ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a concise review and critique of the research evidence that supports the need for taking a monism and lifelong perspective for physical education. The goal is to stimulate scholarly discussions about the future of physical education and curriculum research. It takes the view that curriculum is a field of research, and it stressed the need to view curriculum development as a process of conducting empirical research. It is argued that research evidence in curriculum development plays a critical role in illustrating the efficacy of the curriculum. The review and critique are based on three 5-year curriculum intervention studies conducted by the Pedagogical Kinesiology Laboratory over almost two decades, during which time, three concept-based curricula were designed and empirically tested. Research evidence is provided to formulate a concise perspective of the curricula in relation to physical literacy. Particular emphases are given to issues of student learning, motivation, and in-class and outside-class physical activity participation. A reflection is provided on the notion of research as curriculum development in the era of evidence-informed decision making. Advantages and limitation of research as curriculum development are also discussed.
