members of the Champions for Meaningful PE research project...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Greg Dryer joins the podcast to discuss what constitutes good data in Physical Education and, more importantly, how can we use that data to improve the quality of student experiences in PE. Greg is the co-founder of miMove- the world’s first app designed specifically for schools to help young people develop physical activity habits. Previously, Greg also founded a...

Send us Fan Mail Episode EIGHT introduces Jo Bailey, a high school Physical Education teacher in Wisconsin, USA. Originally from the UK, Jo spent much of her life in Hong Kong and taught in both the UK and Hong Kong for several years before moving to the USA in 2004. Jo is a keynote speaker, a National Board Certified Teacher was the 2013 Midwest SHAPE America High School Physical Education Teache...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features Lauren Sulz and Jonathan Mauro talking about school sport - specifically, a framework called School Sport for All. We discuss the intersections between it and Meaningful PE, how school sport can be an opportunity for meaningfulness and much more. Dr. Lauren Sulz is an Associate Professor at the University of Alberta with a focus on healthy school communities....

Send us Fan Mail Episode SEVEN introduces Andy Vasily, a curriculum coordinator in Antwerp, Belgium. Andy is the author of the second chapter in the Meaningful Physical Education book which explores Meaningful PE pedagogy in an individual pursuits unit. Andy has spent many years as a teacher and pedagogical coach at schools around the globe and has spoken in more than 20 countries regarding his pa...

Send us Fan Mail This episode introduces Dr. Hayley Morrison, an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta. She teaches health and physical education curriculum and pedagogy courses to undergraduate students and instructs graduate courses in educational research and inclusive health and physical education. Her research areas include inclusive/adaptive physical ed...

Send us Fan Mail Episode SIX introduces Leticia Cariño, an Elementary (PYP) Physical Educator in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast. In this episode, we discuss opportunities and challenges related to implementation and how the way we implement MPE is contextual. Leti shares several reflective strategies she uses with her learners and how she uses those reflections to shape her instruction to meet her stu...

Send us Fan Mail Episode FIVE introduces Andy Milne and Megaera Regan, two outstanding Physical Educators from the United States. In this episode, we discuss the interest in Meaningful PE through their engagement in online discussions through social media, reflective practice, the new SHAPE America standards and as usual, we conclude the episode with some great advice from our guests.  Andy Milne...

Send us Fan Mail In this special episode, Dr. Tim Fletcher re-joins the podcast to discuss impressions and takeaways from the first 8 episodes of the Meaningful PE podcast. Other discussion topics include the role of practitioner reflection on their vision for PE, and whether or not MPE is suitable for those who already have found their PE experience meaningful. The episode concludes by setting re...

Send us Fan Mail In this bonus episode, Dr. Risto Marttinen, Associate Professor of Physical Education at George Mason University and host of the Playing with Research in Health & Physical Education podcast joins the show to talk about, well, podcasts! In this conversation, we discuss the changing landscape of the podcast world and the place of podcasts in academia, professional development an...

Send us Fan Mail Episode FOUR introduces Kyle Beattie and Riley Derksen - both part of the class of 2022 in the HPE MEd Cohort here at the University of Alberta who teach in Alberta and Saskatchewan respectively. Our discussion dives into the practicalities of teaching through a Meaningful PE lens, changing philosophies, shifting practice, meeting ALL students where they’re at, authentic reflectio...

Send us Fan Mail In this bonus episode, Dr. Scott Kretchmar joins the podcast to discuss how teachers can lead their students on a journey toward joy & meaning.  Dr. Kretchmar is a Professor Emeritus of Exercise and Sport Science at Penn State University. He has written extensively on the role of games and play in human evolution. His work has featured prominently in the development of the Mea...

Send us Fan Mail Episode THREE Introduces - Jodi Harding-Kuriger. In this episode, Jodi dives into her dissertation research which focused on using Group Concept Mapping (GCM) to unpack what secondary students find most meaningful about physical education. Jodi shares ideas of how teachers can apply the ideas of GCM to better understand how to meet the needs of their students.  Jodi Harding Kurige...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Dale Roth & Court Rustemeyer, two Outdoor Educators from Alberta (Canada), join the show to discuss their philosophy related to Outdoor Education and how they facilitate meaningful experiences for students in the outdoors. Topics of discussion include the role of reflective practice in facilitating meaningfulness, as well as 'features' of meaningful...

Send us Fan Mail Episode TWO introduces -  Anita MacDougall and Mel Trojanovic. In this episode, Anita and Mel share how they think about and enact meaningful PE has evolved, the metaphors they use to make sense of the meaningful PE framework, and all the successes and challenges along the way. As Champion teachers in Ontario, Mel and Anita conclude the episode with advice for those interested in...

Send us Fan Mail This first ever BONUS Episode of the Meaningful Podcast Experience features Sarah Succee and Lila Berg - recent grads of the HPE MEd Cohort here at the University of Alberta. The conversation ranges from their Cohort experiences and advice, Sarah's duoethnography research on burnout as a badge of honour, Lila's research on PE advocacy and much more! Links: Health and Phy...

Send us Fan Mail Episode ONE introduces our first guests - the OGs of Meaningful Physical Education - Drs Tim Fletcher, Steph Beni (Riedel) and Deirdre Ni Chroinin. We talk about the origins and foundations of the framework, exciting developments and lots more! Dr. Tim Fletcher is an associate professor in physical education pedagogy in the Department of Kinesiology at Brock University. Dr. Fletch...

Send us Fan Mail Episode ZERO introduces listeners to the Meaningful Podcast Experience. Ty and Doug introduce themselves, share the purpose and goals of the podcast, talk a bit about how they came to Meaningful PE. The episode closes with their advice and a hint about who’s coming on next. Douglas Gleddie is a Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta. He teaches physical...