Learning Social Justice in Physical Education through visual case studies

This resource (https://pesportpedagogyul.wordpress.com/) was developed in response to the needs identified by pre-service teachers during their school placements when encountering issues related to social justice. It aims to support the development of their confidence and competence in recognising, analysing, and responding to these situations through the use of visual case studies based on authentic experiences. The scenarios are inspired by real situations reported by pre-service teachers and practising teachers, although they have been adapted to protect anonymity and enhance their educational value. The resource is situated within the context of Physical Education in Ireland.

The resource comprises thought-provoking visuals organised into three sections: Setting the Scene, Self-Reflection, and Case Studies. The Setting the Scene section introduces key concepts and vocabulary related to social justice, including topics such as isms and intersectionality. The Self-Reflection section encourages learners to examine their own assumptions, biases, and positionality through guided reflective prompts. Finally, the Case Studies present realistic scenarios accompanied by discussion questions that encourage learners to collaboratively explore possible responses and strategies for promoting social justice in Physical Education. The resource is particularly suited to small-group learning followed by whole-class discussion, although it can be adapted to a range of teacher education and professional learning contexts.