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Examining the concept of Healthism in PE teacher’s attitude
Oral Presentation
Paper ID : 1747-11THCONF
Authors
1Assistan Professor, School of Humanities, Department of Sport Science, Damghan University
2Assistat Professor, School of Humanities, Department of Sport Science, Damghan University
Abstract
Introduction: The purpose of this study is to examine the concept of ‘Healthism’ in attitude of Physical Education teachers (PE teachers) at primary and high school levels. The term ‘Healthism’ was first introduced by the political economist Robert Crawford as a concept encompassing a large number of diverse protocols required for healthy life. The concept is intended to examine the origins of health at an individual level to claim that health can be ensured through effort and discipline in order to regulate the size and shape of the body. Considering the effective roles of PE teachers in creating student’s healthy beliefs; how is their attitude towards educating individual responsibility about health and health related concepts based on physical activity’s behaviors? From the broad concepts and interpretations of the Healthism discourse, only the body shape was considered in this research.
Methodology: The method of this research was qualitative and the data collection was done by interview with PE teachers in both elementary and high school levels. Interview questions were designed based on the structural concepts of Healthism discourse. 16 deep interviews were conducted. The process of data analysis was conducted through coding words, phrases, or sentences related to the nodal point of Healthism “personal responsibility”.
Results: The results indicated that teachers considered training and inducing a sense of responsibility towards the body, and related concepts, as an educational priority. They offer creative suggestions in this regard. However, functions are performed in a partial manner and at the level of personal behavior and based on their beliefs.
Discussion: The concept of individual responsibility as the core category in Healthism is more common in the attitude of high school teachers. They attribute the causes of obesity, overweight and disease to student behaviors. They also believe the lack of responsibility towards the body, more than environmental variables, causes these problems. However, primary teachers find these problems more relevant to the family, socio-economic conditions.
Methodology: The method of this research was qualitative and the data collection was done by interview with PE teachers in both elementary and high school levels. Interview questions were designed based on the structural concepts of Healthism discourse. 16 deep interviews were conducted. The process of data analysis was conducted through coding words, phrases, or sentences related to the nodal point of Healthism “personal responsibility”.
Results: The results indicated that teachers considered training and inducing a sense of responsibility towards the body, and related concepts, as an educational priority. They offer creative suggestions in this regard. However, functions are performed in a partial manner and at the level of personal behavior and based on their beliefs.
Discussion: The concept of individual responsibility as the core category in Healthism is more common in the attitude of high school teachers. They attribute the causes of obesity, overweight and disease to student behaviors. They also believe the lack of responsibility towards the body, more than environmental variables, causes these problems. However, primary teachers find these problems more relevant to the family, socio-economic conditions.
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