"Claim vs. Reality"-A German Case Study on Modes and Functions of Sports-Pedagogical Communication

Area of Science:

• Sports Pedagogy
• Philosophy of Science

Background:

• Academic sports pedagogy actively defines its disciplinary identity within modern sciences.
• The distinction between 'claim' (ideal/theory) and 'reality' (practice/application) is central to sports pedagogy's communication but underexplored.
• Understanding these distinctions is crucial for the discipline's self-positioning and development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the forms and functions of the claim-reality distinction in academic sports pedagogy.
• To analyze how this distinction shapes the discipline's identity and interactions.
• To provide an exemplary focus on academic sports pedagogy in Germany.

Main Methods:

• Content analysis of 212 scientific texts from sports pedagogy.
• Identification and categorization of recurring patterns in the claim-reality distinction.
• Qualitative analysis of the functional role of these distinctions.

Main Results:

• Three primary variations of the claim-reality distinction were identified: hierarchical demarcation, unsystematic approach, and direct synthesis.
• These variations are persistent and central to ongoing discussions within sports pedagogy.
• The distinction functions to continuously reorganize sports pedagogy's relationship with other disciplines, policy, and practice.

Conclusions:

• The claim-reality distinction is a fundamental mechanism for sports pedagogy's disciplinary identity work.
• These identified variations highlight key tensions and dynamics within the field.
• Further research into these distinctions can inform the future direction and integration of sports pedagogy.