The viewfromtheperspectiveofundergraduatebody Physical Education: fragmentedorintegrated?

Alan Camargo Silva* Slvia Maria AgattiLdorf** Fernanda Azevedo Gomes da Silva*** Alexandre Palma de Oliveira****

Abstract: Theobjectivesof thisresearchwere to findandcomparetheviewof theundergraduatebodyinEducationPhysicsofthe firstandlastperiods, and to investigate how thebody relatestophysical educationand professional practice. The methodological proceduresinvolved theapplicationofquestionnairesto103studentsinanundergraduate course inPhysical Education, and document analysis.Resultsrevealed thepredominance ofatechnical biological andfragmentedbodyinthe firstperiodand in thepast, amore integrated understandingofthe body. The action ofwould be linkedtovocationalguidance, prospectshealth,aestheticsandtechnique.

Keywords:Body,Physical Education,Teacher training

1 INTRODUCTION Indiscussingthe representations ofthe bodyundertheEducation Physics, draw adifficulttask, sincethe construction areais complexandcharacterized by variousdiscourses andpractices relatedtophysical culture.(BRACHT, 1999; SOARES et al., 1992; RESENDE; SOARES, 1996; SOARES, 2004)

*MasterinPhysical Education (EEFD /UFRJ). MemberofNESPEFE.SchoolofEducation Physics.Federal University ofRio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro, RJ.BrazilE-mail: alancamargo10@gmail.com. **PhDinEducation. Adjunct Professor, School of Physical Education.University Federal doRio deJaneiro.Coordinatorthe Center ofStudiesandPedagogicalsociocorporal Physical Educationand Sports. Rio de Janeiro, RJ.Brazil. E-mail: sagatti@ufrj.br ***DegreeinPhysicalEducation.MemberofNESPEFE.SchoolofPhysical Education.University Federal doRio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro, RJ.Brazil. E-mail: fernanda.efd@ gmail.com ****DoctorofPublic Health. Adjunct Professor, School of Physical Education.UniversityFederal doRio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro, RJ.Brazil. E-mail: palma_alexandre@yahoo.com.br

Movement v15 n3.p65 109 28/7/2009, 08:14

110. Original articles

Porto Alegre, v. 15, n. 03, p. 109 -126, julho/setembro de 2009. Alan Camargo Silva et al.

Discrepancies likely linked to the understanding of what it meansbody for those working in / with the Physical Education derivedmainly on the premise that this fact is due to different socioeconomic and political moments. Although it is possible, throughof classical authors, to verify certain statements related to the body,is valid to point out that not occurred (or occurs) in a linear fashion, aspeech replacing another, but rather a dynamic coexistence of conceptions of the body. To Daolio (1998) this aspect has been positive, asince expanded the fields of action and reflection concerning mattersbody-related Physical Education We depart from the principle, then, that discourses and practices relatedthe physical culture of the actors involved with the EducationPhysics, such as students, the focus of this study are in part reflectionsand historiography of the past, ie the critical form ofstudy and interpret the history of the area (Ferreira, 2004). Exemplary,Daolio (1995), in investigating the representations of teachersphysical education on body, found that the practiceteaching focused almost exclusively on physical fitnessstems from an understanding of the biological body, or as ifwas the previous crop. In the context of university teachersPhysical Education, Ludorf (2003) also identified signs of understandingthe body in its predominantly technical or biological aspect,coexisting with signs of a body of stamp designcultural. Oliveira and Vaz (2004) consider it important that theory and historyjoin to enable the ongoing exercise of criticism. Consequently,seems fundamental question and think criticallythe concepts of the body in the area. Thus, thisresearch aims to understand, analyze and compare the viewbody of graduates in physical education from the first and lastperiods of a public university and investigate how these bodies relate to professional practice. The discussion of issues relating to body and Education Will provide physical examine whether there are changes on how the graduate conceives the body during the process of academic training, well as theoretical advances in the area affects your training And as a result, supposedly, the way he conceives the practice teaching. In addition, this study intends to assist in stimulus for teacher reflection on their current practice. It is essential examine whether the physical education teacher is connected to reality social, as recommended by Daolio (1995).

2 THEORETICAL NOTES
Physical Education, throughout its history was marked by significant influences, some of which are highlighted here. The influence physician-hygienist, as Smith (2004), was remarkable in the century Nineteenth and early twentieth century 1. Physical Education would be the perfect synthesis education and health, helping to forge a productive individual, robust and healthy, necessary for the formation of Brazilian society (BRACHT, 1999). The nearest to the militarism of Physical Education that for Ghiraldelli Jr. (1992), peaked between 1930 and 1945, had contributed to build strong bodies and disciplined, in order to tailor them to the production process or a nationalist policy, due to the Dictatorship of the time, this perspective endorsed by medical-scientific thought of the body (BRACHT, 1999). Another significant influence in the context of Physical Education is the competitiveness and sportsmanship, especially after 1964 (Ghiraldelli JR., 1992), which takes the sport to establish itself as an element predominant body culture (Soares et al., 1992). Daolio (1995), exemplary, found that teachers used to primarily on sport techniques when acting on bodies their students. This view of physical education focused on technical and performance, according to Bracht (1999), served to promote a political body based on ability to work and income individual and social. In the 80s and, more markedly in the 90's, Education Physics will incorporate a series of speeches the fields of humanand social potentiating the opening of a more critical or progressive over the body and even Physical Education. As Smith et al. (1992), this phenomenon of renewal starts with the vision Psychomotrician that used the movement as a means of training.

Should also point out the connection to the phenomenon of Physical Education the cult of the body, mostly by popularizingof gyms and fitness activities in the late 80 (Novaes, 2001). To Darido and Rangel (2005), concernwith the body healthy, "evoked currently has assumptionsand similar purposes to the biological model hygienist with Renovated character. Thus, the work of the body in health wasaesthetics or quality of life, based on hegemonicbiological sciences, has to be another significant milestonein the context of physical education and was often usedas arguments to justify its intervention. These influences, briefly mentioned, among others, shapethe concepts of body and physical education in contemporaryand may assist in interpreting the empirical findings of this research, as will be seen below.

3 METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS This research is based on some characteristicsqualitative research, how to seek understanding a specific reality and have an interpretive character, withouthowever, claim to be considered exclusive or classicallyas such. For Alves-Mazzotti and Gewandsznajder (1999), theresearch may lie in a continuum of quality; it is importantconsistency with regard to the problem focused, the methodologyused and the theoretical framework.

Denzin and Lincoln (1994) argue that the combination of methods,in order to better analyze and understand the phenomenon, it is astrategy that prints rigor, breadth and depth of research.Given the objectives of this research, we chose to use. Questionnaire as the main technique, combined with documentary analysis,especially the curriculum and programs of the two disciplines. The questionnaire was used to enable a larger number ofrespondents, and, as Goldenberg (1998) make them morefree to express their opinions. The roadmap was drawn up six open questions*, in order to favor spontaneous information,and thereafter, the character of interpretive analysis.The instrument was previously validated by experts and was conducted a pilot study to check the alignment of the issuesthe purposes of the study, as recommended Janesick (1994). Proceeded then to data collection through the applicationthe questionnaire to 103 undergraduates in the early half of 2007first* being 56, and 47 of the last periods of a course* of Degree in Physical Education from a university's publicRio de Janeiro. The questionnaires were delivered in the classroom,after prior authorization (s) of teacher (s) of each group and wereanswered by both students, who remain withoutcontact with each other in the presence of the researchers. Onlyreplied as those who agreed to participatethe survey, as the ethical guidelines for this type of study. The data were analyzed based on content analysis,to identify emerging categories. Such analysis is not a processmerely mechanical, but subjective as it depends on thetheoretical knowledge and perspective (s) of researcher (s) (GASKELL, 2003). The responses were, at first, grouped in about broader issues from the criteria of repetition and relevance (Turati, 2003). The categories were not set to priori, rather, were created from the meanings that were assigned in this case to the body, Physical Education and the form of interference the teacher. They were then held their interpretation meanings in the light of the theoretical content. For Alves-Mazzotti and Gewandsznajder (1999), the adoption of a conceptual scheme previously data collection is useful and does not prevent other categories Theoretical be generated from the data. In this process of analysis, categories were refined and often renamed, until reaching an end result Jointly analyzing data arising from the questionnaires, Documentary analysis was performed, focusing on the guidelines Alves-Mazzotti and Gewandsznajder (1999), which recommend be essential to know in what context the documents used were created and what purpose have been prepared. Was then performed a critical analysis of the course curriculum above, as well as programs, disciplines, and the rescue of historical information the institution in order to contextualize and consolidate understanding data.

2 The subject programs containing data such as menu, objectives, content, methodology, review and bibliography. 3 The questions were: 1) By mentioning "body", which the six first words that come spontaneously to mind? 2) What is body to you? 3) How to read Physical Education with the body? 4) What should be the main concern of the physical education teacher work with their students? 5) Do you think physical education teacher interferes vision that students have or should have the body? In what way? 6) What aspects of you value most about their own body? Do you think that this will contribute to your life related to physical education? Why? 4 The questionnaire at the beginning of the period was unintentional, particularly in refers to pupils in the first period, since it still hoped to capture their views

without the interference of courses taught. 5 We have worked with students from later periods, because although in theory the last sentence is the eighth, there are students who take more or less time to complete the degree.

4 IN SEARCH OF FINDINGS AND INTERPRETATIONS In particular, we analyzed three questes6 that subsidize the discussion of what the body and how this would relate to the practice teaching from the perspective of students of Physical Education. Results are presented in Table 1, which shows the main categories and the incidence of responses* for illustrative purposes.

6 The issues discussed were primarily those of numbers 2, 3 and 5, while the other was used in order to help understand the answers. 7 The amount recorded in brackets is how each category was mentionedthe responses of undergraduates. Note that in some cases, one can only answers submit more than one category.

Table 1: Comparative analysis among students of first and last periodsPhysical Education. It is evident from the data, which had an incidenceprevailing conception of the body part with thirty-onenames of graduates of the first period. The body of the party emergedfrom the allocation of the body following meanings: "Objectthat enables me to perform activities "," collection of cells and organs, "a machine that should be worked to their proper functioning, " "an instrument that needs to be well maintained and preserved, "or, the body was understood as a material, structure, vehicle ormachine. Such findings gave rise to name this categorythe body part, based on Le Breton (2003), which uses the bodyalter ego (another me) to refer to the body, considered as meresupport person, an object separate from the man, a structureliable to be changed, whose parts can be replaced. The second most mentioned in the first period wasthe interactive body, delineated from the following examples:"junction of bones, joints, organs and muscles in balance withthe mind, "whole that we are on the outside and inside, and materialspirit, "" perfect junction between the physical, mental and emotional. "

Thus, the body was characterized as union or integrationbetween the physical and spiritual, or physical and cognitive. Althoughis highlighted an apparent union, which led to use the term Interactive body, this understanding of history comes from the bodybody-soul dualism. For Romero (2005, p. 37): "It is from thesoul-body dualism that civilization is made and impregnates divisions.These divisions clearly present in physical education today. " Another category that emerged in the analysis was nominated bodyinteractive and social, has been identified in sections such as "bodyis interfering with the environment. A means of interacting with life, "throughit you can express yourself, make moves, abilities,"Form of expression in which I can communicate with other people. "In this conception, the body seems to be viewed as a means ofsocial interaction, being portrayed as a means of communication,expression and direct contact with the world. In this category, notes that the body is understood as a cultural construction,as advocated by Smith (1999), Daolio (2001) and Goellner (2005). There is a predominance of the body part in the first andrecent periods. These data are similar to those detected byHunger and Souza Neto (2002), who noted the predominance ofa notion of the body "fragmented" in undergraduates and specialistsPhysical Education, although there are some reports in perspectiveintegrator. It is worth pointing out that the curriculum of that course, is no different from others in the same area, contained a highnumber of disciplines in the biological sciences, with theirinsights (Anatomy, Human Physiology, Exercise Physiology, Biochemistry of Exercise, Kinesiology, Biomechanics, etc..) fact one that contributes to the fragmented discourse of science mediatized is sharp, making it difficult to reach a more integrated body (SILVA, 1998). However, in recent periods, there was more prominencethe body social-interactive, although the design of the bodypart remains in the spotlight. Given the results, it appears that there a significant change in the way undergraduates conceivebody: an array of highly technical and / or biological, that would work a notion of the body to some extent, fragmented, to one that considers a cultural-historical process, as the aspirations of Daolio (1995) and Smith (2003). This resultcould result from the influence of disciplines with pedagogical routed in recent periods, such as Sociology of Education, Educational Psychology, Philosophy of Ed ucation, and Curriculum Special Education and Practice (supervised training). When asked about how the Physical Education deals with the body, the category most often mentioned in the first period was to promote health and quality of life cited 29 Sometimes, as in "working and keeping the proper functioning" "dealing with health and wellness, " exercising and preventing diseases, " "preparing them to be healthy. " This category is backs in traditional discourses that link the physical education to health, in which physical activity provides the improvement of physical and mental conditioning, making the body more functional and able; it also helps to improve quality of life. This result, of matrix biologizing ratifies the assertion Resendeand Smith (1996) that many professionals believe the rolePhysical Education is to promote and maintain health. The ingrained idea that physical exercise leads to health and quality oflife is prevalent in the texts on the subject. According to Warburtonet al. (2006), the regular practice would allow for primary preventionand secondary to numerous diseases, besides contributing to improve the quality of life. On the other hand, some researchers(PALM, 2001; PALMA et al., 2003, MIRA, 2003) havequestioned the notion of causality between exercise and health,partly because the very concept of health has been discussed, consideringworld views and perspectives of analysis differentiated.Understanding health as absence of disease may mean

a simplification of a phenomenon too complex. We mustalso reflect on the related concepts, such as sedentarythat to Fraga (2006) may raise such contradictionswhich, depending on the criteria used, the individual (or group study)can be considered sedentary or active. Similarly, the notion that regular exercise leads to improved physical quality of life needs further care. In general, when you accept this condition shall be deemed to if the functional aspects of the body (Warburton et al., 2006). However, quality of life can be understood from an individual perspective, which considers historical aspects, cultural, social and economic, or even a collective perspective with respect to material levels minimum universal as eating, access to sewerage and drinking water, housing, education,work, health, leisure etc. (MINAYO et al., 2000). Thesecondcategorywas themost outstandingphysical fitnessrelatedtomotor skills*, with 11notes,observablein the examples in"giving the individual greater capacity, "through movementandphysical fitness," inpartphysical,asdo manyexercises. Joinanexaltation the practiceofmovementsand exercises designedtofocus onphysicalandtheimprovementof sports.Thisfindingissimilarto that foundJesus(2005), which identifiedto beverylatentsenseofathleteandteacher-trainer ofathletes, byundergraduates. For students of recent times, however, this trendtechnical and biological as physical education deals with the body showeddecline. Although the category appear linked to fitnessphysics related to motor skills, appear with equal strength,characterized as corporeality, defined from phrases like"It teaches how to interact with the environment, ""Help for the improvement of the movements,contributing to the improvement of bodily expression, "ThePhysical Education provides many of our means of actionbody on the environment. We discuss the aesthetic context, embodiment,psychomotor, among others. "In this context, there is still disputebetweenthebodyofthe individualseenasdecoupled, characterizedasatoolforperformance(having a body), andManto beabody(SANTIN, 2001).

8Althoughthephysical fitnessmay berelatedtohealthby improvingthecondition aerobiclevelsofstrength,muscular endurance,body compositionandflexibility (biological view of health), Caspersenetal. (1985) also consider thatthephysical fitness may beassociated withaseries ofattributesthat peopleshouldhavetoplay certainmotor tasksorathletic skills.

Herethere seems to bean indicatorofchange in thewayscholarsunderstandhowthe body , probablyduethetraining process. The fact thatthetechnical andbiologicalperspective Tuesvanished, whilethatofembodimentarises,may berelated totheoretical knowledgeof thesubjectsdueattended.It was observedin thecurriculum, studentsthatgraduate studentsinparticular, couldoptfortwoinsights,SportsorRecreationandLeisure.The analysisofprogramsthesubjectsshowedthatalthoughtherelativebindingbewarethefirstdeepenin gan essentiallytechnical(eg, Basketball, Soccer, Tennis, Judo, Gymetc.), because it isadegree course, studentshaddisciplinesrelatedto thisspecificity, suchassociologyEducation, Educational Psychology, Curriculumin Physical Education,among others. In addition, thecurriculum, courseslistedrelatedto thePhysical EducationasTheory and Practice ofGymnasticsSchool , AssessmentinPhysical EducationandPsychomotor.A careful analysisoftherecommended bibliographyprogramsshowedthepresenceof specific contentsofthe school,suchasthemainpedagogical trends, and approachesTheoreticalconnectedto the body inasociocultural perspective. Thebodypermeates, here andthereundertakenin thesediscussionsand otherdisciplinesas wellasyou namea few:IntroductionEmbodimentoftheStudy, Studyof the Parametersof the

BodyandAnthropologyCorps. Theanalysisshowsthecurriculumof the institution, therefore, there isasignificantinfluenceof discourses, notonlythetechnical andbiological, thetraining ofacademicstudy,whichseemsto have influenced theperceptionthatpastperiodsofhaveonthebody. Thisfact, as far ascan be seen, appearsto beparticularityofthe research institution, asHungerandSouzaNeto(2002)foundthat, in undergraduate coursesin Physical Education, and the fragmentation of academic disciplines and lack of applicability in the profession, always showed the construction of a conceptual framework of knowledge about the body with a preponderance biological sciences, this conclusion endorsed by Daolio (2001). When asked about the interference of the teacher Physical Education in view of the body of his students, there was unanimity to confirm that there is interference, primarily from the perspective orientation, class representative of phrases such as: "aware that because each person has its maximum, or, itslimit ", " giving examples, like if the teacher sends run, run together, "the teacher should know to pass the student the idea that body is a machine, and you need to care for working always at high level, "showing the limits necessary for their proper functioning. "It was evident from these examples, a concern of students in action through the eminently transmission of technical and functional, forhealth, aesthetic or technical-sports without claim to generate critical thinking. Note, in this view, a reductionism the role of the physical education teacher, which is seen as a transmitter of information to the student. For Paulo Freire(2004, p. 37): "[...] transform the educational experience in pure training technician is belittle what is fundamentally humanexercise in education: his upbringing. It is noticed that the results are consistent with what Daolio notes: "By working directly with the student body, the teacher interferes in the design and representation of students have their own body. Interfere, by extension, on a culture that supports these representations. "(Daolio, 1995, p. 96) To a lesser degree for both periods, emerged as the second category most often mentioned, the model, which is characterized interference in the form of a physical education teacher, as "according to what he teaches, values and priority, the way you think, express themselves, behave, "in physical form presented by the teacher that often must be an example for the student. "This category is made from the emphasis appearance, beliefs, habits and attitudes of the various teachers. Apparent in this case, the requirement that certain society exalts related to models of body and health, which reflected in the physical education professional who works directly Body (Ludorf, 2004). For Freire et al. (2002), a stereotypical image and physical ability seems to credentials competent professional assistance. In particular, in recent times undergraduate category pedagogical appeared considerably in such phrases as "stimulating these bodily sensations and emotional through activities physical "," providing the body with material relations with other bodies and the environment, "it can interfere developing activities that challenge students' motor skills, which encourage new movements in children's learning. In order to meet Data presented to date, there are indications that the pedagogical content of graduate worked in essentially in the subjects taken in recent periods, have exercised significant impact on how physical education interferes in view of the student body. However, the pedagogical aspect seems longer be tied to an understanding of the nature of

body psychomotor what becomes evident when analyzing the bibliographic programs* contained in these disciplines. Although the relevance achieved by educational category is worthy note may be considered somewhat surprising that it was not mentioned in the context of education training human, as they purport trends renovating Education Brazilian physics. This could represent that, although the trends teaching will be widely discussed within theoretical, yet practical application or their spread in the courses Teacher training is slow and reaches a portion of teachers and students still modestly.

* The authors are most used: Aucouturier, Ajuriaguerra, Dupr, Le Boulch, among others, as Vygotsky, Piaget, WallonFreire and John the Ba ptist himself.

5 FINAL CONSIDERATIONS Actuallystudied, differences were identifiedbetween concepts ofthe bodyof graduatingfirstandlast periods. Initially, there wasa predominanceofavisionofthe fragmented body, whosehegemonybeganto bebrokenfrom thedesign amore integratedvisionofthe body. Thischangeindesign bodyalsowas presentwhenthey were questioned aboutthe form ofperformanceofphysical education teacher. In addition totraditional speechbiologizingcharacter, the responsesof studentsinthe past periodsnowincludethebiasofembodiment. It turned out, too, there is a consensusamong undergraduates,and thephysical education teacherinterferesinviewof thebody students, primarilythroughguidanceonissues health,aestheticsand technique. It was notedhowever thatin recentperiods,thepedagogical aspecthas becomesignificantlymorecontemplated. It is concludedthat thestudentshadresearchedthecourse visionofabodystillmarkedbyatendencybiologizing, asit could notbe, giventhehistorical constructionof Education Physics, however, there were importantsignsofchange orextensionof this view, possibly duewithoutexhausting othercomplex factorsandinterconnected , thetheoretical frameworkderived thedisciplinesof the course ofresearchingnow.

The bodyonthevisionofundergraduatePhysical Educationstudents: fragmentizedorintegrated? Abstract: The purposesofthisresearch are tostudy and compare theconceptionsofbodyofundergraduate studentsoffirstandlastsemestersof a Physical Educationgraduationcourse, as well as toinvestigate howthey relate thebodywith professional practice. The data werecollectedby a questionnaire, appliedin 103 studentsofPhysicalEducation, andbydocumental. analyses. Resultsindicate a predominanceoftechnical conceptionofthebody in thefirstperiodandanintegrated view in thelastperiod. The Professionalpractice isconceivedtowardanorientation perspective, based onhealth, aestheticandtechnicalguidelines. Keywords: Body. PhysicalEducation. Teacherstraining.