https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/1711 Thu, 22 Oct 2026 14:34:30 GMT 2026-10-22T14:34:30Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150173 Title: Swimming in primary education in Malta : investigating barriers and motivators for implementation Abstract: This study explored how primary PE teachers in Malta support the delivery of swimming lessons in primary schools. It aimed to identify the barriers and facilitators that affect swimming provision and to suggest practical strategies to encourage the implementation of swimming lessons across all school sectors. A qualitative approach was used. Eleven participants were recruited from state, church, and independent primary schools across Malta. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, and Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA) was carried out to analyse the findings, following the framework of Braun and Clarke (2022). RTA identified six themes and twenty-five sub-themes from the data. Findings showed that teacher training, access to facilities, financial constraints, and the lack of a national framework were all issues that needed to be addressed before swimming lessons could be implemented effectively. One area of progress was the Sport Malta school partnership, which gave some state schools access to pool time and qualified support. However, this did not reach all schools, and where individual effort was absent, provision was not in place. These issues all hindered the consistent delivery of swimming education across Malta’s primary school system. This research highlights the need for swimming to become a compulsory part of the primary school curriculum in Malta. Training programmes should be implemented to educate teachers on how to deliver swimming lessons effectively. Additional teachers and support staff can provide a platform for open discussions that promote the benefits of swimming education. Facility policies should be updated to ensure that pool time is booked and available for school lessons. Encouraging communication among teachers, students, and parents can create a more inclusive swimming environment, helping children to learn to swim from an early age at the primary school level. Description: MTL(Melit.) Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150173 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150172 Title: The role of the coach in enhancing the personal and social development of youth football players Abstract: Research has highlighted the role of youth sport in promoting the personal and social development of young people. Within football, coaches play an important role in supporting the development of life skills, values, and behaviors that extend beyond sporting participation. Despite extensive research on Positive Youth Development and life skills development through sport limited research has examined how youth football coaches within the Maltese context understand and promote these outcomes. This study aimed to explore the role of youth football coaches in understanding and promoting the personal and social development of youth football players. A qualitative research design situated within an interpretivist paradigm was adopted. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four experienced youth football coaches from diverse coaching contexts in Malta, ranging from grassroots and academy football to national team environments. The interviews showed that coaches viewed personal and social development as a core aspect of youth football and considered themselves educators, mentors, and role models in addition to football coaches. Participants described intentionally promoting qualities such as responsibility, leadership, resilience, communication, teamwork, and respect through their coaching practice. Coaches repeatedly highlighted the importance of trust, communication, encouragement, and a positive team environment in supporting young players’ development. Participants also identified several challenges, including parental expectations, performance pressures, and organisational constraints, which influenced their ability to prioritise developmental objectives consistently. The study concluded that personal and social development does not occur automatically through football participation but requires intentional coaching practices and supportive learning environments. This study contributes context-specific insight into how Maltese youth football coaches conceptualise and facilitate personal and social development. The findings provide practical insights for coaches, clubs, coach educators, and governing bodies seeking to strengthen personal and social development within youth football. Description: MTL(Melit.) Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150172 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150169 Title: The physical education experience : the voice of Gozitan students Abstract: This study explores the lived experiences of Primary and Secondary Physical Education (PE) among Gozitan students and aims to identify the factors that contribute to positive and negative PE experiences. Previous research has shown that as students grow older, they tend to become less engaged and more passive during PE lessons, with factors such as teaching styles, lesson content, and classroom dynamics influencing students’ enjoyment and participation (Adamcak et al., 2020). Studies have also found that students often perceive PE as a break from academic demands and as an opportunity for social interaction, with positive peer relationships contributing significantly to students’ experiences (Lyngstad et al., 2020). It seeks to understand the elements that influence students’ PE experiences and examine whether differences exist between primary and secondary school students in Gozo. A quantitative research approach was adopted using online questionnaires distributed through random sampling to Year 6 and Year 11 students from 8 Gozitan schools that agreed to participate in the study. A total of 140 participants took part in this study, which included one church school and seven state schools. Seventy participants were gathered from primary schools and another seventy from secondary schools. The findings revealed that most students generally viewed PE positively, particularly at primary level, where lessons were commonly described as enjoyable, active, and socially engaging. However, secondary school students expressed more varied experiences, with some reporting feelings of boredom, pressure, repetition, competitiveness, and exclusion. The study identified several key factors influencing students’ PE experiences, including teaching practices, activity variety, peer relationships, inclusion, and opportunities for participation and choice. Students valued PE lessons that were varied, inclusive, interactive, and enjoyable, while repetitive activities, excessive competition, and limited inclusion negatively affected motivation and engagement. The study concludes that PE teachers and schools play an important role in shaping students’ experiences and highlights the importance of creating inclusive, student-centred, and engaging PE environments that support participation, enjoyment, and wellbeing for students of different abilities and interests. Description: MTL(Melit.) Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150169 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150166 Title: Sensorial learning in art education : the importance of engaging with multiple senses to learn and create a sensorial learning experience Abstract: Traditional art education frequently prioritizes visual processing and the final product over multi-sensory engagement. Because sensory development is foundational to cognitive growth, incorporating multi-sensory approaches from a young age is critical, which explains this dissertation’s focus on the primary school sector. Grounded in John Dewey’s Experiential Learning Theory, Rose and Meyer’s Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, and Embodied Cognition, this study investigates how integrating comprehensive sensory experiences and full-body movement into the art classroom enhances student retention and engagement. It argues that engaging all senses creates a lasting physical memory, transforming art into an inclusive environment for exploration. To evaluate this, an interactive, multi-sensory art exhibition was designed for 16 primary school participants aged 5 to 11 years, who explored materials through touch and sight while engaging with background music, real and imaginative scents, and exercises linking colours to familiar flavours. The findings revealed that while sight and touch remain instinctive entry points for primary school children, adding supplementary sensory layers deeply enriches focus. Participants actively connected colours to real-life smells and tastes through imaginative world-building, and background music regulated the room’s creative rhythm. Transitioning from individual papers to a large, shared canvas stimulated full-body kinetic movement and spatial freedom. A developmental distinction emerged: younger participants spontaneously linked colours to imaginative worlds, whereas older participants remained anchored in literal, physical facts. Based on these insights, the dissertation concludes by proposing a framework of multi-sensory activities to assist primary art educators in implementing full-bodied learning experiences. Description: MTL(Melit.) Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/150166 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z