Norwegian PE-teachers’ perception of public health: a qualitative case study

Abstract

English abstract: In recent years there has been extensive interest in physical educations (PE) role in promoting healthy, active lifestyles. However, there has been little research on how PE-teachers’ perceive their roles in public health terms. This study looks at how Norwegian PE-teachers perceive their roles in public health; in other words, what they think their role is. A total of 11 PE-teachers from three different secondary schools were interviewed in this study. The main research question in this study is: “How do Norwegian PE-teachers perceive their roles in public health terms?” A qualitative approach has been used in the development of this study. This has been based on a typical case study, in which grounded theory is used as an analytical tool. In order to be able to understand how PE-teachers perceive their roles in public health terms, semi-structure, interviews have been conducted by having an interview guide. The findings-chapter is divided into five main categories: (i) PE-teachers’ understanding of the terms health and public health, (ii) PE-teachers’ perceptions of the role of PE in public health, (iii) PE-teachers’ perceptions of their own roles as teachers of PE in public health, (iv) PE-teachers’ perceptions of health in the national curriculum and the Year Plan for PE and (v) PE-teachers’ perceptions of the health of their students. Further on, the findings are discussed by including existing previous research and key concept in the Discussion-chapter. The conclusion will highlight the significant outcomes of this study, as well as strengths, limitations and proposals for future research. This study shows that the PE-teachers were agreeing on the fact that PE could and should have a role in public health terms. It was therefore interesting that none of the PE-teachers seemed to use much or any time in PE to either talk about health or teaching PE with a public health meaning or in a health-promoting way. Even though around 80 % of the teachers were unsure about their knowledge of whether ‘health’ was mentioned in the national curriculum or not, they expressed the importance of including ‘health’ in PE. Still, the PE-teachers’ perception considering their students health seemed to be participation, engagement and their sport-skills. As a final conclusion, this study will show, in accordance to other research, that the PE-teacher were attached by a sporting and/or fitness ideology. 4 Key words: Physical education, PE-teachers, health, public health.