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An increasing number of studies have examined policies in physical education and teacher education, highlighting their role in prescribing behaviors and legitimizing certain knowledge perspectives. This paper investigates the representation of ethnic and cultural diversity in physical education teacher education programs in Norway, Aotearoa/New Zealand, and Canada, revealing varied representations but an overall emphasis on liberal and critical approaches to multicultural education. The study underscores the importance of critically examining how diversity is problematized in course syllabi and emphasizes the potential real-life consequences of policy-driven problematizations.
In recent research within physical education and physical education teacher education (PETE), there is a growing focus on policies, including physical education curricula and PETE program syllabi. These policies, shaped by political processes, project societal values and ideals. However, concerns arise about the lack of diversity in the physical education profession and faculties, with dominance by a white, male-centric, and able-bodied perspective. While global neoliberalism influences both physical education and PETE, the impact may vary. This study investigates the representation of ethnic and cultural diversity in PETE course syllabi in Norway, Aotearoa/New Zealand, and Canada, aiming to shed light on how different contexts amplify or silence discourses within policy documents. The study contributes to addressing issues of stereotyping, inequality, and marginalization in PETE.
I utilized Bacchi’s WPR approach, a Foucault-inspired, poststructuralist method for analyzing policy texts. WPR challenges the notion that policies address pre-existing issues, emphasizing the idea that policies create specific problems. This approach prompts an examination of the problems produced, their origin, and their effects, guided by six questions proposed by Bacchi. Unlike traditional linguistic analysis, WPR uses texts as tools to reveal the underlying thinking shaping governance and its effects, as illustrated in my analysis of course syllabi and program descriptions in PETE from Norway, Aotearoa/New Zealand, and Canada, focusing on expectations related to ethnic and cultural diversity in teaching.
Gorski classifies multicultural education into three main approaches: conservative, liberal, and critical, based on an analysis of syllabi from U.S. universities. The conservative approach tends to assimilate minorities, emphasizing cultural differences and creating ‘us’ versus ‘them’ stereotypes. The liberal approach promotes acceptance of diversity but is criticized for overlooking power dynamics and structural inequality. Critical multicultural education integrates various theories like critical pedagogy and postcolonial studies to address these issues.
This study utilized Bacchi’s WPR approach to investigate the representation of ethnic and cultural diversity in PETE course syllabi from Norway, Aotearoa/New Zealand, and Canada. The assumption driving the inclusion of such content is the belief that physical education teachers lack the necessary knowledge and skills to address these issues. The analysis revealed variations in how institutions framed the ‘problem’ and its ‘solutions,’ yet all three countries’ syllabi reflected liberal and critical approaches to multicultural education. Liberal multiculturalism in Norwegian syllabi emphasized diversity celebration without delving into power relations and injustices, relying on cultural competences to combat discrimination. The study cautioned against the potential drawbacks of a superficial focus on culture for ethnic minority pupils. Examining steering documents related to PETE revealed commonalities in addressing diversity, and the study highlighted the impact of silences in course syllabi on shaping discussions. The study identified two teacher subjects – the ‘cultural mediator’ and the ‘agent of change’ – produced by the syllabi. Lastly, the research aimed to bring attention to issues of ethnic and cultural diversity in physical education and PETE, emphasizing the importance of critically examining and challenging syllabi representations. It urged teacher educators to consider the implications of problematizing diversity in shaping perspectives on these issues. The study acknowledged its limitations, such as focusing on the ‘official curriculum’ rather than the ‘taught curriculum’ and the exclusion of documents lacking specific keywords.
Source:
Sandro Claudio Vita (2023) The problematisation of ethnic and cultural diversity in physical education teacher education (PETE): an analysis of PETE course syllabi from Norway, Aotearoa/New Zealand and Canada, Sport, Education and Society, DOI: 10.1080/13573322.2023.2284804