Physicality in Physical Education Instruction: Teachers’ Experiences in Santa Marta,Colombia

Abstract

Corporeality constitutes a fundamental perspective for understanding Physical Education as a process of holistic development that transcends exclusively motor development. However, its incorporation into the curriculum and pedagogical practices continues to reveal tensions between formal guidelines and their implementation in school contexts. The objective of this study was to analyze the incorporation of corporeality into the teaching and learning processes of Physical Education in public educational institutions in Santa Marta, with the purpose of formulating curricular guidelines aimed at strengthening its integration. The research was conducted within a sociocritical paradigm, using a qualitative approach, an interpretive and proposal-oriented character, and a non-experimental, cross-sectional design. The participants were 30 Physical Education teachers from 15 public educational institutions. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and documentary review of national guidelines and institutional curricular documents. Data analysis involved categorical coding, the identification of emerging categories, and source triangulation. The findings showed that teachers understand corporeality as a dimension associated with movement, expression, emotions, social interaction, and identity construction. However, its incorporation into planning, pedagogical strategies, and assessment was heterogeneous. The study also identified a gap between the prescribed curriculum and the curriculum in action, as well as the need for greater curricular articulation and teacher training. It is concluded that strengthening corporeality requires moving beyond individual pedagogical initiatives toward contextualized curricular guidelines that integrate content, pedagogical practices, and assessment from a holistic perspective.