Teaching health in physical education: An action research project

In the Norwegian curriculum for physical education (PE), health is one of several topics students should learn about. However, the way in which many educators conceptualize health can impact both what students learn and how health is taught in PE. According to Mong and Standal (2019), differences in terms of the conceptualizations of health can also lead to differences in teachers’ didactical approaches. This article is based on an action research project in which the overall goal was to investigate how didactic work can contribute to developing the teaching of health in PE. The project included an action research phase and qualitative interviews. The project, conducted in Norway, lasted almost one school year and was divided into two units. One teacher and 48 students aged 14–15 years participated in the action research project, which included eight lessons. We conducted qualitative interviews with the teacher and six students after the completion of the action research phase. In our analysis, we identified three topics addressed by both the students and the teacher, namely ‘the use of logbooks as a method for reflection’, ‘awareness of health as a knowledge object’ and ‘developing confidence in how to teach health’. Through the use of a didactic approach to health, both the students and teacher developed new reflections on and awareness of health. The findings indicate that it was professional development which subsequently impacted didactic decisions, dialogues about how health was taught and the teacher’s confidence in teaching health.publishedVersio

‘Feeling better’: embodied self-knowledge as an aspect of movement capability

The literature on movement capability critiques the traditional content of physical education (i.e. the what of physical education) and the subject’s reliance on teacher-led methods (i.e. the how of physical education). By re-focusing the content as well as the teaching methods of physical education, the literature on movement capabilities as providing a more student-centered approach to a form of physical education, which is less focused on developing skills and techniques in sporting activities. One important aspect of movement capability is to develop the students’ bodily awareness of their own way of moving. However, our contention is that the focus on students’ bodily awareness this is done in the service of improving specific movements. Purpose In this paper, we want to explore how embodied self-knowledge itself can be considered a movement capability. More specifically, the question guiding this article is: What is there to learn about oneself as a mover in physical education, when one moves without aiming to perfect a specific movement? Method The paper draws on analyses from an auto-ethnographic study performed by one of the authors [Bratten, J. H. (2017). Aktiviteter med lav puls og liten kraft i kroppsøvingsog breddeidrettsfaget. [Activities with low pulse and little excertion]. Master thesis. Oslo Metropolitan University. Oslo, Norway.]. More specifically, she was investigating her role as a teacher in a specific course unit that she had developed, called ‘Activities with low pulse and little exertion.’ This content, consisting of lessons given over a period of 5–8 weeks, is based on traditionally eastern forms of activity like yoga and Qi-gong, where the aim is to move through certain poses with attention directed inwardly and towards breathing. These analyses are combined with theoretical resources from somaesthetics [Shusterman, 2008 Body Consciousness. A Philosophy of Mindfulness and Somaesthetics. Cambrigde: Cambridge University Press; 2012 Thinking Through the Body: Essays in Somaesthetics. Cambridge University Press] in order to elucidate how the course unit can be understood to work with the students’ embodied self-knowledge. Results By employing Shusterman’s fine-grained descriptions of somesthetical movement practices, we are able to highlight that knowing oneself in movement is a valuable end in itself, not only a means to accomplishing specific movements. Our contribution then has been to give an example of how movement capabilities can be conceived of, when movement is understood as a process that can help students to feel better without the need to perform.publishedVersio

The Psychosocial in Norwegian Teacher Education in Light of Epistemic Objects and Therapeutic Culture

In this article we examine how therapeutic culture disseminates into and affects teacher education in Norway. This is done through a close examination of knowledge practices revolving around the term psychosocial. Based on fieldwork data and drawing on Karin Knorr Cetina’s concept of epistemic objects, we analyse how the psychosocial is practised, taught, and interpreted in a Norwegian primary and secondary teacher education institution. We identify three key epistemic characteristics of the psychosocial: ubiquity, emotional orientation, and self-centeredness. Due to its oscillation between compatibility and friction, the psychosocial is both nurturing and disruptive, intuitive, and demanding, meaningful and alienating. More broadly, the application of the psychosocial in teacher education can be understood in light of the interplay between intellectualisation and emotionalisation processes in modern societies. By providing insight into a previously unexplored area, the article contributes to new understandings of the changing cultural conditions of the teaching profession

Habits, skills and embodied experiences: a contribution to philosophy of physical education

One of the main topics in philosophical work dealing with physical education is if and how the subject can justify its educational value. Acquisition of practical knowledge in the form of skills and the provision of positive and meaningful embodied experiences are central to the justification of physical education. The purpose of this article is to explore the relationship between skill and embodied experience in physical education through the notion and concept of habit. The literature on phenomenology of skill acquisition is first considered. In particular, we draw on Merleau-Ponty’s notion of habit. Further, we introduce pragmatist philosophy and in particular the work of John Dewey as a useful complement to the phenomenological perspective. It is in particular Dewey’s emphasis on habits, experience and education that are found to be useful in our exploration of the relationship between the two justifications under consideration, because it allows us to point out the importance of habits of attentiveness.Habits, skills and embodied experiences: a contribution to philosophy of physical educationacceptedVersio

‘What we have done now is more student-centred’: an investigation of physical education teachers’ reflections over a one-year participatory action research project

Although reflection has a key position in the development of teachers’ pedagogical practices, few studies have investigated the development of physical education teachers’ reflections over time. Against this backdrop, this study seeks to answer the following research question: ‘How does a one-year participatory action research project using Cooperative Learning as a pedagogical intervention influence PE teachers’ reflections about teaching and learning?’ The first author, Lars, assumed the role of researcher-facilitator, supporting the teachers’ pedagogical development while simultaneously collecting data relevant to the research question. Interviews, observation notes and the researcher’s reflective diary were analysed using an abductive approach. The study concludes that the interplay between (a) new theoretical perspectives, (b) the establishment of a collectively reflective community and (c) the prolonged project duration eventually enabled the teachers to critically reflect upon their previous practices. At the same time, their journeys over the course of the project consisted of ups and downs and can be understood through three critical cycles: ‘establishing systematic, collective and cyclical processes’, ‘new spaces of experience’ and ‘the tipping point’. Drawing upon our findings, we discuss various ideas for future educational action research projects aimed at challenging traditional practices within and beyond the PE context.publishedVersio

‘While we may lead a horse to water we cannot make him drink’: three physical education teachers’ professional growth through and beyond a prolonged participatory action research project

The article has been peer-reviewed, but does not include the publisher’s layout, page numbers and proof-correctionsCitation for the published paper: Bjørke, L., Standal, Ø. F. & Moen, K. M. (2020). ‘While we may lead a horse to water we cannot make him drink’: three physical education teachers’ professional growth through and beyond a prolonged participatory action research project. Sport, Education and Society. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2020.1799781Instead of ‘the frenetic rush’ to find effective models of continuing professional development (CPD) that will ‘work’, Armour et al. (2017), suggest rethinking the nature of effective CPD by drawing on the work of John Dewey, and particularly his notion of education as growth. Against this backdrop, the study evaluated three physical education (PE) teachers’ engagement with a prolonged transformative CPD initiative using participatory action research (PAR) to implement Cooperative Learning. More specifically, the study posed two research questions: ‘How do three PE teachers experience their engagement with a prolonged CPD initiative using PAR?’, and ‘How do their experiences facilitate and/or obstruct development and growth?’ I, the first author, took the role of facilitator, supporting the teachers throughout their journeys. The study draws on data from interviews with the teachers conducted at four points through their journey, from nine professional development workshops and from about 100 pages of my reflective diary. On analysing the data, we identified four themes relevant to understanding the teachers’ journeys: ‘PAR as an educative CPD experience’; ‘experiencing Cooperative Learning as something that “works” – and “costs”’; ‘reconstruction of mis-educative experiences’; and ‘further development and growth’. We found that the tension between previous experiences of teaching PE and new experiences of teaching through Cooperative Learning challenged the teachers’ established knowledge and practices. However, not all experiences were equally educative, and some restricted possibilities for further development and growth. We found that the teachers’ journeys beyond the pedagogical intervention developed along different paths, making the project both educative and non-educative. We acknowledge that education must be understood as a complex endeavour (Quennerstedt, 2019 Quennerstedt, M. (2019) making the directions of teachers’ learning journeys hard to predict.acceptedVersio

Praksisopplæring i kroppsøvingslærar- og idrettsutdanningar: 3 utfordringar for framtidig fagutvikling

Praksis er ein viktig del av yrkesretta utdanningar. Trass i dette har det vore lite forsking på praksis i kroppsøvingslærarutdanninga og andre idrettsvitskaplege utdanningar. I denne artikkelen oppsummerer vi resultat og funn frå tre ulike forskingsprosjekt som på ulike vis har undersøkt praksis i kroppsøving- og idrettsvitskapeleg utdanningar. Metodisk sett har desse undersøkingane vore systematisk litteraturstudie, fokusgruppeintervju og aksjonsforsking. Ei særleg utfordring som undersøkingane vi har vore involvert i peikar på, er samarbeidet mellom undervisarar på høgskulane, praksisrettleiarar (øvingslærarar) og studentar. På bakgrunn av våre funn og ei kunnskapsoppsummering av partnarskapmodellar i lærarutdanninga diskuterer vi til slutt tre utfordringar for praksis i kroppsøvings- og idrettsvitskaplege utdanningar. Desse utfordringane er (i) å sette studenten si læring i sentrum, (ii) hensiktsmessige medium for refleksjon og (iii) teori-praksisdistinksjonar i utdanningane. Vår intensjon er ikkje å svare på desse utfordringane, men å røyse dei og skissere kva dei består av. Det er opp til institusjonane, undervisarar og studentar å arbeide med desse utfordringane i dei konkrete utdanningsløpa.publishedVersio

Competition in Physical Education: Avoid, Ask, Adapt or Accept?

This is the final text version of the article, and it may contain minor differences from the journal's pdf version. The original publication is available at tandfonline.com: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2017.1415151Competition is an essential part of youth sport. But should it also be part of the curriculum in physical education? Or are competitive activities incompatible with the educational context? While some researchers have argued that physical education should embrace the sporting logic of competition, others have criticized the negative experiences it can create for some students in school. In this article, we draw on insights from the philosophy of sport as well as educational philosophy, with the aim of questioning and critically examining the integration of competitive activities in physical education. We present and discuss four normative arguments (AVOID, ASK, ADAPT, and ACCEPT) that can each in their own way inform and guide future talks on the topic.Competition in Physical Education: Avoid, Ask, Adapt or Accept?acceptedVersio

«Ei mil vid og ein tomme djup»? – ei undersøking av innhald og undervisning i kroppsøving på ungdomstrinnet i Noreg

Hensikta med denne artikkelen er å undersøke om og eventuelt på kva måtar kroppsøvingsfaget kan skildrast som «ei mil vid og ein tomme djup». Artikkelen går dermed inn i ein aktuell skulepolitisk kontekst som vektlegg djupnelæring og konsentrasjon om kjerneelement i fag. På bakgrunn av ei miksa-metodestudie der vi har gjort ei spørjeundersøking blant elevar og fokusgruppeintervju med lærarar viser vi at faget ser ut til å vere prega av eit snevert utval av aktivitetar og ein tradisjonell undervisningsmetode. Samstundes ser vi at lærarar og elevar oppfattar at sosiale og emosjonelle kompetansar er viktige i faget. Sett i samanheng med både nasjonal og internasjonal forsking på kroppsøving tyder undersøkinga vår på at undervisninga i kroppsøving er prega av det Sawyer (2014) kallar instruksjonisme: lærarstyrt overføring av kunnskap og ferdigheiter. Likevel er det grunn til å diskutere kva djupnelæring i kroppsøving betyr og om det er rett å knytte dette til utvalet av aktivitetar i faget.publishedVersio

Developing the practising model in physical education: an expository outline focusing on movement capability

Background: Physical educators currently have a number of pedagogical (or curricular) models at their disposal. While existing models have been well-received in educational contexts, these models seek to extend students’ capacities within a limited number of ‘human activities’ (Arendt, 1958). The activity of human practising, which is concerned with the improvement of the self, is not explicitly dealt with by current models. Purpose: The aim of the paper is to outline how a model of human practising related to movement capability could be enacted in physical education. Findings: Building on a theoretical exposition of human practising presented in a separate paper, this paper provides a practically oriented discussion related to: (1) the general learning outcomes as well as teaching and learning strategies of the model; (2) an outline of five activities that describe how the model could be implemented; and (3) the non-negotiable features of the model. Discussion: The model’s potential contribution to the ongoing revitalization of PE as an institutionalized educational practice is discussed. Points concerning how the model relates to wider physical cultures, its position regarding transfer of learning, standards of excellence, and social and cultural transmission are considered. Conclusion: The paper is concluded with some reflections on pedagogical models generally and how they relate to the pedagogical model of practising movement capability presented in this paper.acceptedVersio