Invited Speakers

Rod Thorpe

Rod Thorpe trained as a Physical education teacher in the early 60s, joining Loughborough University (then Loughborough College of Education) in 1968. Through the late 60s and 70s Rod at Loughborough evolved his own approach to teaching and coaching and then with colleagues at Loughborough and many teachers and coaches refined the thinking. In 1982 he and David Bunker produced a model that became known as Teaching Games for Understanding. Whilst much of the work in the 80s was developing games teaching in Physical Education, Rod was also developing ideas to enable less experienced non specialists offer valuable games experiences at one level and introducing ideas to coaches, even those working with elite players. Rod retired from Loughborough in 2003 after spending 6 years developing a major sports development concept with new sports facilities to the value of £40m. Rod has been inducted into the UK Coaching Hall of Fame, was awarded the prestigious Munrow Award for Services to University and College Sport and the Biennial IOC award for services to sport.

Joy Butler

Dr. Joy Butler is an assistant professor in the Curriculum Studies Department, School of Education at The University of British Columbia. Her recent publications include co-edited books, ‘Teaching Games for Understanding: Theory, Practice and Research,’ published in 2005 with Human Kinetics, and ‘Teaching games for Understanding: An international perspective,’ published by NASPE in 2004. In 2001, Joy was director of the first international conference for TGfU and is Chair of the TGfU International Task Force within the AIESEP organization. Joy’s interests in pre-service development and a constructivist approach were successfully combined in the TGfU majors’ club she advised for ten years at Plymouth State University.　

Frank Fu

Frank H. Fu received his primary and secondary education in Hong Kong and then obtained his bachelor, master and doctorate degrees in the US. He has worked in Ottawa YM-YWCA, University of Ottawa, Springfield College, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and has been at Hong Kong Baptist University since 1992. He is presently the Associate Vice President, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Chair Professor in Physical Education and Sports Science. Professor Fu has published over 100 journal articles and over 20 books and monographs. He has traveled extensively and presented in many countries. He has also provided leadership in several professional associations such as President of Hong Kong Association of Sports Medicine and Sports Sciences, Council Chairman of Hong Kong Post-secondary Colleges Athletic Association, Director of Hong Kong Olympic Academy, and President of the Society of Chinese Scholars on Exercise Physiology and Fitness.

David Johns

Previously a Professor of Physical Education, at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada, is presently Reader and Chairman of the Department of Sport Science and Physical Education at CUHK. He has served in a wide range of teaching positions at all levels of education commencing as a primary school teacher and for the last 35 years has taught at universities in United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Hong Kong. In addition to teaching, he has been involved in a wide range of experiences in sport and physical activity including being named Assistant Olympic Coach to the Canadian Men’s Gymnastic Team and in the capacity of a sport consultant to athletes on international teams in a several Olympic sports. Currently, teaching and research is related to critical sociology of physical education, curriculum policy and practice, and the factors that influence physical activity and health practices in school-aged children. He has published over 70 articles in various seminal journals in the field of sport and physical education.