Teaching Physical Activity—a Matter of Health and Equality?

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to understand the mechanisms supporting equality and social health in physical activity (PA) practices by analysing didactic choices. Social health is understood as equal distribution of power. Thereby, a healthy PA practice needs to be inclusive. 3 PA activities are analysed as cases. Issues of inclusion and exclusion are scrutinized. The analysis shows how the power in PA classes may be reallocated by didactic choices and tools such as the teaching content, the rules, the organization, and the leader attitude. Additionally, to increase the possibilities of conducting healthy PA teaching in physical education and health (PEH), humane values need to take precedence before the competitive sport logic governed by a scientific paradigm.

KEYWORDS:

• Equality
• social health
• physical activity
• physical education

ORCID

Katarina Schenker http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9971-5353

Notes

1 See Lärarnas nyheter for more information on this form of steeplechase in PEH: http://www.lararnasnyheter.se/mivida/2012/12/07/maxar-pulsen-super-mario.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by The Kamprad Family Foundation for Entrepreneurship, Research and Charity [grant no. 20132046].