Abstract |
The following dissertation revolves around the practice of Karate-do by
pre school and early years schoolchildren in an effort to investigate the
psycho-pedagogic dimensions of physical exercise. However, due to the lack of
relevant bibliography or any scientific reference, this research attempts to
shed light to the aforementioned investigation by means of the theoretical and
methodological tools employed to describe the nature and function of physical
exercise involved in Karate-do. Additionally, drawing from Foucault‟s social
theory and perspective as well as from the narrative and methodology of
thematic analysis, this research aims to adequately outline children‟s
involvement with Karate-do through the description of their instructors‟
beliefs.
Through qualitative analysis of the instructors‟ beliefs, this study implies
the existence of such aspects to practicing Karate-do, which allow for the
identification of Karate-do as a kind of self transforming practice involved in
the psycho-somatic development of the practitioners. Based on this
implication, the study seeks to investigate the potential validity of such a
parallelism, through the exploration of the various aspects in children‟s
psycho-somatic development.
Suggesting the possibility of a correlation between Karate-do and the
development of the Self, as explained above, is in alliance with Foucault‟s
theoretical perspective and methodology. This suggestion can consequently claim to serve as an alternative approach to understanding and further
exploring issues of general pedagogical nature. Additionally, it can contribute
to encouraging children to practice Karate-do, by informing or generating
feedback to the question of whether or not -and to what extent- Karate-do can
play a role in the psycho-pedagogic development of children.
Keywords: Karate-do, Foucault, Subjectification Techniques, Alternative
Psycho-pedagogy, Psyco-somatic education, Self Transforming Practices,
Preschool education, Children Ethical Development, Qualitative research,
Narrative analysis, Instructor‟ s Beliefs
|