In July 2023, I along with colleagues from PESS travelled to Santiago de Chile for the 2023 AIESEP international Conference, “Emerging Horizons: Bridging the border between Physical Education Research and Practice”.
Hosted for the first time in South America, the annual conference took place from 4th-7th July 2023. Prof Ann MacPhail, Drs Antonio Calderon, Carmen Barquero-Ruiz, Jenna Lorusso, Andre Moura, Claire Walsh and I were part of the PESS Sport Pedagogy group who attended the conference to present our research under the various thematic areas of: ‘teacher preparation and professional development’, ‘physical activity, health promotion and policy’, and ‘pedagogy, curriculum and assessment’.
There were eight oral presentations from PESS researchers and three of the symposia included contributions from Prof Ann MacPhail and Dr Antonio Calderon. In addition, Dr Jenna Lorusso and Prof Ann MacPhail actively participated in facilitating early career sessions, while Dr Andre Moura conducted a practical workshop on Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) as part of the pre-conference programme. The PESS representation made a significant impact at the conference, and it was evident during formal and informal conference activities that the PESS Sports Pedagogy researchers are held in high regard by AIESEP colleagues. As a group we supported each other by attending each other’s presentations where possible, but also made time to attend presentations that focused on content that appealed to our own individual interests.
I presented findings from one of the quantitative studies of my PhD titled: “Parental and family factors of physical activity participation in a national sample of 9-year-old children in Ireland (Rhoda Sohun, Prof Ann MacPhail, Prof Ciaran Mac Donncha).” This followed on from the qualitative study from my PhD which I previously presented at the AIESEP 2019 conference, which related to Physical Activity Parenting Practices in Ireland (subsequently published in Sport, Education and Society).
The AIESEP conference provided a unique opportunity to promote the COST Action ‘Determinants of Physical Activity in Settings’ (DE-PASS), for which I am the Grant Manager. The DE-PASS COST Action is coordinated by the University of Limerick and is chaired by Prof Ciaran Mac Donncha. Given that inclusion of early career researchers and young innovators is welcomed and encouraged in COST Actions, I presented the DE-PASS Action’s goals and deliverables, structure, outcomes and opportunities for involvement in a presentation titled: “A transdisciplinary approach to the Determinants of Physical Activities in Settings: A COST EU Action that bridges the Knowledge-Practice Gap (Rhoda Sohun, Prof Ciaran Mac Donncha, Prof Laura Capranica, on behalf of the DE-PASS Core Group Board).
In addition to presenting her own PhD research, Claire Walsh also presented a study that I have been involved in, on behalf of the researchers involved in the study. This research is particularly special to those of us involved as it reinforces the importance of supportive peers and colleagues during the PhD experience. The research is being prepared for journal submission, and the presentation at the conference was titled: “So do you always travel in packs? The influence of a community of learners on the experience of seven PhD candidates (Claire Walshe, Suzy Macken, Dylan Scanlon, Cassandra Iannucci, Rhoda Sohun, Yeuying Gong, Ursula Freyne”
From a professional point of view, connecting with other researchers who are at similar stages of the PhD process, career stage, and life stage was valuable. It was reassuring to discuss the PhD journey with peers and to remind myself that we share similar passions and all have a common goal to make a positive impact in our respective fields. Embracing both challenges and successes is integral in the PhD journey, and a reservoir of resilience is important to endure until the final stretch. The AIESEP conference allowed me to view aspects of my research from different angles, fostering a more comprehensive approach to my PhD. Fortunately, I managed to establish some additional connections for future discussions about my PhD research and the DE-PASS COST Action.
Beyond the conference sessions, we had some wonderful time exploring Santiago de Chile, experiencing some of the city which is surrounded by the stunning Andes mountains. The city is a blend of nature, culture and history and it left a lasting impression on all of us attending the conference. I also had the chance to reconnect in person with former colleagues from PESS, Dr Cassandra Iannucci (Deakin University) and Dr Jamie McMullen (University of Hawaii). Without a doubt, the most memorable aspect of the conference was the time spent with PESS colleagues formally and informally. To ensure that we fully embraced the whole conference experience, we carved out time for the fun stuff too! ….savouring the food, enjoying wine tasting at local vineyards, spending time in the stunning coastal city of Valparaíso, avoiding birds at the fish market (!), and running up Saint Cristobel Hill to name but a few !
Contact: rhoda.sohun@ul.ie @RhodaSohun ResearchGate
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