“Not The Right Way, That’s One Way”: High School Students’ Meanings of Physical Activity

• In Event: Examination of Learners and Learning in PE/PETE

Abstract

This study explored high school students’ meanings to physical activity after a semester-long,
meaning-centered physical education (PE). Grounded in symbolic interactionism and social and
emotional learning (SEL), the research aimed to understand how students construct and negotiate
meanings through social and emotional interactions. The research used an arts-based case study
with student drawings, presentations, and interviews. Three themes emerged from the data
analysis: “I am a happy/excited/respectful/fun mover,” highlighting emotional engagement; “not
the right way, I think that’s one way,” indicating pluralistic meanings; and “exercise isn’t
something that needs to be dreaded,” showing a shift to positive attitudes. These findings provide
empirical evidence for the impact of meaning-centered pedagogies in PE, emphasizing the
transformative potential of PE pedagogies.

Authors

• Yongjin Lee, University of North Carolina - Greensboro

• Ben Dyson, University of North Carolina - Greensboro