Abstract

This interview study investigates the embodied experiences of adult educators, exploring how they perceive and utilize bodily knowledge in their instructional practice. Through interviews and observations with five adult educators, the study highlights challenges in articulating the role of physical experiences in teaching. The study reveals four major themes: (a) participants perceive or approach instruction as a performance, engaging with various performance tools like voice, sound, proximity, and posture to impact content delivery and classroom management; (b) bodily knowledge informs the educator's improvisational skills as they receive sensory input and adapt to student and environmental cues during teaching; (c) while recognizing the importance of bodily knowledge, participants struggle to articulate and connect their physical experiences to instructional practice despite training in embodied learning and pedagogy; and (d) participants often prioritize tasks and student needs over attending to their bodily sensations during instruction. The study challenges assumptions about educators' identities. It underscores the complexity of integrating bodily knowing into teaching practice, advocating for further research into the embodied experiences of adult educators across diverse contexts. Recommendations include developing healthy physical habits and recognizing the 'felt sense' to enhance instructional effectiveness. Methodological suggestions advocate prioritizing bodily knowledge observed through movement and action and exploring movement analysis techniques. This study contributes to the evolving field of embodied education research and emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and leveraging the embodied aspects of teaching practice.

Degree

College and Department

David O. McKay School of Education; Instructional Psychology and Technology

Rights

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