Inclusive physical education, with a focus on autonomy, competence and relatedness

Inclusive Physical Education, with a focus on Autonomy, competence and relatedness Rostboell, S.; Oestergaard, C.; Mouritzen, P.; Hinrichsen, L.; Piaster T.; Gade K. Metropolitan University College, Faculty of Social Science and Pedagogy Introduction In Denmark, a considerable percentage of children, e.g. girls with a migrant background, do not participate in physical activities, PA and are marginalized in physical education, PE lessons. Evaluation of PE in Danish schools shows that the causes of the pupils demotivation are lack of study plan, lack of participation and too much focus on competitive sports (Danmarks Evalueringsinstitut 2004, Von Seelen 2012). A school reform is currently being implemented in Denmark. The intention is to improve inclusive education and to enhance the academic standards for all pupils in the public schools. This study investigates girls’ motivation for physical education. On the basis of the empirical findings, our study suggests a didactics, which enhances the pupils’ activity rates and improve their participation in PE. The data analysis is inspired by Self Determination Theory, which is a motivational theory, containing three main categories: autonomy, competence and relatedness. Methods The study focuses on the 6th and 7th grade and specifically on girls. The data consist of observations in 8 classes at two schools in socio-economic underprivileged areas and two schools in socio-economic privileged areas and focus group interviews, combined with in-depth interviews with 16 selected girls before and after a 7 weeks intervention in so called Inclusive PE. Results The findings showed that the three categories from the Self Determination Theory are suitable for investigating motivation for PE. Significant in the study was the girls’ feeling of the boys’ dominance in PE in the ordinary PE lessons also in a Danish context. The interventions in inclusive PE in the classes focusing on ‘autonomy, ‘competence’ and ‘relatedness’, showed that it increased the girls’ motivation for PE, especially in the classes where the girls had a good relationship with the teacher. Furthermore, it was clear that the girls felt best in an environment characterized by helpfulness, cooperation and work in smaller groups. In the interviews, the girls pointed out the importance of knowing the goals of the teaching, variation in the activities and achieving specific skills. Discussion A review of studies in PE using SDT conclude that it is not the content that matters for the children’s’ feeling of motivation but the methods used and the teachers’ way of giving response to the pupils (Berghe 2014). The present study reaches the same conclusion, but goes further in the suggestion of an inclusive didactics in PE focusing on all three categories in SDT. References Berghe, L. V. D., Vansteenkiste, M., Cardon, G., Kirk, D., Haerens, L. (2014): Research on self-determination in physical education: key findings and proposals for future research. Physical Education & Sport Pedagogy. Vol. 19 Issue 1, p97-121. Danmarks Evalueringsinstitut (2004): Idræt i folkeskolen – Et fag med bevægelse. Danmarks Evalueringsinstitut. Von Seelen, J. (2012) Læring, praksis og kvalitet i idrætstimerne. Et multiple-case studie. Institut for Idræt og Biomekanik, Syddansk Universitet, Ph.d. afhandling. [email protected]