Physical contact in physical education. New perspectives and future directions

Physical contact in physical education. New perspectives and future directions

This thesis takes its point of departure in the research field of intergenerational touch in educational 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 different perspectives of physical contact in PE: students’ perspectives, students perspectives related to heteronormativity, immigrant students’ perspectives 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 secondary school students, where photo elicitation has been used as a technique. 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 consideration when determining whether or not physical contact is perceived as legitimate.

The results of Study IV, the scoping review, indicate that research related 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 identity. In addition, the results centre around the functions and needs of physical 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-fitsall guidelines for appropriate and inappropriate touch.