Jo Harris BA MA PhD
Senior Lecturer
Contact details
Room: ZZ.0.02
Phone: +44 (0)1509 223250
Fax: +44 (0)1509 226301
Email: J.P.Harris@lboro.ac.uk
Background
Jo completed a Certificate in Education course at Dartford College (1973-76) and went on to teach Physical Education and Health Education for 12 years in three state secondary schools. Whilst teaching, Jo obtained a degree with the Open University (1986) and a Master's degree in Physical Education at the University of Birmingham (1987). She left teaching for Higher Education in 1988 and contributed to teacher training at St. Paul and St. Mary's College in Cheltenham. She moved to Loughborough in 1990 and has been Director of Teacher Education since 2002. During her time as Director, Jo has led three consecutive Ofsted inspections in which teacher education has been judged to be ‘outstanding’. She has also led the design and development of the highly successful MSc in Education with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) programmes.
Jo obtained her PhD in 1997 and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2000. Jo chairs the Teacher Education Management and Partnership Committees at Loughborough University. She received a Fellowship from the Physical Education Association of the United Kingdom (PEA UK) in 1999 and a Ling Award in 2006 to acknowledge her significant contribution to the subject and profession. She was Vice-President of PEA UK for two years (2000-02) and President for three years (2003-06). Jo served on the Management Board of the newly formed Association for Physical Education from 2006-08 and was Vice-Chair from 2008-10. Jo regularly carries out external examining duties and presents her research and associated developmental work at national and international conferences.
Research Interests
Jo is actively involved in research on health-related policy and practice within the Physical Education curriculum and its impact on children’s lifestyles. She is also involved in the development of health-related teaching resources and continuing professional development in the area of children’s health, activity and fitness.
Selected Publications
Conference Presentations/Proceedings
- Harris, J. (2009, September). Why is PE Not More Effective in Promoting Active Lifestyles? AIESEP Specialist Symposium, Pensacola, Florida, USA.
- Harris, J. (2010, February). Promoting Healthy, Active Lifestyles. Sports College Conference, International Centre, Telford, England.
- Cale, L. & Harris, J. (2010, September). The Role of Physical Education in Addressing Childhood Obesity. British Educational Research Association (BERA) Conference, Warwick University.
Academic Journals
- Cale, L., & Harris, J. (2009). Fitness testing in physical education – a misdirected effort in promoting healthy lifestyles and physical activity? Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 14 (1): 89-108.
- Harris, J., Cale, L., & Musson, H. (2011). The effects of a professional development programme on primary school teachers’ perceptions of physical education. Professional Development in Education, 37(2): 291-305.
Books - Contributions
- Cale, L. & Harris, J. (2011). Learning about health through physical education and youth sport. In K. Armour (ed). Sport Pedagogy. An Introduction for Teaching and Coaching. Pearson Education, pp. 53-64.
- Harris, J. (2010). Health-Related Physical Education. In R. Bailey (ed.),Physical Education for Learning: A Guide for Secondary Schools (pp. 26-36). London: Continuum.
Professional Journals
- Harris, J., & Cale, L. (2010). The Association for Physical Education’s Response to Recommendations within the 2009 Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer. Physical Education Matters, 5 (2): 10-11.
You can view a full publications list on the University Publications Database.
External Activities
- Elected Vice-President (2000-02) of the Physical Education Association of the United Kingdom (PEA UK).
- Elected President (2003-06) of the Physical Education Association of the United Kingdom (PEA UK).
- Elected Member of the Management Board (2006-08) of the Association for Physical Education (afPE).
- Elected Vice-Chair (2008-10) of the Association for Physical Education (afPE).
Selected Invited Conference Keynote and Speaker Presentations:
- Promoting healthy, active lifestyles. Invited speaker at Sports College Conference, International Centre, Telford, England, February 2010.
- Fitness testing in physical education - a misdirected effort in promoting healthy lifestyles and physical activity? Invited keynote speaker for International Physical Activity and Health Promotion Conference, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan, November 2007.
- Links from Initial Teacher Training into career-long professional development. Invited lecture at AIESEP Specialist Seminar on Teachers' Career-Long Professional Development, Loughborough, England, September 2007.
- The best in physical education in England. Invited lecture at Pre-Commonwealth Conference, Melbourne, Australia, March 2006.
- Inspection of initial teacher training in England and its impact. Invited lecture at Nara University of Education and at Hiroshima University, Japan, August 2005.
- Encouraging physical activity in schools. Invited keynote lecture at Physical Education and School Sports Conference, Belfast, Northern Ireland, November 2004.
- To test or not to test? Does fitness testing promote physical activity? Invited keynote lecture at British Heart Foundation National Centre for Physical Activity and Health Annual National Conference, Birmingham, November 2003.
Selected Recent Research Projects and Sources of Funding:
- Supporting secondary schools in the effective promotion of physical activity. British Heart Foundation, £83,600. 2010-2013.
- The impact of the TOPs programmes on teaching and learning in physical education and school sport in primary schools in England. Youth Sport Trust, £87,128. 2003-07.
- Feasibility of fitness testing Welsh children. National Assembly for Wales. £13,250. 2003.
- Best Practice Research Scholarships on 'Continuity and Progression in PE' and 'Effective Teaching and Learning within Physical Education.' Department for Education and Skills (DfES), £11,250. 2003.
- Best Practice Research Scholarships on 'Continuity and Progression in PE', and 'Citizenship in Physical Education.' Department for Education and Skills (DfES), £12,500. 2002.
- The impact of training within the School Sport Co-ordinator Programme. Physical Education Association of the United Kingdom (PEA UK) and British Association of Advisers and Lecturers in Physical Education (BAALPE). £13,250. 2002.