Pedagogical implications : Students and physical activity

• BackgroundIn Sweden young people take part in school physical education and health (PEH) , club sport and physical activity  if they feel that they acquire skills, feel fit, and experience sport and physical activity as fun. Physical education and health is popular but in Sweden there is a higher percentage of non-participation among physically inactive students and specially girls. To be noted is that PEH is the only subject in the Swedish compulsory school where girls are awarded lower grades compared to boys. The subject has been dominated by masculine and heterosexual ideals, both in Sweden as in other countries (Larsson et al. 2010; Gard, 2006, Flinthoff and Scraton, 2006). PEH represents a site for exploring negotiations of gender and physicality. Purpose The aim of this study is to highlight the latest school reform in physical education and health in Sweden from 2011 and possible implications for inactive girls and boys. Our departure point is literature about inactive students and their attitudes towards physical education and health and physical activity. Theoretical framework draws on curriculum studies and Bernstein´s (2003) concepts of classification and frames. FindingsTaking the new curricula as a departure point a stronger classification and framing of the subject in terms of principles of power and control may render new and different forms of educational settings and communication of valid knowledge. The new steering document can give physical inactive and active students opportunities to find individual and differentiated problem solving learning tasks increasing the meaning making in PEH.

Nyckelord

classification

frames

PE and Health

gender

school reform

Samhällsvetenskap/Humaniora

Social Sciences/Humanities

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)