ABSTRACT
The interdisciplinary (ID) challenge signals the limitation of isolated programmes and teachers of Physical Education (PE) seeking to deliver an array of education, health and social agendas. This chapter focuses on the notions of wicked problems and boundary spanning in response to D. Kirk’s prediction that precarious social conditions will have an escalating influence on the PE profession. It deals with a brief overview of the characteristic qualities, knowledge and skills underpinning the enactment of boundary spanning. The chapter draws on the expertise and experiences of authors to explore three of the many policy and practice boundaries of the PE profession. According to R. Frodeman, ID is not simply about the integration of diverse disciplinary knowledge to solve social problems, it is equally a matter of the “challenges surrounding effective communication to different audiences”. Y. Okade has worked on curriculum development, instructional research and teacher education for and with the Japanese PE profession.
