Imaginarios sociales de los niños y las niñas sobre educación física

Abstract

This research on the imaginaries of boys and girls regarding physical education focused on the voices of elementary school students at Colegio Distrital Almirante Padilla. The objective was to understand how boys and girls perceive and give meaning to physical education based on their experiences and educational practices. The study followed an interpretative paradigm, a qualitative approach, and employed a participatory action research strategy. The research utilized workshop sessions, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis. During the workshops, an iconographic creation was used to unveil the imaginary meanings that boys and girls associate with physical education. The theoretical framework was constructed around four interconnected categories, allowing for the identification of these imaginary meanings and their impact on educational practices. Consequently, the experiences of boys and girls were fundamental in shaping this framework and in creating an innovative educational booklet.

From the research line of Childhood, Culture, and Development at Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas, and with an emphasis on history, imaginaries, and social representations, there is an interest in contributing to the understanding of childhood by recognizing the importance of listening to and making visible the voices of children and adolescents. Their capacity to transform and improve their lives is central to the research question: ¿ What are the social imaginaries regarding physical education held by boys and girls in the C branches of Colegio Distrital Almirante Padilla in Usme, with the purpose of creating a booklet that contributes to the transformation of physical education pedagogical practices? To answer this question, the study draws on Castoriadis's (1975) perspective, which considers imaginaries as infinite and fundamental elements within individuals, influenced by culture and capable of reproduction, persistence, or transformation, thereby altering social life. This approach allowed us to explore the realities of boys and girls—their ways of doing, feeling, and thinking—related to physical education classes and their expectations.