Opening up Neat New Things: Exploring Understandings and Experiences of Social and Emotional Learning and Meaningful Physical Education Utilizing Democratic and Reflective Pedagogies

Donal Howley (), Ben Dyson, Seunghyun Baek, Judy Fowler and Yanhua Shen
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Donal Howley: Department of Kinesiology, Towson University, Towson, MD 21252, USA
Ben Dyson: Department of Kinesiology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
Seunghyun Baek: Department of Kinesiology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
Judy Fowler: Department of Kinesiology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
Yanhua Shen: Department of Education, University of Virginia’s College at Wise, Wise, VA 24293, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-17

Abstract: When it comes to teaching social and affective outcomes pertaining to health and physical activity within Physical Education (PE) settings, such learning historically has been observed as manifesting itself as hoped-for-by-products rather than intentionally-taught-for curricular outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore understandings and experiences of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and Meaningful Physical Education (MPE) utilizing democratic and reflective pedagogies. A qualitative case study design was implemented in an alternative high school setting in the USA across 10 months. Participants included the Teacher–Researcher (TR), one Physical Education (PE) teacher, a critical friend, two teaching assistants, and 16 ninth-grade alternative high school students aged 14–15 (eight girls/eight boys). Methods involved a TR journal, post–lesson teaching reflections, interviews, and focus groups, with inductive and deductive analysis applied. The following themes were constructed: It really made you think; making movement meaningful; being a better classmate; and doing things differently . Results demonstrate how utilizing democratic and reflective approaches grounded in social constructivist learning theory innovatively promoted SEL and MPE. It allowed students to reflect, interrogate and discuss how movement experiences inside and outside of PE influenced their pursuit of a physically active life. Participants articulated experiencing a more inclusive learning experience that challenged the purpose and subject matter of previous PE and physical activity. Teaching for SEL and MPE using common language and terminology around pre–identified and defined competencies, skills, and features drawn from these conceptual frameworks as demonstrated here, can help contribute to more concrete and uniform learning experiences within and across settings. Doing so led participants to demonstrate more holistic and broader understandings of what constituted participation in PE and physical activity, as well as how to promote and participate in meaningful movement and physical activity within and outside of school to promote healthy living. We call for further embedding of democratic and reflective pedagogies in PE teacher education and professional development that provides teachers and students with the opportunity to do so going forward.

Keywords: physical education; physical activity; social and emotional learning; pedagogy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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