Development and Validation of a Physical Education Curriculum Quality Assessment Tool: The Global Observatory for Physical Education Curriculum Assessment Tool (GoPE!-CA)

Purpose: Although the existence of national physical education (PE) curriculum is being identified by the GoPE! for 218 countries, we do not know the characteristics of physical education (PE) curricula. This study aims to develop and validate the Global Physical Education Curriculum Assessment Tool (GoPE!-CA) to allow characterisation and comparison of PE curricula worldwide. Methods: The study adopts a multiphase approach. The first study involves a scoping review to identify the dimensions and indicators that must compose a quality PE curriculum. Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines and the European Physical Education Observatory as starting point, the review will search for the key characteristics of a PE curriculum. A search for published articles, books, and reports regarding curriculum in PE will be conducted to identify characteristics that should complement the EuPEO’s framework. A search for articles and reports regarding curriculum development in other school subjects will then identify critical aspects that may enrich the PE curriculum. The second study will engage a panel of global PE experts composed by GoPE! network members, using a Delphi methodology, to refine the items through consensus. Data will undergo qualitative content and concordance analyses. Finalised indicators will form the GoPE!-CA framework. A pilot and third study will be conducted to test the tool’s reliability with a sample of PE curricula from diverse regions and socio-economic contexts. Finally, the tool will be applied to curricula from over 100 countries, collected by the GoPE!. For the third and fourth studies, countries’ curricula will be clustered according to region and policy framing status. Content and quality scores will be synthesised and the outcomes will support the development of a hierarchically structured global database of curriculum quality. Results: The expected outcomes include a validated, globally applicable PE curriculum quality assessment tool, allowing inter-country comparability. Conclusion: The GoPE!-CA will offer valuable evidence to enhance the quality and comparability of PE curricula globally, aligning education policy with best practices in teaching PE and will inform the second set of GoPE! Country Cards with a measurable indicator to assess PE curriculum quality. Support/Funding Source: Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) scholarship (Reference ID: 2024.00810.BD).