Brendon Hyndman

Associate Deans

Associate Professor Brendon Hyndman

BEd(PhysEd) Upper Class Honours (UB), GradCertEd(TerEd)(UB), GradCertUniLeadership (CSU), PhD (HPE)(RMIT)

Associate Dean (Research)
Albury / Wodonga
Building 763, Room 133

Associate Dean (Research) in the Faculty of Arts and Education (FOAE) based at the Albury-Wodonga campus. Brendon is a qualified school teacher with postgraduate qualifications in higher education teaching and leadership, alongside a PhD from RMIT University in Melbourne. At Charles Sturt, he has previously served as the FoAE Sub-Dean (Graduate Studies) and Courses Director of Postgraduate Studies in Education (Post-initial teaching qualifications) between 2017-2020.

Alongside holding a number of university leadership positions, Brendon has published over 100 various scholarly and academic outputs from his research, with a strong social sciences citation rate, high proportion in Q1/Q2 journals or quality book publishers and extensive engagement via mainstream media (including multiple television appearances). Brendon has also had an impact upon a number of educational policies and practices from his research. In 2019, Brendon was appointed expert spokesman for a national “Let’s Play” campaign which had a reach of almost 50 million people over a one month period in which he provided key recommendations to Australian parents on how to encourage play.

Brendon is the editor and primary author of the book 'Contemporary school playground strategies for healthy students', co-editor of the book 'Health and Education interdependence' and co-editor of the 2020 monograph in USA’s Q1 ranked Journal of Teaching Physical Education titled ‘Social Media for Professional Development and Learning in Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy’.

Brendon’s teaching expertise since 2010 includes all areas of primary and secondary school Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) and he has experience in supervising HDR students at other institutions.

Current Charles Sturt Higher Degree Research (HDR) Student Supervision

StudentDegreeTitleRoleStatus
Chris Stevens PhD Use of Screens and Literacy in Secondary Schools Principal Supervisor In Progress
Helen Stavrou PhD Motivation and Language Learning Co-Supervisor In Progress
Tracie Edmondson Doctorate The Mediatisation of Sporting Organisations Principal Supervisor In Progress

Brendon’s research career and approaches have largely revolved around his teaching philosophy of promoting participant-centred and autonomous approaches to education. His widely disseminated PhD research was based upon exploring both student-centred (and student–informed) strategies to provide improved activity choices within outdoor school recreation settings.

As an experienced Health and Physical Educator (HPE) in both schools and universities, Brendon has explored innovative technologies and digital platforms (e.g. social media) to provide increased professional learning options within both teacher training and for in-service teachers to inform their teaching practices. Brendon is an experienced researcher in content analysis procedures in which he has led several major investigations of educational topics across the international literature, the influences of digital media/academic output on educational discourses and the consistency of senior curriculum across Australia.

More recently, Brendon has been developing heat protection policy recommendations to support the education sector during increasingly common extreme heat wave events.

Alongside being a regular reviewer for highly ranked journals across the world for these research topics, Brendon’s HPE research interests and publications are categorised into the following areas:

  1. Social media and educational technologies in PDHPE
  2. Physical education teaching
  3. Outdoor recreational influences in schools

Edited Research Books

Midford, R., Nutton, G., Hyndman, B., & Silburn, S. (Editors). (2020). Health and Education Interdependence: Thriving from Birth to Adulthood. Springer: Singapore. https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9789811539589#

Hyndman, B. (Ed.). (2017). Contemporary school playground strategies for healthy students. Springer: Singapore. http://www.springer.com/gp/book/9789811047374

Hyndman, B., & Vanos, J. (Ed). (Forthcoming). Extreme weather influences in schools. Routledge: London.

Selected Refereed Journal Articles

Topic Area 1: Social Media and Educational Technologies in PDHPE

Pill, S., Hyndman, B., SueSee, B., & Williams, J. (2020). Physical Education Teachers’ Use of Digital Game Design Principles. Journal of Teaching in Physical Educationhttps://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.2019-0036

Hyndman, B., & Harvey, S. (2019). Health and Physical Education Teacher Education 2.0: Pre-service Teachers’ Perceptions on Developing Digital Twitter Skills. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 44(2). https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol44/iss2/3/

Hyndman, B., Suesee, B., McMaster, N., Harvey, S., Jefferson-Buchanan, R., Cruickshank, V., & Pill, S. (2020). Physical education across the international media: a five-year analysis. Sport, Education and Society25(3), 274-291. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2019.1583640

Hyndman, B. (2018). Ten reasons why teachers can struggle to use technology in the classroom. Science Education News67(4), 41.

Harvey, S., & Hyndman, B. (2018). An Investigation into the Reasons Physical Education Professionals use Twitter. Journal of Teaching in Physical Educationhttps://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.2017-0188

Hyndman, B. (2017). A Simulation Pedagogical Approach to Engaging Generalist Pre-service Teachers in Physical Education Online: The GoPro Trial 1.0. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 42 (1). DOI: http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol42/iss1/6

Hyndman, B., & Papatraianou, L. (2017). The technological integration of a simulation pedagogical approach for physical education: The GoPro PE trial 1.0. Learning Communities Journal: International Journal of Learning in Social Contexts (Special Edition). https://ris.cdu.edu.au/ws/files/22319126/19193604_published_article.pdf

Pill, S., Harvey, S., & Hyndman, B. (2017). Novel research approaches to gauge global teacher familiarity with Tactical Games Models in Physical Education: An exploratory #Twitter analysis. Asia Pacific Journal of Health, Sport and Physical Educationhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1080/18377122.2017.1315953

Topic Area 2: Physical Education Teaching

Hyndman, B. (2021). Unlocking the Discovery Threshold: Active Exploration in Physical Education. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance92(3), 26-33.

Pill, S., & Hyndman, B. (2018). Gestalt psychological principles in developing meaningful understanding of games and sport in PE. Journal of Teaching in Physical Educationhttps://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.2018-0033

Hyndman, B. & Pill, S(2017).The Curriculum Analysis of Senior Education in Physical Education (CASE-PE) study. Curriculum Perspectives, 37 (2), 147-160. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41297-017-0020-z

Hyndman, B. (2017). Perceived Social-Ecological Barriers of Generalist Pre-Service Teachers towards Teaching Physical Education: Findings from the GET-PE study. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 42(7). http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2017v42n7.3

Hyndman, B., & Pill, S. (2018). What’s in a concept? A Leximancer text mining analysis of physical literacy across the international literature. European Physical Education Review, 24(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X17690312

Hyndman, B., & Pill S. (2016). The influences on teaching perspectives of Australian physical education teacher education students: The First-year Influences on Teaching Perspectives Exploratory (FIT-PE) study. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 41(5). URL: http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol41/iss5/7/

Hyndman, B., Mahony L., Te Ava, A., Smith, S.,& Nutton, G. (2016). Complementing the Australian Health and Physical Education (HPE) Curriculum: Exploring students’ HPE learning within varying school ground contexts. Education 3-13: International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education, 44 (2). http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2016.1152282

Hyndman, B. (2014). Exploring the differences in teaching perspectives between Australian pre-service & graduate physical education teachers. Journal of Physical Education & Sport, 14 (4), 438-445.  http://efsupit.ro/images/stories/nr4.2014/Art%2067.pdf

Topic Area 3: Outdoor recreational influences in schools

Hyndman, B., & Zundans‐Fraser, L. (2020). Determining public perceptions of a proposed national heat protection policy for Australian schools. Health promotion journal of Australiahttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/hpja.327

Hyndman, B., & Mahony, L. (2018). Developing creativity through outdoor physical activities: a qualitative exploration of contrasting school equipment provisionsJournal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learninghttp://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2018.1436078.

Mahony, L., Hyndman, B., Nutton, G., Smith, S., & Te Ava, A. (2017). Monkey bars, noodles and a car park: a comparative analysis of social interaction in two school ground contexts. International Journal of Playhttps://doi.org/10.1080/21594937.2017.1348319

Hyndman, B., & Chancellor, B. (2017). Are secondary school environments conducive for active play opportunities? An objective assessment across Australian secondary school playgrounds. International Journal of Play, 6(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21594937.2017.1288385

Chancellor, B., & Hyndman, B. (2017).The Rush to Judgement: Mapping moral geographies of the primary school playground. Global Studies of Childhood Journal, 7 (1). http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2043610617694731

Hyndman, B., Benson, A. C., Lester, L., & Telford, A. (2017). Is there a relationship between primary school children’s enjoyment of recess physical activities and health-related quality of life? A cross-sectional exploratory study. Health Promotion Journal of Australia28(1), 37-43. :http://www.publish.csiro.au/?paper=HE15128

Hyndman, B., Mahony, L., Te Ava, A., Smith, S., & Nutton, G. (2017). Complementing the Australian primary school Health and Physical Education (HPE) curriculum: exploring children's HPE learning experiences within varying school ground equipment contexts. Education 3-1345(5), 613-628. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2016.1152282

Hyndman, B. P., Benson, A., & Telford, A. (2016). Active play: exploring the influences on children's school playground activities. American Journal of Play8(3), 325. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1108796.pdf

Hyndman, B. (2016). A qualitative investigation of Australian youth perceptions to enhance school physical activity: the Environmental Perceptions Investigation of Children’s Physical Activity (EPIC-PA) study. Journal of Physical Activity and Health13(5), 543-550. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26529055

Hyndman, B. (2015). Where to next for school playground interventions to encourage active play? An exploration of structured and unstructured school playground strategies. Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention8(1), 56-67. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19411243.2015.1014956#.VYn3MO2qpHw

Hyndman, B. P., Chancellor, B., & Lester, L. (2015). Exploring the seasonal influences on elementary schoolchildren's enjoyment of physical activity during school breaks. Health Behavior and Policy Review2(3), 182-193. http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/psp/hbpr/2015/00000002/00000003/art00002

Hyndman, B. P., & Lester, L. (2015). The relationship between elementary school children's enjoyment of school playground activities and participation in physical activity during lunchtime recess. Children Youth and Environments25(1), 80-99. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7721/chilyoutenvi.25.1.0080?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

Hyndman, B. P., & Telford, A. (2015). Should Educators be ‘Wrapping School Playgrounds in Cotton Wool’ to Encourage Physical Activity? Exploring Primary and Secondary Students’ Voices from the School Playground. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 40(6).http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2015v40n6.4

Hyndman, B., & Chancellor, B. (2015). Engaging children in activities beyond the classroom walls: a social–ecological exploration of Australian primary school children's enjoyment of school play activities. Journal of Playwork Practice2(2), 117-141. https://access.portico.org/Portico/auView?auId=ark:%2F27927%2Fphx76j4jtxf

Hyndman, B., & Lester, L. (2015). The Accelerometer Intensities from Movable Playground and Lunchtime Activities in Youth (AIM-PLAY) Study. Children, Youth and Environments25(3), 109-128. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7721/chilyoutenvi.25.3.0109

Hyndman, B. P., Benson, A. C., Ullah, S., & Telford, A. (2014). Evaluating the effects of the Lunchtime Enjoyment Activity and Play (LEAP) school playground intervention on children’s quality of life, enjoyment and participation in physical activity. BMC public health14(164). http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/14/164/ .

Hyndman, B. P., Benson, A. C., & Telford, A. (2014). A Guide for Educators to Move Beyond Conventional School Playgrounds: The RE-AIM Evaluation of the Lunchtime Enjoyment Activity and Play (LEAP) Intervention. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 39(1).http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2014v39n1.2

Hyndman, B. P., Benson, A. C., Ullah, S., Finch, C. F., & Telford, A. (2014). Children’s enjoyment of play during school lunchtime breaks: an examination of intraday and interday reliability. Journal of Physical Activity and Health11(1), 109-117. https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/jpah/11/1/article-p109.xml

Hyndman, B., Telford, A., Finch, C., Ullah, S., & Benson, A. C. (2013). The development of the lunchtime enjoyment of activity and play questionnaire. Journal of School Health83(4), 256-264.https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/josh.12025

Hyndman, B., Telford, A., Finch, C. F., & Benson, A. C. (2012). Moving Physical Activity Beyond the School Classroom: A Social-ecological Insight for Teachers of the facilitators and barriers to students' non-curricular physical activity. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 37(2).http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2012v37n2.2

Selected Scholarly Book Chapters

Hyndman, B. (2021). Bullying in the school playground: Design and supervision. In P. Smith, J. O'Higgins Norman, & B. Sciacca (Eds.), The Wiley Blackwell handbook of bullying (Vol. 2, pp. 299-313). Wiley-Blackwell. URL: https://www.wiley.com/en-gb/The+Wiley+Blackwell+Handbook+of+Bullying-p-9781118482728

Hyndman, B., & Wyver, S. (2021). Outdoor recreation within the school setting: A physiological and psychological exploration. In H. Nielsen (Ed.), Outdoor Recreation - Physiological and Psychological Effects on Health (1st ed., pp. 1-17). IntechOpen London. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.91900

Hyndman, B. (2021). Play across Australian schooling. In S. Newstead & P. King (Eds.), Play Across the Lifespan. Springer Nature: Switzerland.

Midford, R., Nutton, G., Hyndman, B., & Silburn, S. (2020). A preview of how health and education interact to influence the course of a child’s development. In Health and Education Interdependence (Eds Midford, Nutton, Hyndman & Silburn). Springer: Singapore.

Hyndman, B., Midford, R., Nutton, G., & Silburn, S. (2020). Understanding the interactions of health and education across the development trajectory. In Health and Education Interdependence (Eds Midford, Nutton, Hyndman & Silburn). Springer: Singapore.

Hyndman, B., Winslade, M., & Wright, B (2020). Physical activity and Learning. In Health and Education Interdependence (Eds Midford, Nutton, Hyndman & Silburn). Springer: Singapore.

McMaster, N., & Hyndman, B. (2019). Benefits of lifelong physical activity. In Teaching health and physical education in early childhood and primary years (pp. 412-439). Oxford University Press Australia and New Zealand.

Hyndman, B., & McMaster, N. (2019). Active play and minor games. In Teaching health and physical education in early childhood and primary years (pp. 205-223). Oxford University Press Australia and New Zealand.

Hyndman, B. (2017). The importance of school playgrounds for active, healthy students. In: Hyndman B, Editor. Contemporary school playground strategies for healthy students. Springer Nature, Singapore.

Hyndman, B. (2017). School playgrounds as a place of learning. In: Hyndman B, Editor. Contemporary school playground strategies for healthy students. Springer Nature, Singapore.

Hyndman, B. (2017). The state of playgrounds in Australian schools. In: Hyndman B, Editor. Contemporary school playground strategies for healthy students. Springer Nature, Singapore.

Chancellor, B., & Hyndman, B. (2017). Adult decisions within primary school playgrounds. In: Hyndman B, Editor. Contemporary school playground strategies for healthy students. Springer Nature, Singapore.

Hyndman, B. (2017). Personal influences on students within school playgrounds. In: Hyndman B, Editor. Contemporary school playground strategies for healthy students. Springer Nature, Singapore.

Hyndman, B. (2017). Surrounding environmental influences on students within school playgrounds. In: Hyndman B, Editor. Contemporary school playground strategies for healthy students. Springer Nature, Singapore.

Hyndman, B. (2017). Facility influences on students within school playgrounds. In: Hyndman B, Editor. Contemporary school playground strategies for healthy students. Springer Nature, Singapore.

Hyndman, B. (2017). The influence of rules and regulations on students within school playgrounds. In: Hyndman B, Editor. Contemporary school playground strategies for healthy students. Springer Nature, Singapore.

Hyndman, B. (2017). Measurement of students’ playground activity levels. In: Hyndman B, Editor. Contemporary school playground strategies for healthy students.  Springer Nature, Singapore.

Hyndman, B. (2017). What students want within school playgrounds to be active and healthy. In: Hyndman B, Editor. Contemporary school playground strategies for healthy students. Springer Nature, Singapore.

Hyndman, B. (2017). What students want within school playground to feel safe. In: Hyndman B, Editor. Contemporary school playground strategies for healthy students. Springer Nature, Singapore.

Hyndman, B. (2017). Students’ enjoyment of school playground activities. In: Hyndman B, Editor. Contemporary school playground strategies for healthy students. Springer Nature, Singapore.

Hyndman, B. (2017). School playground strategies to promote structured activities. In: Hyndman B, Editor. Contemporary school playground strategies for healthy students. Springer Nature, Singapore.

Hyndman, B. (2017). School playground strategies to promote unstructured activities. In: Hyndman B, Editor. Contemporary school playground strategies for healthy students. Springer Nature, Singapore.

Hyndman, B. (2017). Evaluating the translatability and feasibility of school playground interventions. In: Hyndman B, Editor. Contemporary school playground strategies for healthy students. Springer Nature, Singapore.

Hyndman, B. (2017). Recommendations for future school playground intervention research. In: Hyndman B, Editor. Contemporary school playground strategies for healthy students. Springer Nature, Singapore.

Selected Refereed Conference Papers

Harvey, S., & Hyndman, B. (2018). How and why physical educators use Twitter. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 89 (S1), A142.

Mathur, D., Mathew, S., Hyndman, B., Mcdonald, E., Chang, A. B., & Gerritsen, R. (2017, June). Exploring early childhood playground design as a strategy for obesity prevention. In Developing Northern Australia Conference 2017, Cairns (QLD), 19-20 June 2017https://web.archive.org/web/20170709092739/https:/northaust.org.au/

Hyndman, B.  (2015). Looking beyond the classroom walls: An insight for teachers of primary & secondary students' perceptions to enhance the school physical activity environment. Proceedings of the 29th Australian Council for Health, Physical Education & Recreation (ACHPER) International Conference, Adelaide, p89-101. https://epubs.scu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2495&context=educ_pubs

Hyndman, B., Telford, A., & Finch, C. (2010). What components of school play spaces would encourage children to be physically active? Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport12, e141-e142.

Hyndman B.  (2015). Engaging students in activities beyond the classroom: A social-ecological exploration of primary school students’ enjoyment of school-based physical activities. Proceedings of the 29th Australian Council for Health, Physical Education & Recreation (ACHPER) International Conference, Adelaide, p80-88. https://epubs.scu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2496&context=educ_pubs

Hyndman, B. P. (2016). Creative Possibilities: The Lunchtime Enjoyment Activity and Play (LEAP) Intervention. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 87(S2), A77.

Selected Contributions to The Conversation

Hyndman, B. (2019). 140th out of 146: Australian teens do close to the least physical activity in the world. The Conversationhttps://theconversation.com/140th-out-of-146-australian-teens-do-close-to-the-least-physical-activity-in-the-world-127434

Hyndman, B., Sharwood, L., English, R., Soundappan, S. V., & Laird, S. (2019). Should I let my kid climb trees? We asked five experts. The Conversation.https://theconversation.com/should-i-let-my-kid-climb-trees-we-asked-five-experts-125871

Cruickshank, V., Hyndman, B., & Pill, S. (2019). Bushwalking and bowls in schools: we need to teach kids activities they’ll go on to enjoy. The Conversationhttp://theconversation.com/bushwalking-and-bowls-in-schools-we-need-to-teach-kids-activities-theyll-go-on-to-enjoy-123004

Hyndman, B. (2019). Let them play! Kids need freedom from play restrictions to develop. The Conversationhttps://theconversation.com/let-them-play-kids-need-freedom-from-play-restrictions-to-develop-117586

Hyndman, B. (2019). Adapting to secondary school: why the physical environment is important too. The Conversationhttps://theconversation.com/adapting-to-secondary-school-why-the-physical-environment-is-important-too-110894

Hyndman, B. (2018). One man’s trash: how using everyday items for play benefits kids. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/one-mans-trash-how-using-everyday-items-for-play-benefits-kids-105851

Hyndman, B. (2018). Ten reasons teachers can struggle to use technology in the classroom. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/ten-reasons-teachers-can-struggle-to-use-technology-in-the-classroom-101114

Hyndman, B. (2018). Move it, move it: how physical activity at school helps the mind (as well as the body). The Conversationhttps://theconversation.com/move-it-move-it-how-physical-activity-at-school-helps-the-mind-as-well-as-the-body-100175

Hyndman, B., & Mackenzie, N. M. (2018). Eight things that should be included in screen guidelines for students. The Conversationhttps://theconversation.com/eight-things-that-should-be-included-in-screen-guidelines-for-students-95427

Hyndman, B. (2018). Why teachers are turning to Twitter. The Conversationhttps://theconversation.com/why-teachers-are-turning-to-twitter-94582

Hyndman, B. (2017). Does bad weather affect student performance in school? The Conversationhttps://theconversation.com/does-bad-weather-affect-student-performance-in-school-75461

Hyndman, B. (2017). Too hot to learn: Why Australian schools need a national policy on coping with heatwaves. The Conversationhttps://theconversation.com/too-hot-to-learn-why-australian-schools-need-a-national-policy-on-coping-with-heatwaves-73432

Hyndman, B. (2015). The heat in northern Australian classrooms could impede learning. The Conversationhttps://theconversation.com/the-heat-in-northern-australian-classrooms-could-impede-learning-44592

Hyndman, B. (2015). Are our school playgrounds being wrapped in cotton wool? The Conversationhttps://theconversation.com/are-our-school-playgrounds-being-wrapped-in-cotton-wool-43541

Back to Staff listings