The Meaningful Podcast Experience (MPE)

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Dr Jordan Wintle is Associate Head of School at the University of Gloucestershire, England and a member of the School of Education, Health and Science leadership team. He has worked across sport and education since 2001, including as a PE teacher, head of department, coach, higher education lecturer/teacher educator and consultant. His research focuses on physical education curriculum design and pedagogy, with a particular interest in Meaningful Physical Education. His doctoral research explored the use of lifestyle sports, including parkour, kickboxing and CrossFit, within secondary PE and examined how pupils experienced these activities through the lens of meaningfulness. Jordan's work connects research with practice and considers how curriculum and pedagogy can provide young people with a broader range of engaging and personally meaningful movement experiences. He continues to contribute to the development of physical education through research, teacher education, policy development, professional development and knowledge exchange.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-wintle-2a1a83104 

Show Notes:

Belinda Wheaton: The Consumption and Representation of Lifestyle Sports

O’Connor, J., Jeanes, R., Magee, J., Spaaij, R., Penney, D., & Miyashita, S. (2025). What is Informal Sport? Negotiating Contemporary Sporting Forms. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 49(2-3), 153-174. https://doi.org/10.1177/01937235251321855

Wintle, J. (2022). Physical Education and Physical Activity Promotion: Lifestyle Sports as Meaningful Experiences. Education Sciences, 12(3), 181. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12030181

Wintle, J., Durden-Myers, E., & Lewis, K. (2026). Implementing lifestyle sports through meaningful physical education in English secondary schools: A mixed-methods study of pupil experiences. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/17408989.2026.2708322

Thanks to Isaiah ([email protected]) for the guitar pieces, SSHRC for some funding and our guests for sharing!

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Elisha O'Lain is a Health and Physical Education educator with 22 years of classroom experience in the Calgary Board of Education and currently serves as a Well-Being Specialist. She holds degrees in Kinesiology and Education from the University of Calgary and will complete her Health & PhysEd Master of Education through the University of Alberta in 2026, a program she enthusiastically recommends. A passionate advocate for purposeful physical education, Elisha grounds her teaching in the belief that every student can find their own reason to move, whether for joy, connection, belonging, challenge, confidence, or simply feeling good. She sees intentional teaching and strong relationships as the foundation for meaningful learning, and works to create environments where students feel safe taking risks, trying new things, and discovering what moves them. Her goal is to help every student find a way to be active that feels meaningful to them, and to carry that into a lifetime of participation. Elisha is committed to lifelong learning, embracing change, and connecting with others to share ideas and strengthen practice.

Emily Humbert is a Health and Physical Education teacher, athletic director, and coach entering her ninth year of teaching at Bedford Road Collegiate in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She earned her B.Sc. in Kinesiology and B.Ed. from the University of Saskatchewan and will graduate with her Master of Health and Physical Education from the University of Alberta in the fall of 2026. Emily is passionate about creating physical education experiences where all students feel valued, included, and safe to explore movement in ways that are meaningful to them. Her approach to teaching is grounded in the belief that success in physical education looks different for every student, and that student voice, choice, connection, and a sense of belonging can help young people develop positive relationships with movement that extend far beyond the gymnasium.

Show Notes

• Beni et. al (2018). Using features of meaningful experiences to guide primary physical education practice
• O'Connor (2019). Exploring a pedagogy for meaning-making in physical education
• Warm Welcome Greeting Cards
• SocialWorkersToolbox.com for Free Emotional Regulation Resources
• Ever Active Schools Social Emotional Shuffle
• Elisha's Social Connection Reflective Prompts
• Elisha's Badminton Unit 

Thanks to Isaiah ([email protected]) for the guitar pieces, SSHRC for some funding and our guests for sharing!

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In the final episode of season 2, we turn the hosting duties over to Dr. Déirdre Ní Chróinín, who takes us on a reflective journey as we consider key takeaways, future directions and conundrums related to Meaningful PE - with lots of laughs along the way. 

Show Notes

• Meaningful PE in Action w/ Grace Cardiff: Student Voice, Choice & Autonomy in Educational Gymnastics
• Volshoj et al. (2024). Meaningful PE: Towards an Embodied Pedagogy

Thanks to Isaiah ([email protected]) for the guitar pieces, SSHRC for some funding and our guests for sharing!

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Nathan is currently based in Singapore, where he teaches Elementary Physical Education. He has previous teaching experience in both national and international schools across Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Cambodia, and Italy, and is a strong advocate for quality, purposeful physical education for every student. Nathan has shared his ideas at local, national, and international conferences and workshops throughout North America, Asia, Europe, Australia, and the Middle East. In this episode, we reflect on a school year in which Nathan committed to implementing Meaningful PE, which he views not as an approach done to students but as a way of being with them. Nathan discusses the reflective and democratic pedagogies that underpin his practice and explains how he uses data to support student agency, helping learners take greater ownership of their experiences and learning in physical education.

Show Notes

• Connect with Nathan on LinkedIn
• The original post referenced at the start of the episode is here. 
• https://www.iphys-ed.com/resources/ - Although no longer updated, Nathan's work and resources remain an exceptional resource for assessment and game-based learning design. 
• Ty's Blog on Using Data to Advocate for a Meaningful PE Approach

Thanks to Isaiah ([email protected]) for the guitar pieces, SSHRC for some funding and our guests for sharing!

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Our MYSTERY guest recently (and successfully!) defended his dissertation - Moved to Move: Middle School Students’ Stories of Meaningful Physical Education. Our guest’s teaching experiences include stints in Hong Kong and South Korea - he currently is a secondary PE teacher in Alberta and has a surprising amount of podcast hosting experience… You can find him teaching undergraduates and continuing to research Meaningful PE on the campus of a Canadian Maritime University in the Fall of 2026!

We talk about meaningfulness in middle school PE through a longitudinal research study featuring the creation and use of student ‘vignettes’ (with a ‘live’ example). We also discuss growth and learning as a professional; the interaction and connections between teaching and research; reflective practices for students and teachers; enduring stereotypes and their effects; and curating meaningfulness in middle school.

Show Notes:

• Jo Bailey’s episode
• Jodi Harding-Kuriger’s episode
• Scott Kretchmar’s episode
• Ty’s dissertation can be searched for and found here (probably by August 2026).

Thanks to Isaiah ([email protected]) for the guitar pieces, SSHRC for some funding and our guests for sharing!

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In this episode, we return to one of the most popular topics: meaningfulness and the outdoors. Dr. Shannon Kell joins the show to share her research and experiences on outdoor solo time and how nature can foster self-awareness. 

Bio: Dr. Shannon Kell is an associate professor in the Faculty of Education at St. Francis Xavier University. Dr. Kell in the Department of Teacher Education and the Department of Curriculum and Leadership. Her research is focused on supporting teacher wellness by exploring the benefits of outdoor teaching and learning, physical and mental health literacy, and fostering school community health. Born and raised in Saskatchewan, with her first teaching gig in Regina, she later moved to Calgary to teach at Mount Royal University and was there for 12 years. Shannon and her family of four only recently moved to Nova Scotia, but they are loving the East Coast life and everything nature has to offer.

Show Notes: 

• University Students’ Perceptions of a 30-Minute Break During Class: A Realistic Practice for Wellness? https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.12.1
• Kell, S.D., & Harney, C. (2019). Outdoor Solo Time: What Do Elementary Students Think? Physical and Health Education (PHE) Canada Journal, 85(2). https://phecanada.ca/professional-learning/journal/outdoor-solo-time-what-do-elementary-students-think
•  Kell, S.D. (2022). 1000 Hours Outside: Invest in Your Wellness. The Runner, 53(1), 23 – 25.
•  Kell, S.D. (2019). Practicing solo time: how and why. The Runner, 50(1), 9–11.

Related Episodes

• S1 B2: The Great (& Meaningful) Outdoors I w/ Dale and Court https://www.buzzsprout.com/2358344/episodes/15914728
• S2 E04: Cold Water Sets Emotion in Motion w/ Ingrid Elnan https://www.buzzsprout.com/2358344/episodes/18274536 

Thanks to Isaiah ([email protected]) for the guitar pieces, SSHRC for some funding and our guests for sharing!

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In this cross posted episode with the PE Huddle host Aaron Beighle, we chat about all things Meaningful PE. What it is, why you might consider including a lens of  meaningfulness in your teaching and how you might begin - or progress further if you've already started. Just note, if you’re listening to the intro on THIS podcast and worry that you don’t hear Ty or Doug’s dulcet tones right away at the introduction - never fear - we are there! 

Aaron Beighle holds a Ph.D. from Arizona State University. He teaches classes in physical education teacher education, coaching education, and youth physical activity promotion. Dr. Beighle regularly collaborates with a variety of organizations interested in youth physical activity and has been a leading advocate for Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs since its inception in 2006. Aaron has written more than 85 research-based and practical articles as well as six books, most notably Dynamic Physical Education for Elementary School Children. He recently collaborated with Dr. Bob Pangrazi and Gopher to make their widely used lesson plans available for free via dynamicpeasap.com. He also hosts the PE Huddle where he chats with a variety of PE-focused guests. You can connect with Aaron on LinkedIn.

Show Notes:

• https://meaningfulpodcastexperience.buzzsprout.com 
• Learning about Meaningful PE
• Meaningful Experiences in Physical Education and Youth Sport: A Review of the Literature. Beni et al.,  2017
• Dr. Steph Beni’s boxing day episode, December 26, 2025
• Pedagogical principles that support the prioritisation of meaningful experiences in physical education: conceptual and practical considerations. Fletcher & Ní Chróinín, 2021
• Kilborn et al., 2016  
• https://meaningfulpe.wordpress.com/2021/11/23/what-meaningful-pe-isand-is-not-part-two/ 
• An Actor-Oriented Perspective on Implementing a Pedagogical Innovation in a Cycling Unit. Vasily et al., 2021.

Thanks to Isaiah ([email protected]) for the guitar pieces, SSHRC for some funding and our guests for sharing!

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Josh Ogilvie is a high school PE teacher in Victoria, British Columbia, with over 24 years in education. Assessment and meaningful experiences in PE have been at the centre of his work throughout his career. In addition to teaching, he works with schools and districts across North America to strengthen assessment and grading practices, with a specialized focus on helping PE teachers make assessment meaningful, manageable, and connected to student learning. He led the development of British Columbia's K-12 Physical and Health Education curriculum and is a contributing author to two books on assessment, including an upcoming book where he highlights how to implement standards-based grading in physical education. His work has been recognized by PHE Canada as a National Quality Physical Education Champion and by ASCD as an Emerging Leader in Education.

Website: https://www.jogilvie.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-ogilvie/

Show Notes

• PHE Canada Assessment Resources
• AIESEP position statement on PE Assessment
• S1E03 w/ Dr. Jodi Harding-Kuriger
• S2E07 w/ Dr. Javier Fernández-Río

Thanks to Isaiah ([email protected]) for the guitar pieces, SSHRC for some funding and our guests for sharing!

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In this episode, we chat with Mel Hamada, an extraordinary PE teacher turned assistant principal. We discuss learning about and implementing Meaningful PE as a teacher, mentorship, moving to leadership and how meaningfullness (and the Meaningful PE framework) weave through it all. And yes, Mel called us 'sage-like'. We are honoured.

Mel's Bio: Originally from Canberra, Australia, I have been fortunate to work in China, Japan, UK, Tanzania, Vietnam and Australia. I have worked in the Elementary, Middle and High School as a Physical Education and Health teacher in the International Baccalaureate (IB) and using Ontario Standards.  I moved into an Admin Leadership role in 2023. Currently, I am living and working in Beijing, China at the International School of Beijing. I am a triathlete and runner and I love training and racing. I look forward to new events and distances in China and beyond. I actively train both inside and outdoors and coach students too. I am a believer in Blue Dragon Children’s Fund (www.bdcf.org) who do amazing things in Hanoi and Vietnam to support the ongoing work in advocating for children’s rights. I am always interested to learn with others. As a leader, I use a lot of my PE experiences to guide my actions and reflections, and am humble enough to know there is always a lot of learning to do. I am super grateful to my family and to the amazing colleagues, mentors, leaders, PE teachers and more I have been fortunate enough to learn from and with. 

Show Notes:

• Meaningful PE into Leadership - Mel’s blog post
• Shane Pill - Game Sense 
• PHASE - International School Conferences - a great place to connect!

Thanks to Isaiah ([email protected]) for the guitar pieces, SSHRC for some funding and our guests for sharing!

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In this episode, we chat with Dr. Javier Fernandez Rio about his papers that identify support for new features of novelty, relief and interpersonal style. Dr. Javier Fernández-Río is a full professor in the Department of Education Sciences at the University of Oviedo, where he specializes in physical education, pedagogical models, motivation, and health. His work includes extensive research and publication on innovative teaching strategies and meaningful physical education. For those of you asking when "new" features might be confirmed, this one is for you!

Show Notes

• Chasing Meaningfulness in a Spanish PE Context: Old and New Features
• Meaningful Physical Education: Design and Validation of a Measurement Instrument
• Harding-Kuriger, Gleddie, Ni Chroinin & Lessard (2024). Using Group Concept Mapping to Conceptualize Meaningfulness in Physical Education with Secondary Students. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education.

Thanks to Isaiah ([email protected]) for the guitar pieces, SSHRC for some funding and our guests for sharing!

To contact us:

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