Physical literacy in Europe: The current state of implementation in research, practice, and policy

HYSIOLOGY Physical literacy in Europe: The current state of implementation in research, practice, and policy

ABSTRACT

Background/objective: The holistic concept of physical literacy embraces different person-centered qualities (physical, cognitive, affective/psychological) necessary to lead physically active lifestyles. Physical literacy has recently gained increasing attention globally and Europe is no exception. However, scientific endeavors summarizing the current state of physical literacy in Europe are lacking. Therefore, the goal of this study was to comprehensively assess and compare the implementation of physical literacy in research, policy, and practice across the continent.

Methods: We assembled a panel of experts representing twenty-five European countries. Employing a complementary mixed-methods design, the experts first prepared reviews about the current state of physical literacy in their countries (categories: research, practice/policy). The reviews underwent comparative document analysis, ensuring a transnational four-eyes principle. For re-validation purposes, the representatives completed a quantitative survey with questions reflecting the inductive themes from the document analysis.

Results: The document analysis resulted in ten disjunct themes (related to "concept", "research", "practice/policy", "future/prospect") and yielded a heterogenous physical literacy situation in Europe. The implementation state was strongly linked to conceptual discussions (e.g., existence of competing approaches), linguistic issues (e.g., translations), and country-specific traditions. Despite growing scholarly attention, physical literacy hesitantly permeates practice and policy in most countries. Nevertheless, the experts largely anticipate increasing popularity of physical literacy for the future.

Conclusion: Despite the heterogeneous situation across Europe, the analysis has uncovered similarities among the countries, such as the presence of established yet not identical concepts. Research should intensify academic activities (conceptual-linguistic elaborations, empirical work) before physical literacy may gain further access into practical and political spheres in the long term.

One. Introduction

One point one. The concept of physical literacy

In the past decade, the documentation of the scientific evidence on the high global physical inactivity prevalence has undergone substantial improvement in both quantity and quality. Parallel to this, or even stimulated by calls to find solutions against this trend, there have been a growing number of research articles devoting their interest to the concept of physical literacy. In summary, the academic literature has yielded different physical literacy definitions and conceptualizations. The number of definitions underlines the diversity of different approaches, but also accounts for the cultural specificities across the world (e.g., the social element in the Australian framework or the spiritual element in New Zealand). According to the International Physical Literacy Association, physical literacy can be described "as the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life" (starting page). When analyzing this widespread definition in more detail, it becomes apparent that physical literacy cultivates intertwined domains for describing individuals' proficient engagement in physical activities: an affective domain (motivation and confidence), a physical domain (physical competence), a cognitive domain (knowledge and understanding), and lastly a behavioral domain (daily physical activity behavior). In accordance with this multifaceted description, physical literacy represents a holistic concept that emphasizes the inseparability of body and mind. Moreover, physical literacy has elaborated philosophical underpinnings, encompassing roots in monism, existentialism, and phenomenology. For instance, phenomenological descriptions have often qualified physical literacy as indicating a lifelong, idiosyncratic journey. Physical literacy has stimulated a considerable amount of research projects and journal articles, finally culminating in several reviews on different topics and subjects such as physical literacy conception, measurement, health aspects, empirical findings,

specific target groups as well as intervention issues.

In addition to the increasing popularity of the concept on the scientific level, the value of physical literacy has also been incrementally acknowledged in practice and policy. For instance, the Global Action Plan on Physical Activity twenty eighteen to twenty thirty has repeatedly suggested physical literacy as a crucial, promising concept to address people's physical inactivity levels. UNESCO gears the Quality Physical Education guidelines for policy makers toward systematically promoting physical literacy in educational contexts. Furthermore, physical literacy has even been suggested as a worthwhile goal for the twenty thirty Sustainable Development Goals by the United Nations. Moreover, on the national scale, several organizations and associations have aligned their practical initiatives with physical literacy. For instance, Canada has placed physical literacy at the heart of the Sport for Life initiative, thereby creating partnerships between the sectors of education, recreation, sport, and health. Similarly, SHAPE America acknowledged the value of the concept and set physical literacy as the standard for students. Finally, Sport Australia, supported by the Australian government, stressed the benefits of physical literacy and has also resulted in a distinct Australian understanding of the concept.