Physical Education

Physical Education

Introduction

1. Physical Education (PE) develops the skills, knowledge, values and attitudes needed
for establishing and enjoying an active and healthy lifestyle, as well as building student
confidence and competence in facing challenges as individuals and in groups or teams,
through a wide range of learning activities.

2. PE is offered as an elective examination subject at senior secondary education level.

It emphasises the connection between theory and practical skills and is designed to develop
the interest and potential of students in the areas of PE and sports. It will help students gain
a deeper understanding of theories and applications in the fields of human movement and
health, and it will promote the well-being of individuals and society.

3. The curriculum for PE builds on the prior knowledge and skills that students will have
obtained through the Basic Education PE Curriculum and other Key Learning Areas. The
concepts on fitness and health will be strengthened and new elements on sports psychology,
biomechanics, and sports and recreation will be added. The senior secondary PE
curriculum will continue to enhance the six strands in PE and develop students’ collaboration
and communication skills, creativity and critical thinking skills as a basis for further studies
and career development.

Rationale

4. It is generally accepted that encouraging a healthy lifestyle characterised by regular

physical activity in children is a world-wide priority for future health to overcome the
challenges posed by sedentary lifestyles1. Like many other major cities in the world, Hong
Kong is facing the same problems. The PE Curriculum is designed to address the problems
of obesity and lack of physical fitness, by providing students with the knowledge to make an
informed choice of lifestyle. Through a combination of theory and practical work, the PE
curriculum will foster healthy living and contribute to the development of well-being.

5. The PE Curriculum will also help to promote the development of a life-long interest in
sports participation. Over the past few years, a culture of sports participation has been
growing. This is partly in response to increased government provision of recreational
facilities, physical activities and health education programmes, and better access to them,

1
World Health Organisation. (2002). Physical Activity and Health. Fifty-fifth World Health Assembly,
Document WHA55.23. WHO, Diet, Geneva.
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making them more popular. At school level, our students in general enjoy participating in
physical activities, as a result of the unfailing efforts of schools, parents and various agencies
(e.g. sports governing bodies, Hong Kong School Sports Federation and Hong Kong Schools
Dance Association). In order to sustain this new sportive culture, the PE Curriculum aims
to provide the knowledge and skills needed by those who are interested in participating in
sports safely and enjoyably.

6. The PE Elective is a three-year course leading to a public examination. It not only

builds on the strengths of the existing PE curriculum at Basic Education level but also helps
students with an interest in PE and sports to establish a solid foundation for further studies
and advancement. The breadth of the Curriculum, with its variety and flexibility, enables
students to advance smoothly to higher education and to possible future careers in human
biology, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, PE, sports and recreation etc. The
PE curriculum will contribute to the development of generic skills as well as positive values
and attitudes, especially perseverance and sportsmanship. All of this is in line with the
appeal from the World Health Organisation (WHO), for the building of a long-term capacity
for a healthy community2.

Curriculum Aims

7. The aims of the curriculum are to enable students to:

(a) acquire a broad range of integrated knowledge, and enhance understanding and skills
for further education and a future career;
(b) apply knowledge and skills to make informed decisions and judgments, and to initiate,
plan, perform and evaluate PE, sports and recreation, and health activities;
(c) enhance generic capacity, in particular, collaboration skills, communication skills,
critical thinking, creativity and aesthetic appreciation, as a basis for further studies and
career development;
(d) develop commitment towards the improvement of individual well-being and the
further development of an active and healthy society;
(e) become responsible citizens who can demonstrate desirable behaviours and a sense of
commitment towards the betterment of their life, community, nation and the world.

2
World Health Organisation. (2004). Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health. Fifty-seventh
World Health Assembly. WHO, Document WHA57.17, Geneva

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Curriculum Framework

(This part should be read in conjunction with the section “Curriculum Framework” of the
Main Document. It should be noted that the curriculum framework suggested below is for
initial consultation only. Feedback from the public will be taken into account and further
details will be provided in the next stage of consultation.)

8. To achieve the aims of the PE Elective, the following modules and time allocation are
recommended:

Lesson Time: 255 hours

Modules Suggested lesson

time (hrs)
1. Wellness and Physical Education 20
1.1 Definition and Components of Wellness
1.2 Relationships Between Wellness and Physical Education
1.3 Relationships Between Wellness and Sport andRecreation

2. Human Body and Movement Analysis 30

2.1 Human Anatomy
2.1.1 Cardiovascular system
2.1.2 Musculo-skeletal system
2.2 Growth and Development
2.3 Bio-mechanics
2.3.1 Centre of gravity
2.3.2 Lever system
2.3.3 Motion and force
2.3.4 Application of bio-mechanics to physical activities
2.4 Movement Control

3. Physiological Basis for Exercise and Sports Training 50

3.1 Energy Production
3.1.1 Aerobic system
3.1.2 Anaerobic system
3.1.3 Different sports and energy expenditure
3.2 Physiological Factors Affecting Performance
3.2.1 Age
3.2.2 Body composition
3.2.3 Cardio-respiratory fitness
3.2.4 Cold
3.2.5 Drugs
3.2.6 Flexibility
3.2.7 Gender
3.2.8 Heat
3.2.9 Heredity
3.2.10 Humidity
3.2.11 Muscular fitness
3.2.12 Somatotype and physique

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Modules Suggested lesson

time (hrs)
3.3 Concepts and Principles of Training
3.3.1 Concepts of training
3.3.2 Basic considerations in training
3.3.3 Training programme for different groups
3.4 Training Methods
3.4.1 Training principles for aerobic exercise
3.4.2 Training principles for anaerobic exercise
3.4.3 Different training methods
3.5 Training Effects
3.6 Detraining Effects

4. Health, Fitness and Nutrition 50

4.1 Component of Health
4.1.1 Physical health
4.1.2 Mental health
4.1.3 Social health
4.2 Health and Exercise
4.3 Prevention of Disease
4.3.1 Coronary heart disease
4.3.2 Diabetes
4.3.3 Hypertension
4.3.4 Hypokinetic degeneration
4.3.5 Obesity
4.4 Food and Nutrition
4.4.1 Carbohydrates
4.4.2 Proteins
4.4.3 Fats
4.4.4 Vitamins and minerals
4.4.5 A balance diet
4.4.6 Diet and general health
4.4.7 Nutrition and physical performance
4.4.8 Diet before, during and following exercise
4.5 Desirable Practice
4.5.1 Healthy diet
4.5.2 Habitual exercise
4.5.3 Sufficient rest and relaxation
4.5.4 No substance abuse
4.5.5 Good posture
4.6 Body Composition and Obesity
4.6.1 Body composition
4.6.2 Body fat and obesity
4.6.3 Weight control
4.7 Definition of Physical Fitness
4.8 Components of Physical Fitness
4.8.1 Cardio-respiratory fitness
4.8.2 Flexibility
4.8.3 Muscular strength and endurance
4.9 Test and Measurement of Physical Fitness

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Modules Suggested lesson

time (hrs)
4.10 Definition of Sports-related Fitness
4.11 Components of Sports-related Fitness
4.11.1 Agility
4.11.2 Balance
4.11.3 Endurance
4.11.4 Flexibility
4.11.5 Reaction time
4.11.6 Speed
4.11.7 Strength
4.12 Test and Measurement of Sports-related Fitness
4.13 Exercise Prescriptions

5. Safety, Sports Injuries and First Aid 25

5.1 Safety Precautions
5.2 Common Sports Injuries and Treatments
5.2.1 Abrasion
5.2.2 Contusion
5.2.3 Dislocation
5.2.4 Fracture
5.2.5 Heat injuries
5.2.6 Overuse injuries
5.2.7 Pulled muscle
5.2.8 Sprain
5.2.9 Strain
5.2.10 Tennis and golf elbow
5.3 Factors Leading to Sports Injuries
5.3.1 Environmental factors
5.3.2 Facilities and equipment
5.3.3 Level of fitness
5.3.4 Ignorance
5.3.5 Protective devices
5.3.6 Level of skill
5.3.7 Nature of sport
5.3.8 Physical limitations
5.3.9 Psychological influence
5.4 Prevention of Sports Injuries
5.4.1 Protective measures
5.4.2 Warming up and cooling down
5.5 First Aid and Treatments
5.5.1 First aid
5.5.2 Bleeding
5.5.3 PRICE
5.5.4 Resuscitation
5.5.5 Splints
5.5.6 Sports specific injuries

6. Psychological Aspects of Exercise and Sport 25

6.1 Motor Learning and learning theory

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Modules Suggested lesson

time (hrs)
6.2 Stress and Relaxation
6.3 Psychological Factors Affecting Performance
6.3.1 Anxiety and relaxation
6.3.2 Arousal
6.3.3 Attention and concentration
6.3.4 Emotion and aggression
6.3.5 Feedback
6.3.6 Goal setting
6.3.7 Mental practice
6.3.8 Motivation and incentive
6.3.9 Personality
6.3.10 Transfer of learning

7. Social Aspects of PE, Sports and Recreation 25

7.1 Roles and Values of PE, Sports and Recreation in whole
person development
7.2 Philosophical Foundation, History and Development of PE,
Sports and Recreation
7.2.1 Local
7.2.2 International
7.3 Olympic Movement and Olympicism
7.3.1 Philosophical Foundation, History and Development
of the Olympic Games
7.3.2 International Olympic Committee and the
International Sports Federations
7.3.3 National sport organisations
7.3.4 Local sport organisations
7.3.5 Politics and sports
7.3.6 Amateurs and professionals
7.3.7 Co-operation
7.3.8 Equality
7.3.9 Fair play
7.3.10 Friendship
7.3.11 Strike for excellence
7.3.12 Challenges to Olympic Movement and Olympicism
7.4 Factors Influencing Participation in Sports and Recreation
7.4.1 Culture
7.4.2 Family
7.4.3 Gender
7.4.4 Media
7.4.5 Peers
7.4.6 School
7.4.7 Socio-economic class
7.5 Sport and Society
7.5.1 Culture
7.5.2 Competition, competitive behaviour and the
consequences of competition
7.5.3 Sport for all and sport for the elite

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Modules Suggested lesson

time (hrs)
7.5.4 Violence

8. Administration in PE, Sports and Recreation 30

8.1 Programme Planning and Implementation
8.1.1 Proposals and action plans
8.1.2 Implementation and monitoring
8.1.3 Evaluation
8.2 Sports Management
8.2.1 Personnel management
8.2.2 Sports facilities and management
8.2.3 Public Relations
8.3 Financial Control
8.4 Legal Aspect in PE, Sports and Recreation
8.5 Personal Development
8.6 Customer Service and Public Relations

Total: 255

Learning and Teaching

9. As students differ in abilities and learn differently, a variety of approaches will be used
to suit students’ needs. This will help to raise students’ interest in the subject and to
develop the necessary skills, knowledge and understanding, values and attitudes and generic
skills. It is important to link theory to practice and enable students to apply their learning
to daily life. An interactive approach will be used to facilitate the development of students’
higher order thinking skills.

10. To maximise students’ learning, effective use of school and community resources will
be made, and life-wide learning opportunities provided.

Assessment

(This part should be read in conjunction with the section “Assessment” of the Main
Document.)

11. Assessment is the practice of collecting evidence of student learning. The aims are to
improve learning and teaching and to recognise the achievement of students. Assessment is
an integral part of learning and teaching. A balance should be maintained between
formative and summative assessment, and assessment design should be aligned with the
curriculum aims and the processes of learning and teaching.

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Internal Assessment

12. Internal assessment refers to the assessment practices that schools employ as part of
the learning and teaching process during the three years of study of PE. Internal assessment
should take account of curriculum plans, student progress, the abilities of the students, and
the school context. During the three years of senior secondary education, schools should
assess students formatively in order to collect information and provide feedback to students
on what they have learned and achieved and on how they can improve. This will help to
motivate student learning and help teachers to find ways of promoting more effective
learning and teaching.

13. A range of assessment modes should be employed to cover the full range of learning
outcomes - skills, knowledge, values and attitudes.

Public Assessment

14. Public assessment of the PE Elective will lead to a qualification in the subject to be
offered by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority. In the public
assessment of the PE Elective, a standards-referenced approach will be adopted for grading
and reporting student performance. The purpose of this approach is to recognise what each
student can do in each subject at the end of the 3-year senior secondary education. The
performance of each student will be matched against a set of performance standards in the
form of descriptors indicating what a student must be able to do to merit a particular grade,
instead of compared with the performance of other students. Descriptors will be provided
for the set of standards at a later stage.

15. The PE public examination will include the assessment of both practical work and
student understanding of the theories introduced. It will include a School-based
Assessment (SBA) component that will take up 30% of the total weighting in the public
assessment while the external assessment will carry 70%. The external assessment will
comprise a fitness test and a written paper of two and a half hours. The merits of adopting
SBA are as follows:
(a) SBA provides a more valid assessment than an external examination alone, since it can
cover a more extensive range of learning outcomes through employing a wider range
of assessment modes that are not all possible in written examinations.
(b) SBA enables the sustained work of students to be assessed. It provides a more
comprehensive picture of student performance throughout the period of study rather
than their performance in a one-off examination alone.

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16. It should be noted that SBA is not an “add-on” element in the curriculum. Assessing
student performance through practices such as class discussion and class observation is a
normal in-class and out of class activity. The assessment modes selected for SBA in PE
will be appropriate to the learning objectives and processes that are to be assessed. The
design and implementation of SBA should avoid unduly increasing the workload of both
teachers and students.

Supporting Measures

17. Resource materials will be developed in partnership with teachers and tertiary
institutes for teachers’ reference.

18. Professional development programmes will be organised to familiarise teachers with

the curriculum and the pedagogy. The programmes will cover the following areas:
Issues Duration (hr.)
1 Rationale of the Curriculum 2
2 Updating of knowledge 30
3 Pedagogy and use of supporting resources 10
4 Assessment 8
Total 50

19. More details of the above supporting measures will be announced through the CDI’s
website for PE (http://www.emb.gov.hk/cd). Teachers are also invited to check the EMB
Training Calendar regularly for information on professional development programmes.

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