Discourses and notions of the "educated body" in the physical education curriculum

Abstract

This study examined the discourses surrounding the 'educated body' in the training of the first cohort of Physical Education Pedagogy students at the Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Temuco campus, with the aim of understanding the concepts conveyed during their initial training. A mixed-methods approach, both exploratory and explanatory, was employed, combining focus group discussions with content analysis. The findings reveal recurring discourses related to the 'educated body', encompassing various interpretations of bodily awareness and motor action. Moreover, the persistence of traditional training models with disciplinary characteristics and practices rooted in biomedicine was noted. The projections of these findings allow us to observe how the curriculum is naturalised and shaped through its discourses, notions, and narratives. This, in turn, could prompt reflection on practices within the school context, taking into account the discourses that have been established and transitioned from the university to the classroom.