Unlocking the discovery threshold: Active exploration in physical education

Many teachers can often have a preference for teacher-directed teaching styles with less incidences of applying more student-centered styles with choice, responsibility and overall autonomy for movement activities within PE classes. When considering Mosston and Ashworth’s (2008) updated version of the teaching styles spectrum, this suggests fewer teachers have preferences to move beyond the ‘discovery threshold’ from reproductive-focused teaching styles towards more productive (discovery) teaching styles. This paper explores the importance of embedding Active Exploration teaching approaches within PE lessons and how the provision of differing equipment and divergent learning opportunities can enable choice for students to then ‘self-discover’ solutions to movement problems. The article showcases how Active Exploration approaches to teaching PE can ensure self-directed movement activities can be developed by students, alongside examples of how Active Exploration can be utilized within
practical PE contexts.