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Physical activity and sport have been a part of human culture from very early times, but their role in society has varied considerably. Reasons for participating in sport, apart from just having fun, have included status and prestige (both for individuals and their societies), military training, the building of character and leadership skills in youth, and monetary reward.

This is the discussion icon. Assignment 1: Social Role and Value of Physical Activity

  1. Research one image that reflects the social role and value of physical activity and sport for one of the following historical times:
    • Ancient Greece
    • The Roman Empire
    • The Renaissance
    • The Victorian Era
    • The Industrial Revolution
    • The early 20th century
  2. Explain how the image depicts the social role and value of physical activity and sport in the lives of citizens of that period.
  3. Research and select one quotation that best represents your views about the role of physical activity and sport in your life today. Provide an explanation for your choice of quotation and how it is reflective of your experiences and influences. Eg: Think about your personal history of participation in physical activity/sport and how it has evolved over your life both in terms of its social role in your life and the value you place on physical activity/sport. Consider who and/or what factors have influenced your participation in physical activity/sport and how your participation has changed over the last ten years.
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Use this learning tool to learn about each of the five fundamental principles. Click on each of the principles to learn about it.

Long Description

As you read about each principle think about the following questions and use this chart to jot down your thinking.

  1. In what ways do the principles connect to your own personal history of participation and your prior experiences? Think about both the social and cultural influences that may have impacted the choices you made.
  2. In what ways do the principles compare to or contrast with your past experiences with physical activity and sport within your school, your family and/or your community?
  3. How do the fundamental principles reflect the evolution of both the social and cultural role and value of physical activity and sport in society? Consider how these principles reflect the changing role of education which now focuses on using physical activity as a way to help you develop qualities to benefit you throughout your entire life, such as respect for diversity, honouring your cultural roots, striving for personal excellence and the ability to work with others.
  4. How do these fundamental principles reflect today’s view of the social and cultural role and value of physical activity and sport in society? How is this different from in the past?

This is the dropbox icon. Assignment 2: Fundamental Principles: Society and Me

Choose one of the following two tasks to learn more about the Fundamental Principles and use this chart to record your thinking in response to the questions.

Choice 1:

The following videos provide stories of educators who are speaking about how they try to make these principles come alive in their practice. As you explore these videos, continue to think about and make notes about the connections to the changing views about physical activity/ sport in society and the connections to your own life history and what has influenced your participation, both socially and culturally. To what degree are your own experiences reflected in their words?

Click on the title of each video title to expand.


Choice 2:

The following five posters were created by OPHEA (Ontario Physical and Health Education Association). They are illustrations of the five fundamental principles of health and physical education.

As you explore these posters, continue to think about and make notes about the connections to the changing views about physical activity/ sport in society and the connections to your own life history and what has influenced your participation, both socially and culturally. Do you see your own experiences reflected in the posters?

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This is the dropbox icon. Assignment 3: Fundamental Principles in Action

As you progress through this course you will be asked to continue to reflect on your learning and the connection to these five fundamental principles in preparation for the final culminating activity for the course. Choose and complete one of the following tasks to demonstrate your understanding of how the social and cultural influences of physical activity and sport in society has evolved through the changing views of the social role and values of physical activity/sport in society as reflected in the fundamental principles.

Task 1:

Capture an image which reflects one or more of the five fundamental principles in action in your school, home or community. Write a caption for the image which explains how it conveys the social role and value of physical activity in the context of school, home or community.

Task 2:

Describe a physical activity/sport experience that you have participated in or witnessed in your school, family or community which reflects one or more of the five fundamental principles in action. Explain how the experience conveys the social or cultural role and value of physical activity in the context of your school, home or community.

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