Doing and saying content: a comparative analysis of the practical knowledge in PE lessons

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: Content of physical education, such as games, fitness or dance as well as their adequate didactical (re-)presentation for learning purposes are central topics of discussion in sports pedagogy. The concrete processes that constitute the content of PE lessons in situ tend to remain unconsidered in the discussion. Thus, there is a particular lack of detailed studies that can describe how the content is socially constructed and what becomes the content of a PE lesson [Amade-Escot, C., and M. O'Sullivan. 2007. ‘Research on Content in Physical Education: Theoretical Perspectives and Current Debates.’ Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy 12 (3): 185–203]. Purpose: The paper presents initial findings on the practical constitution of content during PE lessons from a praxeological perspective. Method: We examined videotaped lessons in PE from elementary school. The focus here is on the comparison of two lessons in which mainly one game is played (Zombieball and Burnball). For the reconstruction of the doings and sayings and the practical knowledge we use the documentary method. As a sequence analysis, it is designed to identify practical knowledge in the form of collectively shared orientation frameworks of social practice [Bohnsack, R. 2014. ‘Documentary Method.’ In SAGE Handbook of Analyzing Qualitative Data, edited by Uwe Flick, 217–233. London: SAGE]. Findings: Both the two lessons researched and the games played are constituted by several practices: anticipating, announcing, and preparing a game; playing and accompanying a game; ending and debriefing a game. In this similar doings and sayings, we find case-specific differences in the orientation frameworks of constituting and maintaining PE lessons. With flowification of PE lessons, we describe a central and collectively shared orientation towards getting and keeping the game Zombieball going in a way of hurrying through the lesson (case A). With personification of PE lessons, we describe the collective orientation towards getting and keeping the game Burnball going in such a way that all students can play along. In particular, this means that one specific student must be integrated into the game above all others (case B). Discussion: By flowification and personification, we have discovered two orientation frameworks that are visible in all phases of PE lessons, but these are especially important in the phase of play. We speak of a – fication because both orientation frameworks become the centre of educational attributions of meaning and they produce specific lesson content. The analyses indicate that, at first glance, similar practices open up different spaces of meaning with regard to the content dimension. The basis for this is different practical knowledge. The ‘real’ content, which practically provides learning opportunities to students, is simultaneously produced and modified by more or less shared knowledge which is experienced and incorporated along the respective history of the common PE.