Exploring Inclusive Teaching Practices in Kinesiology Programs

Introduction

Engagement and participation in physical activity (PA) or bodily movement worldwide is below the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended levels at approximately 27% for adults and 81% for adolescents. Inactivity and low levels of physical activity are linked with negative health consequences across all social categories (WHO, 2022). Educators in K-12 (elementary and secondary) classrooms can positively influence culturally appropriate PA participation to increase well-being globally. University and college kinesiology courses and programs, which study human movement, are the preparation grounds for various health and medical fields which can lay groundwork for positive PA views and experiences.

Kinesiology college graduates are responsible for guiding individuals, whether they are students, patients, clients, businesses, or organizations, toward improved overall health outcomes. Equipped with a diverse skill set, including communication, collaboration, teamwork, goal setting, and problem-solving, our faculty places emphasis not only on cognitive and psychomotor domains but also on affective domains. This holistic approach distinguishes kinesiology as a field that fosters physical literacy and professional development.

In the United States, there are significant academic gaps associated with race and socioeconomic status (Bottiani et al., 2017; Gregory et al., 2017; Morris & Perry, 2016). Apart from disparities in academic achievement, Black and Latinx students also confront higher rates of school suspensions compared to their White peers. These instances of over-policing and exclusion from educational opportunities have lasting effects on academic performance (Bottiani et al., 2017; Gregory et al., 2017; Morris & Perry, 2016). Many minoritized students experience schools as environments where they encounter more concentrated, persistent, and authoritative forms of discrimination than in any other societal context (Steele, 1992). Battiste (2013) suggests decolonizing our education systems by placing value and importance on indigenous knowledge and ways of doing while rejecting racism and Eurocentric values. She posits that “decolonizing minds and heart of administrators and teachers…is a continuing challenge” (p. 93).

According to the previous article, challenges to broad PE and PA inclusive engagement in schools encompass inadequate teaching, insufficient resources, inappropriate methods, and a collective recollection of past humiliations, which instill a fear of physical engagement (James, 2021). These factors converge, creating conditions that limit access to PE and PA as avenues for empowerment (James, 2021). To address these challenges, professors and instructors in university classrooms, which are filled with future kinesiology professionals, endeavor to provide a diversity of experiences and curricula that shape students’ perspectives and integrate movement into their lives. Recognizing the multitude of factors influencing individuals' decisions to participate or abstain from PA, including systemic barriers, university and college educators should embrace decolonizing and inclusive education. This approach will enable future professionals and their clients to achieve the recommended levels of PA for all individuals. This chapter is structured to provide readers with a clear and comprehensive journey through the intersection of social justice and diversity in kinesiology education. It begins with an overview of the global context and the critical role physical activity plays in societal well-being, with the World Health Organization's recommendations and the current shortage in meeting these guidelines. This sets the stage for a deeper exploration of how decolonizing inclusive education practices can serve as a potent means to address these gaps, especially within kinesiology field. Drawing upon a wealth of scholarly literature, this introduction emphasizes the importance of decolonizing practices in dismantling systemic barriers and fostering a more inclusive and equitable educational landscape. By incorporating theories such as self-determination theory, the chapter positions itself within a broader academic conversation about the role of kinesiology education in challenging and reshaping societal norms and power dynamics.