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Interest 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. © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

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

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).

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 exploratio

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. © 2023 Märtha Pastorek Gripson, Torun Mattsson and Anna Lindqvist.

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.

Internationally, there is a growing interest in School-Age Educare and the meaning of aesthetic aspects of teaching and learning in educational settings. Even if dancing is beneficial for human wellbeing and can be understood as both a physical activity as well as an aesthetic expression there are few studies that examine dance in School-Age Educare. Dance as an aesthetic expression can be linked to femininity which adds challenges in educational practice. According to UNICEF, dancing is one way for children to develop imagination, creativity, and social skills. Therefore, this study aims to critically examine the prerequisites for teaching and learning dance in School-Age Educare in Sweden. This study sheds light on discursive constructions made by school-age educators when they reason around dance in their education. The empirical material consists of six semi-structured interviews with eighteen educators in sex School-Age Educares in Sweden. Mainly two discourses of how dance is constructed appear in the material. Firstly, a discourse on dance as a joyful “learning” activity. Secondly, a discourse on “teaching” dance by using digital tools. The results show that it is challenging for the educators to encourage pupils while managing the risk that dance as a feminine activity is consolidated. Moreover, in its current form, there is a shortcoming of possibilities for pupils ́to develop their own creativity in dance. Finally, the educators lack the know-how to develop pupils ́ dance skills beyond what they already know.

This study problematizes becoming early childhood teachers' possibilities to develop knowledge relevant to teaching dance. The aim was to analyze the presence and position of dance in Swedish early childhood teacher education syllabi. Discourse analysis was used to identify patterns, regularities, hierarchies and gaps in the steering documents. The empirical material consisted of syllabi of twelve Swedish early childhood teacher programs. The results show that according to syllabi, dance as a subject has a rather weak or non-existent position in Swedish early childhood teacher education. Instead, dance often functions as a tool for learning other subjects, e.g. language and mathematics. The concept "aesthetic" was more frequently mentioned in the syllabi, but it did not explicitly explain what dance knowledge was included in the syllabi content, learning outcomes and examination forms. The frequency of dance differed between the syllabi, which might lead to unequal early childhood teacher education. Further, the potentially weak function and position of dance in early childhood teacher education might limit children's social democratic life, bodily knowledge and experience of mind-body connection in a holistic sense.

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.

Syftet med föreliggande avhandling är att belysa och diskutera lärares och elevers meningsskapande processer när expressiva dansuppdrag iscensätts i skolämnet idrott och hälsa. Avhandlingen tar avstamp i pragmatismen och genom Deweys transaktionella perspektiv studeras lärares undervisning, elevers lärprocesser och expressiv dans som undervisningsinnehåll i en sammanhållen helhet. I en pedagogisk intervention deltog fyra lärare i ämnet idrott och hälsa samt 68 högstadieelever på en skola. Ett sammanhållet danstema med utgångspunkt i Rudolf Labans rörelseramverk skapades för att uppmärksamma rörelseupplevelser och estetiska uttryck. Multipla metoder i form av videoobservationer av undervisningen, intervjuer med lärarna och elevers narrativ i loggböcker användes för att belysa frågeställningarna från olika håll. Transaktionsbegreppet och praktisk epistemologisk analys (PEA) prövades för analyser av rörelsehandlingar och elevers texter. Begreppet risk användes för analyser av pedagogiska konsekvenser i undervisningen. Resultaten visar att lärarna förändrar sin undervisning och blir pedagoger som skapar förutsättningar för att utforska icke-förutbestämda rörelser i stället för instruktörer av danssteg. Lärarna utvecklar nya vanor som möjliggör nyanserade och differentierade samspel med miljön och förmåga att ta och hantera risker i undervisningen. Ett förändrat undervisningsinnehåll i form av expressiva dansuppdrag ger möjligheter att återinföra estetiska aspekter på rörelser och därigenom sätta fokus på rörelsers innebörd och mening. Lärarna upptäcker nya grupper av elever, de som vanligen inte dominerar idrottsundervisningen. Resultaten visar vidare att normer kring flickor och pojkars rörelser i ämnet idrott och hälsa rubbas när de deltar i expressiva dansuppdrag. Avhandlingen pekar på att kroppsliggörande är ett värdefullt kunnande och att Labans rörelseramverk ger lärare och elever verktyg och språk att tydliggöra lärandet i ämnet idrott och hälsa. Därtill är estet, The aim of this thesis is to highlight and discuss teachers’ and students’ meaning-making processes in the performance of expressive dance assignments as part of the curriculum in Physical Education (PE). Using a theoretical framework that draws upon John Dewey’s transactional perspective, the analysis of teaching, learning processes, and expressive dance as part of the curriculum of the subject takes its starting point in practical experiences. In a pedagogical intervention, four PE teachers and 68 secondary school students participated. A dance theme was created with its basis in Laban’s framework of movements, in order to create experiences of movement and aesthetic expression. Multiple methods, such as video recordings of teaching, interviews with teachers, and students’ narratives in logbooks, were used to highlight the research questions of this thesis from different perspectives. The concept of transaction as well as practical epistemology analysis (PEA) was applied in the analysis of teaching, movement patterns, and students’ texts. The term risk was used to analyze the pedagogical consequences of teaching. The study shows that the participating teachers altered their methods of teaching, becoming pedagogues creating opportunities for the exploration of movements rather than delivering instructions for dance steps. The teachers developed new habits, which facilitated nuanced and differentiated interplays with the surroundings, as well as the ability to take and manage risks in teaching. Altered teaching content in the form of expressive dance assignments provided opportunities for reintroducing aesthetic aspects of movements to the subject of PE, leading to a shift of focus to the purpose and meaning of movements. The teachers discovered new groups of students, who did not ordinarily dominate the PE classes. Furthermore, the study shows that expressive dance assignments disrupt the gender coding of movements in PE. This thesis shows that bodying is a valuabl

Dance has been a part of physical education (PE) in several countries for a long time. Dance is marginalized in PE in Sweden and there is a gap between the ambitious goal in the curricula and the actually teaching in dance. Many PE teachers generally feel uncertain about the role of dance in their subject and are insecure how to teach it. PE appears to be dominated by a multiactivity model, underpinned by discourses ofhealth and fitness alongside the logic of sport as bodily movement practices aimed at competition. The aim is to discuss whether dance and aesthetical experiences can help broaden understandings of the body and the use of the body within the subject as a part of an identity process. Such a discussion can also add new dimensions to the debate on the nature and purposes of PE. The theoretical references draw on the pedagogue John Dewey's (1934/2005) concepts of experiences and aesthetical judgements. The sociologist Thomas Ziehe´s (1982/1986) concept of unusual learning processes is also used to discuss challenges for students' learning. An intervention study, consisting eight PE lessons with dance inspired by Rudolf Laban (1948/1988), was carried through in three classes on high school level in the compulsory school. The empirical material consists of videotaped lessons and students' written narratives. The results show that aesthetical dimensions of movements and dance as expression challenge students in PE and offer new learning experiences and therefor is a part of an identity process. Instead of imitating and reproducing movements the students have an intention to express feelings through dance and create unpredictable movements. The PE teachers use more student centered teaching instead of using direct teaching with specified movements as a form of social control. New dimensions of subjective experiences and the sensual body are given space in PE as a counterweight to sport-related physical activities.