A figurational analysis of Health and/or Physical Education teacher educators’ conceptualisations of policy, and their sociogenesis

Article


Alfrey, L., Scanlon, D., Aldous, D., Lorusso, J., Baker, K., Clark, C. and Jafar, M. 2024. A figurational analysis of Health and/or Physical Education teacher educators’ conceptualisations of policy, and their sociogenesis. Sport, Education and Society. p. In Press. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2024.2408561
AuthorsAlfrey, L., Scanlon, D., Aldous, D., Lorusso, J., Baker, K., Clark, C. and Jafar, M.
Abstract

Policy engagement is key to promoting ‘quality’ physical education yet it has been identified as a ‘grand challenge’ for Health and/or Physical Education (H/PE) internationally. All H/PE professionals, including teacher educators, have a collective responsibility to engage with policy but existing research tells us little about how H/PE teacher educators (H/PETEs) understand and engage with policy. It is important to examine H/PETEs conceptualisations of policy for a few reasons, not least because teacher educators play a crucial role in supporting future generations of teachers who themselves will need to engage with policy as a core feature of their professional lives. Drawing on figurational sociology, and the concept of assemblage, this paper offers insights into the nature and development – or sociogenesis – of teacher educators’ conceptualisations of policy. The data shared in this paper was generated through semi-structured interviews with 12 H/PETE from 7 countries. Inductive-deductive analysis – drawing largely on figurational concepts such as interdependence, power, habitus and sociogenesis – revealed that H/PETEs conceptualised policy as: (i) informing intended action and change; (ii) a way to govern practice; (iii) imposition and possibility. In terms of how these conceptualisations came to be, key features of the H/PETE figuration that were identified as influential include: (i) interdependence with human and non-human elements; (ii) balances of power and (iii) social and individual habitus. It is concluded that capitalising on these elements through professional learning, for example, could support H/PETEs in engaging with policy in productive and meaningful ways. Given that engaging with policy is viewed as a collective responsibility of H/PETEs, and many – if not all – of the H/PETEs felt they needed support in this regard, this should be a key focus for the field.

JournalSport, Education and Society
Journal citationp. In Press
ISSN1357-3322
Year2024
PublisherTaylor & Francis
Publisher's version
License
File Access Level
Anyone
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2024.2408561
Publication dates
Online04 Oct 2024
Publication process dates
Accepted17 Sep 2024
Deposited24 Oct 2024
Copyright holder© 2024 The Authors
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