Physical contact in physical education
New perspectives and future directionsav
Annica Caldeborg
Akademisk avhandling
Avhandling för filosofie doktorsexamen i idrottsvetenskap, som kommer att försvaras offentligt
fredagen den 11 juni 2021 kl. 13.15, Hörsal F, Örebro universitet Opponent: docent Jesper Andréasson
Linnéuniversitetet, Kalmar
Örebro universitet
Institutionen för Hälsovetenskaper Enheten för idrott
Abstract
Annica Caldeborg (2021): Physical contact in physical education - New perspectives and future directions. Örebro Studies in Sport Sciences 33. This thesis takes its point of departure in the research field of intergener-ational touch in educintergener-ational settings. Specifically, it is mainly the student perspective of physical contact between teachers and students in physical education (PE) that is of interest. In addition, a scoping review has also been conducted. The results are presented in four studies and offer differ-ent perspectives of physical contact in PE: studdiffer-ents’ perspectives, studdiffer-ents perspectives related to heteronormativity, immigrant students’ per-spectives and a research field perspective. Two of the four studies that make up the thesis are analysed through the lens of the didactic contract, although a discourse analytical framework has also been used.
The empirical data in Studies I-III consists of interviews with upper sec-ondary school students, where photo elicitation has been used as a tech-nique. The results suggest that students expect and appreciate physical contact in PE, as long as the purpose and intent of the physical contact is clear to the students. It is, however, evident that female students’ talk about physical contact can be related to heteronormativity. It is also shown that immigrant students take several negotiation aspects into con-sideration when determining whether or not physical contact is perceived as legitimate.
The results of Study IV, the scoping review, indicate that research re-lated to physical contact in educational settings centres around fears and anxieties among practitioners as a result of child safety and no touch guidelines. This has also had an effect on practitioners’ professional iden-tity. In addition, the results centre around the functions and needs of phys-ical contact as well as gender and cultural differences.
The thesis contributes to the research field and to the teaching of PE by providing a student perspective on the issue of physical contact in PE, by its didactical reasoning and by discussing alternatives to the one-size-fits-all guidelines for appropriate and inappropriate touch.
Keywords: physical contact, physical education, PE, touch, student perspective,
heteronormativity, gender, immigrant students, scoping review Annica Caldeborg, School of Health Sciences
