Dr. Samantha Ross | West Virginia University

• Dr. Øyvind Førland Standal is a professor at the Institute for Primary and Secondary Education at Oslo Metropolitan University. He has been
particularly concerned with teaching and researching inclusion in physical education, embodied learning, and adapted physical activity. He has also
written the research monograph Phenomenology and pedagogy in physical education.
 

• Dr. Fletcher is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Brock University, Canada. Dr. Fletcher’s research interests are broadly in teacher learning and self-study of practice methodology. His recent work has focused on how teachers learn to prioritize meaningful experiences in physical education.

• Dr. Lloyd is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ontario Tech University. Dr. Lloyd is the director of the Motor Behaviour and Physical Activity Lab at Ontario Tech, and she is a Research Associate at Grandview Children’s Centre. Please check more detailed information about keynote speakers and conference programs from the following link: https://brocku.ca/applied-health-sciences/kinesiology/nafapa/.

I look forward to seeing you at Brock this coming October.

I am limited by space. In the paragraphs below, I only provide a snapshot of ideas I consider important. All of them require elaboration for a more adequate and comprehensive treatment.

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I am concerned by the ascendance of some dangerous trends (e.g., propaganda, disinformation, fake news, trolls) as well as questionable thinking. Briefly, I submit that some key university traditions can alleviate some of them such that we live in a better world. In the below paragraphs, I will mainly focus on information presented in the media and a number of personal bias that lead to unreasonable beliefs. I still think that it is often possible to differentiate reasonable beliefs from those that are unreasonable. Briefly, I will argue that information and knowledge claims need to be checked whenever possible by whatever mean available. This requires vigilance and constant effort. I suggest that we maintain or create a social environment that differentiate between justified beliefs from those that are not reasonable.

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1. Be ready to argue for information we can trust. I assume you are either working toward a graduate degree or already have one. Typically, universities require a Ph.D. (or its equivalent) to obtain an academic position. Stated differently, universities require that you become an expert before you can become a member of the institution. However, nowadays in our society we often observe a rejection of expertise. Information of all kinds is often easily available around the world. You insert a few keywords in a search engine and you get something about your search.
Both good and questionable information spreads easily. This makes it possible to get information, from reliable to unreliable, about almost anything. Knowing something about almost everything allow some people to claim that they are on equal footing with experts. To claim otherwise is dismissed as “undemocratic elitism” and, hence, expert opinions are sometimes brushed aside. One needs to remember the prescient words of Francis Bacon: “Man [sic] prefers to believe what he wants to be true” (Novum Organum, 1620/1994). It is a difficult task to question people who have a strong opinion, but I submit that unfettered and respectful debates can help to alleviate this problem. Universities are places for the types of debates and this discussion model should be emulated in society at large. These debates challenge you, your ideas and your thinking. Some people may refuse to engage in debate and close their minds. However, you will find some people who will listen and consider your argument.

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2. Be ready to discuss complex matters with persons of other disciplines. Adapted physical activity and adapted physical education are multidisciplinary fields (Bouffard & Spencer-Cavaliere, Quest, 2016). However, most of our graduate preparations are guided by a disciplinary focus (e.g., exercise physiology, sociology of sport, exercise psychology, etc). I suggest that we need more multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary work in our field and it is rare to see a multidisciplinary specialist. Consequently, you will need to work with people from different disciplines and this will be a challenge. You are a specialist and you will need to expand your appreciation and understanding of related disciplines. This is a demanding task, but also one that I hope you will enjoy.

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3. Scientific theories do not produce certainty. Many people believe that researchers and science produce certainty. This is incorrect! As argued by Karl Popper, theories are never proven and can only be falsified. At the most, scientific theories are corroborated. Researchers can only provide arguments for knowledge claims and these claims may be temporary. Given that researchers “change their minds” some people reason that the results of research cannot be trusted any more than personal beliefs of anyone. Consequently, anyone can be an expert. To argue otherwise is to argue that you are superior; an examplar of “undemocratic elitism”. This myth about the production of certain knowledge must be counteracted by a broader education about how researchers work by eliminating possibilities. Universities and their graduates can play a central educational role in this regard.

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4. Although it might be impossible to eliminate all bias, it is worthwhile to reduce bias whenever possible. During your education you have probably learned that your arguments should be supported by facts or evidence. You should try to alleviate bias as much as possible. As argued by Peers (NAFAPA Newsletter, 2020) numerous factors affect your thinking such as your assumptions, your perspective, your knowledge base, your beliefs, your culture, what you want to hear, your emotions, etc. I concur that the elimination of bias is a difficult endeavor which might be impossible. However, to me, this represents an ideal to pursue. It is like the attainment of justice - a direction worth pursuing. I concur that positionality affects your research and can play a key role in helping to understand the world. However, at the same time, I am more confident of the results of inquiry if the same claim is made irrespective of positionality. Researchers are often looking for the convergence of evidences. A single study is rarely the end of inquiry.

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The best resource we probably have to pursue this direction is, most likely, a product of human evolution: consciousness. Keep thinking about your thinking and interacting with people who have different perspectives. I see university debates as “consciousness raisers” where ideas are screened and evaluated. Academic debates have raised my awareness during my academic life and I have enjoyed them. They have consistently challenged whatever idea I had. In fact, I miss these stimulating discussions. I hope you really appreciate them.

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5. Be vigilant; be critical thinkers. We are constantly bombarded with information from the media other groups and people. Unfortunately, some of this information is wrong, deceitful, incomplete, and/or demonstrably false. Ideology, self-interest, and financial gains may lead to a biased presentation of information. We need to be critical consumers of information. 

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We need to carefully monitor bias to decide what to think. Confirmation bias is lurking everywhere: People may resist claims that they do not want to hear, endorse ideas they like, reject evidence that is dissonant with their beliefs, etc. Instead of relying on objective facts, thinking could be guided by appeals to emotion and personal beliefs. We need to remain aware and vigilant about the possibility of bias. To do this, we need to remain critical thinkers of available information, as well as of our own thinking. Universities are good places to develop these important skills. Daily interactions with colleagues, and the general public, will present new viewpoints and perspectives, that may lead you to reconsider your own ideas.

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Listen carefully to the argument presented, its logic and internal coherence, the evidence supporting it, the distortions, etc. I submit that the central idea of unfettered debates in universities is critical to university work and is critical to protect us against attempts to distort the truth. Remain calm and respectful while conducting these debates. An aggressive attitude during discussion can backfire.

6. Be trusted. People are unlikely to listen to you if they do not trust you. Trust is one of the most powerful argumentation tools. To remain a trusted person requires daily effort and it could easily be lost. To be respected in debates you need to use rules of evidence, logic, internal coherence, and be respectful in discussions with others. You build trust by carefully listening to people, and helping them feels they are respected and valued. Be able to honestly look at yourself in a mirror on a daily basis (no moral injury).

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7. Take care of yourself. Do the best to maintain or improve your physical wellbeing. As much as possible take care of your body. In addition, attend continuously to your mental wellness. The state of the world is challenging in so many ways. It is critical to cultivate your relationships with your family, your friends and your colleagues. In order to address the global challenges outlined above, we need to be diligent about our care for ourselves and those around us.

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Briefly, I submit that your university education has prepared you well to cope with beliefs of various kinds. Do not hesitate to use it to evaluate claims and find those that are justified. This will require hard work from you and the broader community.

Contact Information: marcel.bouffard@ualberta.ca

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