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Jansson, A., Mattsson, T. & Gerdin, G. (2024). Does it run in the family? How family background influences grades in physical education and health in Sweden. Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, 1-17
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Does it run in the family? How family background influences grades in physical education and health in Sweden
2024 (English)In: Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, ISSN 2574-2981, E-ISSN 2574-299X, p. 1-17Article in journal (Refereed) Epub ahead of print
Abstract [en]

Research on grading in physical education and health (PEH) continues to demonstrate both inequitable practices and outcomes some of which are associated with the students’ family background. A central goal for schools around the world is to compensate for students’ family backgrounds to promote greater educational equity. This study aimed to examine the effect of family background on grades in PEH in Sweden. The data in this study involved the total population of full siblings (N = 1,444,575) who were enrolled in Year 9 (ages 14–15) between 2000 and 2017. The results indicate an increasing impact of family background on PEH grades over time, particularly for foreign-born students, suggesting a decline in educational equity. These results highlight the need for targeted interventions and policy reforms to address growing inequities and ensure that all students, regardless of background, have equal opportunities to succeed in PEH

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Taylor & Francis Group, 2024
Keywords
Family background, Physical Education, Grades, Equity, Sibling correlation
National Category
Sport and Fitness Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-71387 (URN)10.1080/25742981.2024.2405610 (DOI)001319540700001 ()2-s2.0-85204702732 (Scopus ID)
Available from: 2024-09-26 Created: 2024-09-26 Last updated: 2025-02-11Bibliographically approved
Mattsson, T., Winther, H. & Pastorek Gripson, M. (2024). Embodiment and aesthetics in teaching and examinations: Potentials for higher education. In: : . Paper presented at Lärarlärdom, 16 August 2023, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden. (pp. 1-9). University of Central Oklahoma, 5(1)
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Embodiment and aesthetics in teaching and examinations: Potentials for higher education
2024 (English)Conference paper, Published paper (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

In a democratic society, knowledge and research grounding play central roles. To support students' learning,it is necessary for teachers to be able to motivate and create challenging and stimulating learningopportunities. Questions regarding academic literacy often lack embodied and aesthetic perspectives(Carlgren, 2015), leading to challenges in bridging the gap between knowledge and teaching. Studies haveshown that traditionally academic teaching methods and dualistic conceptions of learning can be identifiedwithin certain higher education contexts (Pastorek et al., 2021; Østern et al., 2021). The aim of this paper isto highlight and discuss the possibilities of embodiment and aesthetics in teaching and examinations in highereducation. To enhance student engagement, a more holistic approach to education is required, whereindividuals are inspired and given space in various ways (Østern, et al., 2019). By paying attention to students'bodily communication, contact, and presence, the quality of the learning processes can improve (Winther,2018). Based on research in preschool teacher education (Pastorek et al., 2021), a picture emerges whereacademic values, such as writing and speaking, take up a significant space in content, goals, and assessmentsat the expense of aesthetic and bodily perspectives. Instead, embodiment and aesthetic perspectives onknowledge and knowledge production in higher education can be a contribution to varied forms of teachingand examinations and a way to further development in the discussion around Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
University of Central Oklahoma, 2024
Keywords
Aesthetics, Embodiment, Higher Education, Teaching
National Category
Pedagogy Social Sciences Interdisciplinary
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-69675 (URN)10.24834/jotl.5.1.1128 (DOI)
Conference
Lärarlärdom, 16 August 2023, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden.
Available from: 2024-07-01 Created: 2024-07-01 Last updated: 2024-07-01Bibliographically approved
Lindberg, M. & Mattsson, T. (2024). How much circus is allowed?: Challenges and hindrances when embracing risk in physical education. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 29(3), 245-258
Open this publication in new window or tab >>How much circus is allowed?: Challenges and hindrances when embracing risk in physical education
2024 (English)In: Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, ISSN 1740-8989, E-ISSN 1742-5786, Vol. 29, no 3, p. 245-258Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Introduction: Research has indicated that Physical Education (PE) is often characterized by teacher-centred teaching (e.g. Byra 2006; Tinning 2010), where the pupils follow instruction and perform pre-established movements (Karlefors and Larsson 2018). Pupils are expected to listen, do as they are told, and follow rules (Fitzpatrick and Russell 2015; Quennerstedt 2013). PE teaching has been described as an act of control (Quennerstedt 2013), and teachers face the dilemma of letting go of control and still having enough control to make sure that the lesson smoothly moves forward (Alfrey and O'Connor 2020). However, when the pupils are given more power and the teacher applies student-centred teaching, the pupils get to come up with ideas and make decisions (e.g. Byra 2006; Garrett and Wrench 2018; Mattsson and Larsson 2021). This is significant because it can develop PE and contribute to meaning making among pupils and their experiences of movement. This article aims to analyse the use of exploratory circus assignments in PE teaching and to discuss this in relation to current school norms. Biesta's (The Beautiful Risk of Education [Paradigm Publishers 2014]) concept of risk, which means not knowing the outcome, is used. The article problematizes pupils' own ideas and suggestions in relation to prevailing norms in school. What happens when pupils participate in teaching based on exploratory circus assignments? Exploration, playfulness, and expression were focused, and the lessons were characterized by the absence of primary focus on competitiveness as a counterweight to traditional PE content. Methods: A research teacher (a university teacher with experience teaching school PE and circus) conducted 10 lessons together with 20 pupils (aged 10) and their PE teacher using exploratory circus assignments. Data was collected through participant observation, video observation, and field diary. The data analysis generated three themes, Following instruction, Limited exploration, and Shared power, that were reviewed in relation to the theoretical framework. Results: The results show that the research teacher and the PE teacher resisted embracing risk in PE due to the prevailing norms and what Biesta (2014) describes as the practice of schooling. They focused on keeping the pupils in order rather than being flexible and open to unknown outcomes. The exploratory circus assignments involved risk to different extents, and the research teacher's tendency to embrace risk increased over time. Her letting go of control enabled her to embrace risk. It did not mean a total relinquishment of control, but rather not having exclusive control over the decision-making and meaning-making processes. When she shared the power with the pupils, new and other movements could be explored. The results show that pupils' actions can be more educative than what teachers initially consider. Conclusion: Teachers need to relinquish control to conduct teaching which embraces risk. Doing so enables them to share power with the pupils, which allows pupils to explore and discover different ways of moving and using the material. Exploratory circus assignments can enable risk embracement in PE and function as a way for teachers to reflect upon pedagogical considerations and practice the sharing of power with their pupils.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Taylor & Francis, 2024
Keywords
Exploratory circus assignments, norms, pedagogy, physical education, risk
National Category
Sport and Fitness Sciences Pedagogy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-51224 (URN)10.1080/17408989.2022.2054971 (DOI)000780109900001 ()2-s2.0-85129189823 (Scopus ID)
Available from: 2022-05-02 Created: 2022-05-02 Last updated: 2025-02-11Bibliographically approved
Mattsson, T. & Gripson, M. P. (2024). ‘I did not know that the pupils loved dancing … until the projector came': constructions of dance as learning activity in school-age educare. Research in Dance Education, 1-21
Open this publication in new window or tab >>‘I did not know that the pupils loved dancing … until the projector came': constructions of dance as learning activity in school-age educare
2024 (English)In: Research in Dance Education, ISSN 1464-7893, E-ISSN 1470-1111, p. 1-21Article in journal (Refereed) Epub ahead of print
Abstract [en]

nterest in school-age educare has been growing internationally. School-age educare in Sweden emphasises learning and participation in aesthetic and creative learning activities. This study aims to critically examine how dance as a learning activity is constructed by educators in Swedish school-age educare. Discourse analysis is used to shed light on discursive constructions made by school-age educators when they reason about dance and learning in their educational practices. The empirical material consists of six focus-group interviews with 18 school-age educators. Three discourses are identified: (1) dance as a joy-filled activity, (2) digital tools as prerequisites for dancing, and (3) pre-choreographed dances as a preference. The results show that there is a lack of aesthetic and creative aspects in dance in school-age educare. School-age educators include dance because it is fun and is carried out by imitating movements without a focus on learning. The educators who appreciate dance lack the know-how to develop pupils’ dance skills beyond what they already know. There are holistic ambitions in school-age educare to let care, play, and learning intersect, but creative dance still has an untapped potential to engage pupils in cultural activities and to contribute to gender repositioning.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Taylor & Francis, 2024
Keywords
Children, dance education, digital tools, school-age educare, teacher competence
National Category
Pedagogy Other Humanities not elsewhere specified
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-69684 (URN)10.1080/14647893.2024.2359112 (DOI)001242832800001 ()2-s2.0-85195456808 (Scopus ID)
Available from: 2024-07-01 Created: 2024-07-01 Last updated: 2024-07-31Bibliographically approved
Gripson, M., Mattsson, T. & Lindqvist, A. (2023). “It ended up being a bit too advanced”: Discourses on dance collaborations in a Swedish holistic educational landscape. Dance Articulated, 9(1)
Open this publication in new window or tab >>“It ended up being a bit too advanced”: Discourses on dance collaborations in a Swedish holistic educational landscape
2023 (English)In: Dance Articulated, E-ISSN 2703-8327, Vol. 9, no 1Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

It is well-known that art and cross-sectoral collaborations are needed and have value in the educational sector. The aim of this article is to describe and problematise beliefs, norms, and experiences that are articulated in descriptions of collaboration surrounding dance teaching in educational contexts in Sweden. This article rests on social constructionist perspectives and is informed by discourse analysis to problematise the experiences of collaboration regarding dance education. The empirical material consists of focus group interviews with dance teachers, pre-school teachers, and school-age educare center teachers. Analysis is focused on the discourses that occur in the empirical material, where different educators describe their experiences of collaborations. Three discourses emerge in the result: first, dance as an eraser; second, the dance teacher as inspirer and physically competent; and finally, ‘Jack in the box’—dance as collaboration? The conclusion drawn from the results is that cooperation is common, but collaborations are not. If one intends to develop shared values, alignment, and equal power relations, collaboration is required. The importance of combining dance competence with pedagogical competence adapted to the specific educational setting is essential.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) Library, 2023
Keywords
Dance education, Discourse, Preschool, collaboration, cooperation, school-age educare centers
National Category
Pedagogy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-64793 (URN)10.5324/da.v9i1.5054 (DOI)
Available from: 2023-12-28 Created: 2023-12-28 Last updated: 2024-09-17Bibliographically approved
Jansson, A. & Mattsson, T. (2022). EQUALITY IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN SWEDEN DURING TWO DECADES. In: : . Paper presented at European College of Sport Science.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>EQUALITY IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN SWEDEN DURING TWO DECADES
2022 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Introduction: Education equality is a central goal in well-fair states around the world. In Sweden, the school and the subject physical education (PE) should be equal and compensate for students’ different backgrounds, e.g. socioeconomic, - and migration background. Although equality is a central goal, little is known about how equality in PE has changed during the last decades (Jansson et al., 2021). One approach to study equality is to analyze how grades for biological siblings correlate – this captures all aspects that siblings share, among others, socioeconomic, - and migration background. Although this approach is well established in educational research, there are no studies in PE-research (Jansson et al., 2021). As a result, there is limited knowledge about the extent to which students’ backgrounds have affected their grades in PE. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyze how equality in PE in Sweden has changed over the last two decades. 

Method: The method is based on quantitative analyzes of students’ (N = 5,848,642) grades in PE, between the years 1999-2019. The method is based on analyzing correlations between siblings’ grades, using variance decomposition. More precisely, analyzing the correlation between full siblings, born within a three-year window, and their annually standardized grades in PE. In addition to socioeconomic, - and migration background, the measure takes into account all the aspects that full siblings share, such as: upbringing, genetic factors, living conditions, parenting and regional factors. 

Results: In relation to the total variation in students’ grades in PE, the proportion explained by variation between siblings has increased between the years 1999-2019. That is, the results indicate that the importance of students’ family background, over the past two decades, has become more important for students’ grades in PE. Furthermore, the largest increase in sibling correlation is found within the group of students born abroad.

Discussion: The results indicate that equality in PE in Sweden has deteriorated. This can be explained by that, between 1999 and 2019, (i) the student group has become more heterogeneous, i.e., it has become more difficult to compensate for students’ different backgrounds; (ii) PE has become worse at compensating for students with different backgrounds, e.g. lower socioeconomic background.

Reference: Jansson, A., Sundblad, G. B., Lundvall, S., Bjärsholm, D., & Norberg, J. (2021). Students’ perceived learning in physical education: variations across students’ gender and migration background in Sweden. Sport, Education and Society, (1)1-13. Doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2021.1878129

National Category
Social Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-53846 (URN)
Conference
European College of Sport Science
Available from: 2022-07-10 Created: 2022-07-10 Last updated: 2024-06-11Bibliographically approved
Pastorek Gripson, M., Mattsson, T. & Andersson, N. (2022). Förutsättningar för estetiska erfarenheter i dans inom förskollärarutbildning. In: Anders Burman; Petra Lundberg Bouquelon (Ed.), I rörelse: Estetiska erfarenheter i pedagogiska sammanhang. Huddinge: Södertörns högskola
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Förutsättningar för estetiska erfarenheter i dans inom förskollärarutbildning
2022 (Swedish)In: I rörelse: Estetiska erfarenheter i pedagogiska sammanhang / [ed] Anders Burman; Petra Lundberg Bouquelon, Huddinge: Södertörns högskola, 2022Chapter in book (Other academic)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Huddinge: Södertörns högskola, 2022
Series
Södertörn Studies in Higher Education, ISSN 1650-433X ; 10
National Category
Educational Sciences Arts
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-51415 (URN)978-91-89504-07-3 (ISBN)
Available from: 2022-05-11 Created: 2022-05-11 Last updated: 2022-05-16Bibliographically approved
Larsson, H., Mattsson, T. & Ferry, M. (2022). (Non-)Diversity and cultural (re)production in physical education teacher education: a Swedish example. Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, 13(1), 3-18
Open this publication in new window or tab >>(Non-)Diversity and cultural (re)production in physical education teacher education: a Swedish example
2022 (English)In: Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, ISSN 2574-2981, E-ISSN 2574-299X, Vol. 13, no 1, p. 3-18Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Research about physical education teacher education (PETE) indicates that the education program attracts homogeneous groups of students, consisting mainly of young men originating from the country in question and who have academic backgrounds. The purpose of this article is, through a case study of one Swedish PETE institution, to explore a cohort of 60 students regarding background characteristics (gender, social and migration background) and secondary characteristics (school success, experience of sport and physical activity cultures, and perceived physical ability). The case study indicated that the students have slightly more diverse backgrounds than is found in previous PETE research, but at the same time, they remain fairly homogeneous regarding, e.g. such as school success, the experience of sport and physical activity, and perceived physical ability. Attracting a more diverse group of students does not mean necessarily that the students are equally diverse when it comes to experiences of movement culture, and the abilities and knowledge that they have gained from participation in this culture.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Taylor & Francis, 2022
Keywords
Physical education teacher education (PETE), PETE students, social background, secondary characteristics
National Category
Pedagogy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-46294 (URN)10.1080/25742981.2021.1979416 (DOI)000697721700001 ()2-s2.0-85115121768 (Scopus ID)
Available from: 2021-10-13 Created: 2021-10-13 Last updated: 2024-09-02Bibliographically approved
Mattsson, T. & Heikkinen, S. (2022). Relation (1ed.). In: Christopher Engdahl; Satu Heikkinen; Markus Arvidson (Ed.), Hur kan vi förstå rörelse?: Labans rörelseramverk, sociologi och didaktik (pp. 192-236). Stockholm: Liber
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Relation
2022 (Swedish)In: Hur kan vi förstå rörelse?: Labans rörelseramverk, sociologi och didaktik / [ed] Christopher Engdahl; Satu Heikkinen; Markus Arvidson, Stockholm: Liber, 2022, 1, p. 192-236Chapter in book (Other academic)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Stockholm: Liber, 2022 Edition: 1
National Category
Humanities and the Arts
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-58673 (URN)978-91-47-14539-3 (ISBN)
Available from: 2023-03-17 Created: 2023-03-17 Last updated: 2023-03-17Bibliographically approved
Mattsson, T. & Larsson, H. (2021). 'There is no right or wrong way': exploring expressive dance assignments in physical education. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 26(2), 123-136
Open this publication in new window or tab >>'There is no right or wrong way': exploring expressive dance assignments in physical education
2021 (English)In: Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, ISSN 1740-8989, E-ISSN 1742-5786, Vol. 26, no 2, p. 123-136Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Background: Research has indicated that an aesthetic perspective on movement is lacking in physical education and that exploratory teaching assignments are rare. Purpose: The aim of the paper is to explore how PE teachers approach the issue of teaching expressive dance and which learning processes students are involved in while dancing. Participants, research design and data collection: Sixty-eight students from three different secondary school classes and four PE teachers at one municipal school in Sweden participated in a pedagogical intervention. A dance education unit built around Rudolf Laban's framework of movement was video recorded. Careful attention was paid to ethical considerations. Data analysis: Using Dewey's transactional perspective as a holistic starting point contributed to dissolve the dualism between individuals and the environment (Dewey and Bentley 1949/1991). The analysis was informed by practical epistemology analysis [Wickman, P.-O., and L. ostman. 2002. "Learning as a Discourse Change: a Sociocultural Mechanism." Science Education 86 (5): 601-623], where the terms gaps, relations and encounters were applied to distinguish various types of transactions. The concept of risk [Biesta, G. 2013. The Beautiful Risk of Education. Boulder: Paradigm Publishers] was utilised to explore how teachers' pedagogical methods interacted with the environment in the pedagogical intervention. Findings: Most transactions occurring during the dance unit were interpreted as narrow transactions, meaning that the students' actions followed responses to the teachers' initiation of a dance assignment. Expanded transactions occurred when the students were given the opportunity and responsibility to find their own solutions to dance assignments. This is interpreted as leading to an expanded purpose, which involves new ways of moving. Interrupted transactions, i.e. when actions were stopped and no encounters occurred, were observed in the form of students hesitating or avoiding participation. Teaching methods involving a certain degree of risk enable creative and non-predetermined movements. The use of unfamiliar music avoided a reproduction of stereotypical dance styles. Dimmed lighting in the sports hall and the opportunity to work in separate rooms helped the students negotiating environmental risks by attending to the organisation and aesthetics of the space. Conclusions: Expressive dance assignments can take teaching in PE in new and expanded directions. The teachers programmed gradually more risks into their lessons, which in line with Biesta's understanding (2013) enabled the students to explore new and unpredictable movements. The students developed new ways of expressing themselves and were able to focus on the meaning of the movements. Expressive dance assignments are well suited to an exploratory method of teaching and this interplay can challenge existing logics of competition and ranking in PE.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Routledge, 2021
Keywords
Expressive dance, pedagogical intervention, physical education, risk, transaction
National Category
Pedagogy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-17515 (URN)10.1080/17408989.2020.1752649 (DOI)000531985400001 ()2-s2.0-85084260709 (Scopus ID)
Available from: 2020-06-18 Created: 2020-06-18 Last updated: 2024-06-17Bibliographically approved
Organisations
Identifiers
ORCID iD: ORCID iD iconorcid.org/0000-0002-4239-6395

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