Embodied Instruction: An Exploration and Qualitative Comparison of Expression and Performance of Yoga Instruction

Background: An inclusive, whole-child model of education is shifting the paradigm into an integrative mind-body approach. Toward contextualizing learning at the close of the cartesian era, the current work explores embodied instruction through the lens of a teacher whose primary focus is the integra...

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Autores principales: Tegan Reeves, Crystal L. White
Formato: article
Lenguaje:EN
Publicado: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021
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Acceso en línea:https://doaj.org/article/62d14d79eff346aa9de92dc5064a08a0
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spelling oai:doaj.org-article:62d14d79eff346aa9de92dc5064a08a02021-11-30T21:15:56ZEmbodied Instruction: An Exploration and Qualitative Comparison of Expression and Performance of Yoga Instruction2504-284X10.3389/feduc.2021.683139https://doaj.org/article/62d14d79eff346aa9de92dc5064a08a02021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2021.683139/fullhttps://doaj.org/toc/2504-284XBackground: An inclusive, whole-child model of education is shifting the paradigm into an integrative mind-body approach. Toward contextualizing learning at the close of the cartesian era, the current work explores embodied instruction through the lens of a teacher whose primary focus is the integration of mind and body. Perhaps the longest standing curriculum aimed at embodied learning, yoga provides a unique perspective on techniques and experiences of embodied teaching.Method: This case study employed an in-depth explorative participatory design to observe instructor intentions in and performance of instruction. Consecutive interviews (5) in conjunction with participatory observation of weekly classes (8) were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and triangulated with researcher memos. A grounded and comparative methodology was used to analyze expressed understanding of embodied learning and performed instruction.Results: In-depth interviews revealed four themes of expressed understanding of embodied instruction: energetic state, personality of instruction, inviting experience and student vulnerability. Participatory observations revealed four themes of performance of embodied instruction: scoping, cadence, silence, and inviting practice. Overlap in expressed understanding and observed instruction were found in each theme. An example of the expressed understanding of a thematic concept is inviting experience: “If someone comes in the very first time and the teacher is very invasive and says, “Do this, do this, do this.” And the next pose the teacher is hovering over them, you are not going to go back. You are going to hate it so much [I] let people be really all over the place at the beginning as long as they are safe. [I] allow them that kind of freedom, initially”. This was further supported in the observed instruction; an example of this is: “We’re going to play with [a posture]. that firmness in your abs, engage the core so a foot might lift. Maybe both feet.” And “with the arms firm, maybe the legs straighten”.Conclusion: The current study yields preliminary insight into yoga instruction strategies to support further development of embodied teaching and learning.Tegan ReevesTegan ReevesCrystal L. WhiteFrontiers Media S.A.articleembodied learningembodied instructionembodied teaching strategiesyogacase studyEducation (General)L7-991ENFrontiers in Education, Vol 6 (2021)
institution DOAJ
collection DOAJ
language EN
topic embodied learning
embodied instruction
embodied teaching strategies
yoga
case study
Education (General)
L7-991
spellingShingle embodied learning
embodied instruction
embodied teaching strategies
yoga
case study
Education (General)
L7-991
Tegan Reeves
Tegan Reeves
Crystal L. White
Embodied Instruction: An Exploration and Qualitative Comparison of Expression and Performance of Yoga Instruction
description Background: An inclusive, whole-child model of education is shifting the paradigm into an integrative mind-body approach. Toward contextualizing learning at the close of the cartesian era, the current work explores embodied instruction through the lens of a teacher whose primary focus is the integration of mind and body. Perhaps the longest standing curriculum aimed at embodied learning, yoga provides a unique perspective on techniques and experiences of embodied teaching.Method: This case study employed an in-depth explorative participatory design to observe instructor intentions in and performance of instruction. Consecutive interviews (5) in conjunction with participatory observation of weekly classes (8) were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and triangulated with researcher memos. A grounded and comparative methodology was used to analyze expressed understanding of embodied learning and performed instruction.Results: In-depth interviews revealed four themes of expressed understanding of embodied instruction: energetic state, personality of instruction, inviting experience and student vulnerability. Participatory observations revealed four themes of performance of embodied instruction: scoping, cadence, silence, and inviting practice. Overlap in expressed understanding and observed instruction were found in each theme. An example of the expressed understanding of a thematic concept is inviting experience: “If someone comes in the very first time and the teacher is very invasive and says, “Do this, do this, do this.” And the next pose the teacher is hovering over them, you are not going to go back. You are going to hate it so much [I] let people be really all over the place at the beginning as long as they are safe. [I] allow them that kind of freedom, initially”. This was further supported in the observed instruction; an example of this is: “We’re going to play with [a posture]. that firmness in your abs, engage the core so a foot might lift. Maybe both feet.” And “with the arms firm, maybe the legs straighten”.Conclusion: The current study yields preliminary insight into yoga instruction strategies to support further development of embodied teaching and learning.
format article
author Tegan Reeves
Tegan Reeves
Crystal L. White
author_facet Tegan Reeves
Tegan Reeves
Crystal L. White
author_sort Tegan Reeves
title Embodied Instruction: An Exploration and Qualitative Comparison of Expression and Performance of Yoga Instruction
title_short Embodied Instruction: An Exploration and Qualitative Comparison of Expression and Performance of Yoga Instruction
title_full Embodied Instruction: An Exploration and Qualitative Comparison of Expression and Performance of Yoga Instruction
title_fullStr Embodied Instruction: An Exploration and Qualitative Comparison of Expression and Performance of Yoga Instruction
title_full_unstemmed Embodied Instruction: An Exploration and Qualitative Comparison of Expression and Performance of Yoga Instruction
title_sort embodied instruction: an exploration and qualitative comparison of expression and performance of yoga instruction
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
publishDate 2021
url https://doaj.org/article/62d14d79eff346aa9de92dc5064a08a0
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