The Research Forum Organizing Committee is pleased to announce its keynote speaker for the 2026 event!
Dr. Dean Dudley
Honorary Associate Professor
University of Queensland/University of Sydney
Keynote Speech: Teaching what we value! The role and means of character education in Quality Physical Education
For decades, physical education has leaned on the romanticized notion that sport "builds character" as a natural byproduct of participation. However, rigorous evidence suggests that character is rarely "caught" through mere exposure; it must be intentionally taught. In this keynote address, Dr. Dean Dudley challenges the profession to confront a central paradox: if we claim to value character, why is it so often absent from our explicit curriculum and assessment frameworks?
Drawing on contemporary research and the development of Games-based Character Pedagogy (GBCP), this session explores the practical "means" by which character can be systematically integrated into the PE environment. Dr. Dudley argues that for character education to be effective, it must transition from a latent, accidental outcome to an intentional pedagogical priority. This requires a shift in how we design movement experiences which moving beyond simple skill acquisition to the deliberate use of "moral dilemmas" within gameplay and the cultivation of virtues across intellectual, moral, and civic domains.
The presentation will dissect the intersection of the affective and social domains, providing a robust framework for bridging the gap between what we say we value and what we actually deliver in the gym. This keynote serves as a call to action to reclaim the moral heart of physical education, ensuring that the "quality" in QPE is defined as much by the integrity of the learner as by their physical competence.
About Dr. Dean Dudley:
Dr. Dean Dudley is an Honorary Associate Professor in the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences at the University of Queensland and Centre of Educational Measurement and Assessment at the University of Sydney. Dean holds six degrees in total from the University of Western Sydney, University of Wollongong, University of Oxford, and Harvard University.
He is a globally recognized authority on Physical Education (PE) and Physical Literacy. With a career dedicated to deconstructing the "muddled missions" of traditional PE programs, Dr. Dudley has become a leading voice in defining what truly constitutes Quality Physical Education (QPE) in the 21st century.
His research is anchored in rigorous evidence, most notably highlighted by his landmark 2022 meta-analysis, one of the largest in the field’s history, which mapped the learning outcomes of over 42,500 participants. Dr. Dudley is the primary architect of Games-based Character Pedagogy (GBCP), a framework that intentionally integrates social and emotional learning into movement. His work consistently bridges the gap between high-level policy and the practical realities of the gymnasium, ensuring that “learning" is the explicit outcome of PE rather than an accidental byproduct.
A frequent collaborator with international bodies such as UNESCO and the IOC, Dr. Dudley’s insights help shape physical literacy frameworks worldwide. For the PHE Canada community, he brings a unique blend of data-driven precision and a profound commitment to holistic child development, advocating for a future where PE is recognized as a fundamental pillar of lifelong wellbeing.