TY - JOUR
T1 - Invented tradition and how physical education curricula in the Australian Capital Territory has resisted Indigenous mention
AU - Williams, John
PY - 2016/9/1
Y1 - 2016/9/1
N2 - This article reports how ‘invented tradition’ [Hobsbawm, E. (2012), Introduction: Inventing traditions. In E. Hobsbawm & T. Ranger (Eds.), The invention of tradition (pp. 1–14). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press] as a long-term process has contributed to Indigenous students experiencing physical education (PE) within Eurocentric curricula that largely ignores their own culture. The study was undertaken at three high schools within the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) which come under the remit of the ACT Education and Training Directorate. Documentary evidence was the main data source and figurational sociology was used to inform the study and analyse the data. Central to figurational sociology is the notion of the figuration which refers to how individuals are located interdependently in social structures characterised by relationships of power. Historical and contemporary documents were analysed using content and thematic analysis according to the premise that the document writers are themselves included in figurations and their inclusion or presence has to be taken into account [Dolan, P. (2009), Using documents: A figurational approach. In J. Hogan, P. Dolan, & P. Donnelly (Eds.), Approaches to qualitative research: Theory and its practical application (pp. 185–208). Cork: Oak Trees Press]. The paper identifies key events and long-term processes mainly linked to Australia’s colonial past that have shaped contemporary PE curricula. Despite intent within historical PE curricula to include Indigenous perspectives in PE these have largely not translated to actual teaching. The final part of the paper suggests additional research to find ways to embed these perspectives. This is important because current curriculum requirements at a national level emphasise these perspectives
AB - This article reports how ‘invented tradition’ [Hobsbawm, E. (2012), Introduction: Inventing traditions. In E. Hobsbawm & T. Ranger (Eds.), The invention of tradition (pp. 1–14). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press] as a long-term process has contributed to Indigenous students experiencing physical education (PE) within Eurocentric curricula that largely ignores their own culture. The study was undertaken at three high schools within the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) which come under the remit of the ACT Education and Training Directorate. Documentary evidence was the main data source and figurational sociology was used to inform the study and analyse the data. Central to figurational sociology is the notion of the figuration which refers to how individuals are located interdependently in social structures characterised by relationships of power. Historical and contemporary documents were analysed using content and thematic analysis according to the premise that the document writers are themselves included in figurations and their inclusion or presence has to be taken into account [Dolan, P. (2009), Using documents: A figurational approach. In J. Hogan, P. Dolan, & P. Donnelly (Eds.), Approaches to qualitative research: Theory and its practical application (pp. 185–208). Cork: Oak Trees Press]. The paper identifies key events and long-term processes mainly linked to Australia’s colonial past that have shaped contemporary PE curricula. Despite intent within historical PE curricula to include Indigenous perspectives in PE these have largely not translated to actual teaching. The final part of the paper suggests additional research to find ways to embed these perspectives. This is important because current curriculum requirements at a national level emphasise these perspectives
KW - Indigenous
KW - Figurational-Sociology
KW - Physical-Education
KW - figurational sociology
KW - physical education
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84991833007&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.mendeley.com/research/invented-tradition-physical-education-curricula-australian-capital-territory-resisted-indigenous-men
U2 - 10.1080/18377122.2016.1233803
DO - 10.1080/18377122.2016.1233803
M3 - Article
SN - 1837-7122
VL - 7
SP - 219
EP - 234
JO - Asia Pacific Journal of Health, Sport and Physical Education
JF - Asia Pacific Journal of Health, Sport and Physical Education
IS - 3
ER -