Movement literacy: a pedagogical model for physical education based on phenomenology?
Standal, Ø. (Norwegian School of Sport Sciences)
Although phenomenology has attracted interest by physical education scholars for several decades, the phenomenological
perspective on teaching and learning in the school subject is not well established. Lately, Margareth Whitehead’s work on
physical literacy has attracted interest. However, physical literacy has become very broad in its scope and some authors have even sought to make it an ‘outcome measure’ of physical education. With ‘outcome measures’, practices of objectively testing and measuring students on physical literacy performances follows. Nothing could be further from the phenomenological roots
of physical literacy. In this presentation, I will:
1) Re-visit one of Whitehead’s (2001) early publications, and argue that in order to capitalize on the phenomenological roots of physical literacy, we need to understand what is entailed in the idea of ‘moving with poise’. Drawing onTodes (2001), I argue that poise is a qualitatively felt experience, and as such, something that one cannot have more or less of. I.e. testing for physical literacy makes little sense.
2) Follow Kirk’s (2013) suggestion that Whitehead’s work is a philosophy in search of pedagogical model. The rational for model-based physical education will be briefly introduced, before I go on to present a pedagogical model for movement literacy (Standal, 2016). Movement literacy is used to distinguish this pedagogical model from the broader concept of physical literacy. In this process, I draw out some pedagogical consequences of phenomenology for physical education.
References:
Kirk, D. (2013). Educational value and models-based practice in physical education. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 45(9), 973-986.
Standal, Ø.F. (2016). Phenomenology and pedagogy in physical education. London: Routledge. Todes, S. (2001). Body and world. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
Whitehead, M. (2001). The concept of physical literacy. European Journal of Physical Education, 6(2), 127-138.
Although phenomenology has attracted interest by physical education scholars for several decades, the phenomenological
perspective on teaching and learning in the school subject is not well established. Lately, Margareth Whitehead’s work on
physical literacy has attracted interest. However, physical literacy has become very broad in its scope and some authors have even sought to make it an ‘outcome measure’ of physical education. With ‘outcome measures’, practices of objectively testing and measuring students on physical literacy performances follows. Nothing could be further from the phenomenological roots
of physical literacy. In this presentation, I will:
1) Re-visit one of Whitehead’s (2001) early publications, and argue that in order to capitalize on the phenomenological roots of physical literacy, we need to understand what is entailed in the idea of ‘moving with poise’. Drawing onTodes (2001), I argue that poise is a qualitatively felt experience, and as such, something that one cannot have more or less of. I.e. testing for physical literacy makes little sense.
2) Follow Kirk’s (2013) suggestion that Whitehead’s work is a philosophy in search of pedagogical model. The rational for model-based physical education will be briefly introduced, before I go on to present a pedagogical model for movement literacy (Standal, 2016). Movement literacy is used to distinguish this pedagogical model from the broader concept of physical literacy. In this process, I draw out some pedagogical consequences of phenomenology for physical education.
References:
Kirk, D. (2013). Educational value and models-based practice in physical education. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 45(9), 973-986.
Standal, Ø.F. (2016). Phenomenology and pedagogy in physical education. London: Routledge. Todes, S. (2001). Body and world. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
Whitehead, M. (2001). The concept of physical literacy. European Journal of Physical Education, 6(2), 127-138.
Physical activity in the classroom: Does it facilitate positive emotions and a good learning environment?
Réol, L. (Via University College)
It is a wide held belief among scientist and teachers that physical activities in school creates joyfulness and supports the development of a ‘positive’ learning environment. This belief is solid, but built on scant scientific documentation. In Denmark new governmental policy prescribes 45 minutes physical activity during each school day from 0th to 10th school year, as a tool to facilitate health, motivation and academic performance. A qualitative study on pupils in 6th grade (N=8) and teachers’ (N=3) experience of movement and physical activities in school gives support to the idea, that physical activities in school enhance positive emotions and support an inclusive and safe learning environment. Thought it does also point to the fact, that it is indeed not that simple. Teachers’ sport-specific educational competences, their own experience of well-being and fun related to physical activities and their ability to align activities to the specific group of children they teach, seems to influence the joy and positive effects on the learning environment in school.
It is a wide held belief among scientist and teachers that physical activities in school creates joyfulness and supports the development of a ‘positive’ learning environment. This belief is solid, but built on scant scientific documentation. In Denmark new governmental policy prescribes 45 minutes physical activity during each school day from 0th to 10th school year, as a tool to facilitate health, motivation and academic performance. A qualitative study on pupils in 6th grade (N=8) and teachers’ (N=3) experience of movement and physical activities in school gives support to the idea, that physical activities in school enhance positive emotions and support an inclusive and safe learning environment. Thought it does also point to the fact, that it is indeed not that simple. Teachers’ sport-specific educational competences, their own experience of well-being and fun related to physical activities and their ability to align activities to the specific group of children they teach, seems to influence the joy and positive effects on the learning environment in school.
Craving Culture (?): Pre-service Teachers' Experiences of African Dance
Pingue, K. (University of Ottawa)
Through the phenomenological investigation of the lived experiences of pre-service teachers learning African dance, this research hopes to reveal the meaning of African dance through the experience and exposure pre-service teachers had to African dance as a culturally relevant activity for marginalized students. By questioning: “What was it like for pre-service teachers to experience African Dance?”, the researcher hopes to capture the essence of African dance from a teacher candidate’s perspective, and how their involvement in a cultural activity has aided their understanding of culturally relevant curricula. The data will be transcribed verbatim, analysed for themes and meaning and presented in various forms, including written text, spoken word poetry and visual arts collage. It is anticipated that this research will contribute knowledge from an experiential perspective to assist and inform educators who desire to develop culturally relevant curricula that meets the needs of vulnerable students. This information from an educator’s perspective, who has participated meaningfully in a cultural dance, may serve to shift perceptions of traditional African dance as a primitive genre of dance to that of an effective tool for
cultivating a particular somatic literacy and physical literacy, and in turn general, overall health.
Through the phenomenological investigation of the lived experiences of pre-service teachers learning African dance, this research hopes to reveal the meaning of African dance through the experience and exposure pre-service teachers had to African dance as a culturally relevant activity for marginalized students. By questioning: “What was it like for pre-service teachers to experience African Dance?”, the researcher hopes to capture the essence of African dance from a teacher candidate’s perspective, and how their involvement in a cultural activity has aided their understanding of culturally relevant curricula. The data will be transcribed verbatim, analysed for themes and meaning and presented in various forms, including written text, spoken word poetry and visual arts collage. It is anticipated that this research will contribute knowledge from an experiential perspective to assist and inform educators who desire to develop culturally relevant curricula that meets the needs of vulnerable students. This information from an educator’s perspective, who has participated meaningfully in a cultural dance, may serve to shift perceptions of traditional African dance as a primitive genre of dance to that of an effective tool for
cultivating a particular somatic literacy and physical literacy, and in turn general, overall health.