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Dean Barker

Position: Professor School/office: School of Health Sciences

Email: ZGVhbi5iYXJrZXI7b3J1LnNl

Phone: No number available

Room: G2128

Research subject

Sport Science

About Dean Barker

Dean Barker is Professor of Sport Science at the School of Health Sciences, Örebro University, Sweden.

Research

His research focuses on student learning in physical education. Ongoing projects aim to develop knowledge for teachers and teacher educators which will enhance students' learning experiences.

Professor Barker has authored or co-authored more than 80 papers published in peer-reviewed journals. He is also a regular reviewer and speaker at national and international scientific meetings.

Teaching

Dean Barker gives lectures on research methods and sport pedagogy and is responsible for the examination of PETE courses at bachelors, advanced and research levels at the School of Health Sciences at Örebro University.

Collaboration and assignments

Editorial board member for 'Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy'.
Editorial board member for 'Sport, Education and Society'.
Board member for the European Association for the Sociology of Sport

Active projects

Completed projects

Research groups

ReShape - Research in Sport, Health and Physical Education

Publications

Articles in journals

Tolgfors, B. , Barker, D. , Nyberg, G. & Larsson, H. (2025). Assessment for and of learning in nonlinear movement education practices. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 30 (3), 324-337. [BibTeX]
Aasland, E. , Nyberg, G. & Barker, D. (2025). Enacting a new physical education curriculum: a collaborative investigation. Sport, Education and Society, 30 (7), 841-854. [BibTeX]
Varea, V. , Caldeborg, A. , Barker, D. & Quennerstedt, M. (2025). Health education in Swedish schools - what's on offer?. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 69 (4), 871-883. [BibTeX]
Tolgfors, B. , Caldeborg, A. , Jansson, K. , Mustell, J. , Sjödin, K. & Barker, D. (2025). Holistic assessment in school physical education: ‘Seeing the whole picture with our trained eye’. European Physical Education Review. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Caldeborg, A. , Quennerstedt, M. & Varea, V. (2025). How young migrants perceive school health education in Sweden. Health Education Research, 40 (3). [BibTeX]
Korp, P. , Quennerstedt, M. , Barker, D. & Johansson, A. (2025). Justice beyond inclusion: the rightful presence of fat bodies in PE. Sport, Education and Society. [BibTeX]
Oljans, E. , Quennerstedt, M. , Barker, D. , Caldeborg, A. & Varea, V. (2025). Navigating ethical complexities in health education: exploring challenges in teaching food and health. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research. [BibTeX]
Quennerstedt, M. , Caldeborg, A. , Barker, D. & Varea, V. (2025). Risky topics in health education: Enacted content when students with migration backgrounds meet Swedish health education. European Educational Research Journal. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Ekberg, J. -. , Nyberg, G. & Larsson, H. (2025). What do you think you are doing? How physical education researchers make scientific contributions. Sport, Education and Society. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Tolgfors, B. & Caldeborg, A. (2025). Why assessment in physical education is still problematic: A critical interpretive synthesis of physical education assessment literature. European Physical Education Review. [BibTeX]
Engdahl, C. , Lundvall, S. & Barker, D. (2024). Dancing as searching with Deleuze - a study of what students in physical education teacher education express and experience in creative dance lessons. Research in Dance Education, 25 (4), 375-390. [BibTeX]
Lindgren Fjellner, R. , Larsson, H. & Barker, D. (2024). Exploring the enacted content of the Practising Model: A Bildung theoretical perspective. European Physical Education Review, 31 (5), 580-598. [BibTeX]
Mustell, J. , Geidne, S. & Barker, D. (2024). How ball games experts legitimate ball games knowledge within Swedish physical education teacher education. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 29 (6), 621-635. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Larsson, H. & Nyberg, G. (2024). How Movement Habits Become Relevant in Novel Learning Situations. Journal of teaching in physical education, 43 (1), 152-160. [BibTeX]
Nyberg, G. , Ekberg, J. , Barker, D. & Larsson, H. (2024). Power of movement capability. Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education. [BibTeX]
Bergentoft, H. , Annerstedt, C. , Barker, D. & Holmqvist, M. (2024). Teachers' actor-oriented transfer of movement pedagogy knowledge in physical education. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 29 (4), 395-408. [BibTeX]
Mustell, J. , Geidne, S. & Barker, D. (2024). The transformation of ball games as pedagogic discourse within physical education teacher education. European Physical Education Review, 30 (3), 343-360. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Quennerstedt, M. , Johansson, A. & Korp, P. (2023). Fit for the job? How corporeal expectations shape physical education teachers' understandings of content, pedagogy, and the purposes of physical education. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 28 (1), 29-42. [BibTeX]
Engdahl, C. , Lundvall, S. & Barker, D. (2023). 'Free but not free-free': teaching creative aspects of dance in physical education teacher education. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 28 (6), 617-629. [BibTeX]
Korp, P. , Quennerstedt, M. , Barker, D. & Johansson, A. (2023). Making sense of health in PE: conceptions of health among Swedish physical education teachers. Health Education, 123 (2), 79-92. [BibTeX]
Tolgfors, B. & Barker, D. (2023). The glocalization of physical education assessment discourse. Sport, Education and Society, 28 (1), 1-16. [BibTeX]
Backman, E. & Barker, D. (2022). Continuing the Conversation with Ward et al. (2022): Some Thoughts on Different Approaches to Epistemologically Grounded Questions. Quest (National Association for Physical Education in Higher Education), 74 (4), 335-338. [BibTeX]
Larsson, H. , Nyberg, G. & Barker, D. (2022). Journeying into the kinescape of unicycling: A Deleuzian perspective. European Physical Education Review, 28 (3), 651-667. [BibTeX]
Aarskog, E. , Barker, D. & Spord Borgen, J. (2022). 'When it's something that you want to do.': Exploring curriculum negotiation in Norwegian PE. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 27 (6), 640-653. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Nyberg, G. & Larsson, H. (2021). Coaching for skill development in sport: a kinesio-cultural approach. Sport Coaching Review, 11 (1), 23-40. [BibTeX]
Larsson, H. , Nyberg, G. & Barker, D. (2021). Genuine Movement Learning Through a Deleuzian Approach. Frontiers in sports and active living, 3. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Nyberg, G. & Larsson, H. (2021). Introduction to the PESP special issue: 'Developing movement capability in physical education'. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 26 (3), 225-229. [BibTeX]
Larsson, H. , Nyberg, G. & Barker, D. (2021). Juggling with gender: How gender promotes and prevents the learning of a specific movement activity among secondary school students. Gender and Education, 33 (5), 531-546. [BibTeX]
Nyberg, G. , Barker, D. & Larsson, H. (2021). Learning in the educational landscapes of juggling, unicycling, and dancing. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 26 (3), 279-292. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Quennerstedt, M. , Johansson, A. & Korp, P. (2021). Physical Education Teachers and Competing Obesity Discourses: An Examination of Emerging Professional Identities. Journal of teaching in physical education, 40 (4), 642-651. [BibTeX]
Schubring, A. , Bergentoft, H. & Barker, D. (2021). Teaching on body ideals in physical education: a lesson study in Swedish upper secondary school. Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, 12 (3), 232-250. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Larsson, H. & Nyberg, G. (2020). Exploring movement learning in physical education using a threshold approach. Journal of teaching in physical education, 39 (3), 415-423. [BibTeX]
Nyberg, G. , Barker, D. & Larsson, H. (2020). Exploring the educational landscape of juggling: challenging notions of ability in physical education. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 25 (2), 201-212. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Nyberg, G. & Larsson, H. (2020). Joy, fear and resignation: Investigating emotions in physical education using a symbolic interactionist approach. Sport, Education and Society, 25 (8), 872-888. [BibTeX]
Backman, E. & Barker, D. (2020). Re-thinking pedagogical content knowledge for physical education teachers: implications for physical education teacher education. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 25 (5), 451-463. [BibTeX]
Janemalm, L. , Barker, D. & Quennerstedt, M. (2020). Transformation of complex movements from policy to practice: a discourse analysis of Swedish physical education teachers’ concepts of moving. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 25 (4), 410-422. [BibTeX]
Lindgren, R. & Barker, D. (2019). Implementing the Movement-Oriented Practising Model (MPM) in physical education: empirical findings focusing on student learning. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 24 (5), 534-547. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. (2019). In defence of white privilege: physical education teachers’ understandings of their work in culturally diverse schools. Sport, Education and Society, 24 (2), 134-146. [BibTeX]
SueSee, B. & Barker, D. (2019). Self-Reported and observed teaching styles of Swedish physical education teachers. Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, 10 (1), 34-50. [BibTeX]
Rönnqvist, M. , Larsson, H. , Nyberg, G. & Barker, D. (2019). Understanding learners’ sense making of movement learning in physical education. Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, 10 (2), 172-186. [BibTeX]
Janemalm, L. , Quennerstedt, M. & Barker, D. (2019). What is complex in complex movement? A discourse analysis of conceptualizations of movement in the Swedish physical education curriculum. European Physical Education Review, 25 (4), 1146-1160. [BibTeX]
Aarskog, E. , Barker, D. & Spord Borgen, J. (2019). What were you thinking? A methodological approach for exploring decision-making and learning in physical education. Sport, Education and Society, 24 (8), 828-840. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Aggerholm, K. , standal, Ø. & Larsson, H. (2018). Developing the practising model in Physical Education: An expository outline focusing on movement capability. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 23 (2), 209-221. [BibTeX]
Aggerholm, K. , Standal, Ø. , Barker, D. & Larsson, H. (2018). On Practising in Physical Education: Outline for a pedagogical model. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 23 (2), 197-208. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Wallhead, T. , Brock, S. , Goodyear, V. & Amade-Escot, C. (2017). Group Work in Physical Education: Exploring the Interconnectedness of Theoretical Approaches and Practice. Journal of teaching in physical education, 36, 50-60. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. (2017). Ninjas, zombies and nervous wrecks? Academics in the neoliberal world of physical education and sport pedagogy. Sport, Education and Society, 22 (1), 87-104. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. & Quennerstedt, M. (2017). Power and group work in physical education: A Foucauldian perspective. European Physical Education Review, 23 (3), 339-353. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. & Barker-Ruchti, N. (2016). Hanging up the shirt: an autoethnographic account of disengaging from a social rugby culture. Sport in Society: Cultures, Media, Politics, Commerce, 19 (5), 711-725. [BibTeX]
Barker-Ruchti, N. , Barker, D. , Rynne, S. B. & Lee, J. (2016). Learning cultures and cultural learning in high-performance sport: opportunities for sport pedagogues. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 21 (1), 1-9. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. & Annerstedt, C. (2016). Managing physical education lessons: An interactional approach. Sport, Education and Society, 21 (6), 924-944. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Quennerstedt, M. & Annerstedt, C. (2015). Inter-student interactions and student learning in health and physical education: a post-Vygotskian analysis. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 20 (4), 409-426. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Quennerstedt, M. & Annerstedt, C. (2015). Learning through group work in physical education: a symbolic interactionist approach. Sport, Education and Society, 20 (5), 604-623. [BibTeX]
Barker-Ruchti, N. , Barker, D. , Sattler, S. , Gerber, M. & Pühse, U. (2015). Second Generation Immigrant Girls’ Negotiations of Cultural Proximity in Switzerland: A Foucauldian Reading. Journal of International Migration and Integration, 16 (4), 1213-1229. [BibTeX]
Barker-Ruchti, N. , Rynne, S. , Lee, J. & Barker, D. (2014). Athlete learning in Olympic sport. Sports Coaching Review, 3 (2), 162-178. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Barker-Ruchti, N. , Wals, A. & Tinning, R. (2014). High performance sport and sustainability: a contradiction of terms?. Reflective Practice, 15 (1), 1-11. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Barker-Ruchti, N. , Rynne, S. & Lee, J. (2014). 'Just do a little more': examining expertise in high performance sport from a sociocultural learning perspective. Reflective Practice, 15 (1), 92-105. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Barker-Ruchti, N. , Rynne, S. & Lee, J. (2014). Moving out of sports: A sociocultural examination of olympic career transitions. International journal of sports science & coaching, 9 (2), 255-270. [BibTeX]
Barker-Ruchti, N. , Barker, D. & Annerstedt, C. (2014). Techno-rational knowing and phronesis: the professional practice of one middle-distance running coach. Reflective Practice, 15 (1), 53-65. [BibTeX]
Quennerstedt, M. , Annerstedt, C. , Barker, D. , Karlefors, I. , Larsson, H. , Redelius, K. & Öhman, M. (2014). What did they learn in school today?: A method for exploring aspects of learning in physical education. European Physical Education Review, 20 (2), 282-302. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Barker-Ruchti, N. , Gerber, M. , Gerlach, E. , Sattler, S. & Pühse, U. (2014). Youths with migration backgrounds and their experiences of physical education: An examination of three cases. Sport, Education and Society, 19 (2), 186-203. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Barker-Ruchti, N. & Pühse, U. (2013). Constructive readings of interactive episodes: Examining ethics in physical education from a social constructionist perspective. Sport, Education and Society, 18 (4), 511-526. [BibTeX]
Barker-Ruchti, N. , Barker, D. , Sattler, S. , Gerber, M. & Pühse, U. (2013). Sport-'It's Just Healthy': Locating Healthism within Discourses of Social Integration. Journal of ethnic and migration studies, 39 (5), 759-772. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Barker-Ruchti, N. , Gerber, M. , Gerlach, E. , Sattler, S. , Bergman, M. & Pühse, U. (2013). Swiss youths, migration and integrative sport: A critical-constructive reading of popular discourse. European Journal for Sport and Society, 10 (2), 143-160. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Barker-Ruchti, N. , Rynne, S. B. & Lee, J. (2012). Olympism as education: Analysing the learning experiences of elite athletes. Educational review (Birmingham), 64 (3), 369-384. [BibTeX]
Barker-Ruchti, N. , Barker, D. , Rynne, S. & Lee, J. (2012). 'One door closes, a next door opens up somewhere': The learning of one Olympic synchronised swimmer. Reflective Practice, 13 (3), 373-385. [BibTeX]
Gerber, M. , Barker, D. , Barker-Ruchti, N. , Gerlach, E. , Sattler, S. , Knöpfli, M. , Müller, C. & Pühse, U. (2011). Sport und soziale Integration: Begriffserklärung und Konzeption der Basler SSINC-Studie. Sportunterricht, 60 (2), 227-231. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Barker-Ruchti, N. , Sattler, S. , Gerber, M. & Pühse, U. (2011). Understanding youths with migration backgrounds and their relations to physical education. Sportunterricht, 60 (8), 239-242. [BibTeX]

Articles, reviews/surveys

Lindgren Fjellner, R. , Varea, V. & Barker, D. (2024). How physical education teachers are positioned in models scholarship: a scoping review. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 29 (4), 329-345. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Varea, V. , Bergentoft, H. & Schubring, A. (2023). Body image in physical education: a narrative review. Sport, Education and Society, 28 (7), 824-841. [BibTeX]
Quennerstedt, M. , Barker, D. , Johansson, A. & Korp, P. (2021). The relation between teaching physical education and discourses on body weight: an integrative review of research. Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, 12 (3), 287-305. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Wallhead, T. & Quennerstedt, M. (2017). Student learning through interaction in physical education. European Physical Education Review, 23 (3), 273-278. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Bergentoft, H. & Nyberg, G. (2017). What would physical educators know about movement education? A review of literature. Quest (National Association for Physical Education in Higher Education), 69 (4), 419-435. [BibTeX]

Chapters in books

Gerlach, E. , Barker, D. , Knöpfli, M. & Gerber, M. (2017). Evaluation der SSINC-Intervention. In: Gerber, M.; Pühse, U., Sport, Migration und soziale Integration: Eine empirische Studie zur Bedeutung des Sports bei Jugendlichen (pp. 224-250). Zurich: Seismo. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. & Bergman, M. M. (2017). Mixed methods and integration. In: Gerber, M., Pühse, U, Sport, Migration und soziale Integration: Eine empirische Studie zur Bedeutung des Sports bei Jugendlichen (pp. 117-122). . Seismo. [BibTeX]
Knöpfli, M. , Barker, D. , Gerlach, E. , Müller, C. , Pühse, U. & Gerber, M. (2017). SSINC-Intervention: theoretische Fundierung, Konzeption und praktische Umsetzung einer Intervention zum interkulturellen Lernen und zur Förderung sozialer Intergration im Sportunterricht. In: Gerber, M., Pühse, U., Sport, Migration und soziale Integration: Eine empirische Studie zur Bedeutung des Sports bei Jugendlichen (pp. 208-223). . Seismo. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. & Lundvall, S. (2017). Transformative Pedagogy in Physical Education and the Challenges of Young People with Migration Backgrounds. In: Ennis, C. D.; Armour, K.; Chen, A.; Garn, A. C.; Mauerberg-deCastro, E.; Penney, D.; Silverman, S. J.; Solomon, M. A.; Tinning, R., Routledge Handbook of Physical Education Pedagogies (pp. 356-368). London: Routledge. [BibTeX]
Sattler, S. , Barker, D. & Barker-Ruchti, N. (2017). Zur Basler SSINC-Studie - ein Mixed Method-Projekt: Befunde aus den qualitativen Interviews. In: Markus Gerber, Uwe Pühse, Sport, Migration und soziale Integration: Eine empirische Studie zur Bedeutung des Sports bei Jugendlichen. Zürich: Seismo. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Nielsen, J. , Wahlström, M. , Barker-Ruchti, N. , Carlén, U. & Maivorsdotter, N. (2016). Jacob and Martin: Developing digital technology competence in physical education teacher education. In: Ashley Casey, Victoria A. Goodyear & Kathleen M. Armour, Digital Technologies and Learning in Physical Education: Pedagogical Cases (pp. 231-246). . Taylor & Francis Group. [BibTeX]
Larsson, H. , Annerstedt, C. , Barker, D. , Karlefors, I. , Quennerstedt, M. , Redelius, K. & Öhman, M. (2014). Idrott och hälsa: ett ämne för lärande?. In: Resultatdialog 2014 (pp. 120-128). Stockholm: Vetenskapsrådet. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Barker-Ruchti, N. , Gerber, M. & Pühse, U. (2014). Maria: Italian, female, and pursuing dreams of elite soccer success in Switzerland. In: Kathleen Armour, Pedagogical Cases in Physical Education and Youth Sport (pp. 171-183). . Taylor & Francis. [BibTeX]

Collections (editor)

Barker-Ruchti, N. (ed.) & Barker, D. (ed.) (2015). Sustainability in high performance sport: current practices - future directions. London: Routledge. [BibTeX]

Conference papers

Tolgfors, B. , Barker, D. , Nyberg, G. & Larsson, H. (2023). Bedömning för och av lärande i en icke-linjär undervisningspraktik i ämnet idrott och hälsa. Paper presented at SVEBIs årskonferens, Göteborg, Sverige, 23-24 november, 2023. [BibTeX]
Schubring, A. , Bergentoft, H. , Barker, D. , Korp, P. , Quennerstedt, M. & Johansson, A. (2021). Overweight and ideal bodies: a tricky educational matter in contemporary Physical Education. In: Book of Abstracts 2021 AIESEP Scientific Conference, University of Alberta, McGill University. Paper presented at 2021 AIESEP International Scientific Conference,[DIGITAL], June 7-10, 2021. (pp. 212-212). [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Quennerstedt, M. , Johansson, A. & Korp, P. (2021). Physical education teachers and competing obesity discourses. Paper presented at Body learning and Diversity Seminar, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, December 21, 2021. [BibTeX]
Larsson, H. , Quennerstedt, M. , Caldeborg, A. , Janemalm, L. , Ridderlund, S. , Segolsson, J. , Vesterlund, S. , Barker, D. & et al. (2017). Teachers as researchers investigating their PE practice!. Paper presented at British Educational Research Association BERA-conference in University of Sussex, Brighton, 4th-7th sept 2017. [BibTeX]
Larsson, H. , Quennerstedt, M. , Lundvall, S. , Nyberg, G. & Barker, D. (2016). Normkritisk idrottsundervisning. In: SVEBI-konferens 2016. Paper presented at SVEBI-konferens 2016, Örebro, 16-17 November, 2016. [BibTeX]
Quennerstedt, M. & Barker, D. (2016). Power relations in Physical Education group work: a Foucauldian analysis. In: AIESEP International Association for Physical Education in Higher Education. Paper presented at AIESEP International Association for Physical Education in Higher Education 2016, 8-11 June, 2016, Laramie, USA. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Quennerstedt, M. & Annerstedt, C. (2014). Embodied interaction in physical education: examining group work from a multimodal perspective. Paper presented at AIESEP World Congress 10-13 February 2014, Auckland, New Zealand. [BibTeX]
Larsson, H. , Annerstedt, C. , Barker, D. , Karlefors, I. , Quennerstedt, M. , Redelius, K. & Öhman, M. (2014). Physical education: a subject for learning?. Paper presented at AIESEP World Congress 10-13 February 2014, Auckland, New Zealand. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Quennerstedt, M. & Annerstedt, C. (2013). Facilitating group work in physical education: working with post-Vygotskian ideas. Paper presented at Nordplus-Idrott conference, Odense, Denmark, may 6-8, 2013. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Quennerstedt, M. & Annerstedt, C. (2013). Inter-student interactions and student learning in Health and Physical Education: A post-Vygotskian analysis. Paper presented at British Educational Research Association - BERA Conference in Cardiff 3-5 september 2013. [BibTeX]
Barker, D. , Annerstedt, C. & Quennerstedt, M. (2012). Examining groupwork in health and physical education: emerging findings from a Vygotskian analysis. Paper presented at SVEBIs forskningskonferens, Perspektiv på idrottens prestationssystem – från debut till avslut, Umeå, 14-15 nov, 2012. [BibTeX]

Manuscripts

Lindgren Fjellner, R. , Barker, D. & Quennerstedt, M. The act of teaching in student-centred Physical Education : The case of enacting the practising model in Swedish secondary school. [BibTeX]