Dissertation: Understanding the Pedagogical Significance of Learning and Teaching Human Movement in Physiotherapy

What did you study?

This dissertation explored how physiotherapy professionals – clinicians, educators and students, understand human movement from a pedagogical perspective. It comprised three studies. Studies I and II were phenomenographic substudies that examined the perceptions of physiotherapy students and experienced physiotherapists. In Study III, I compiled and critically evaluated the results of previous international qualitative research through a systematic literature review and metasynthesis.

What were the results of your research? What is your main finding?

The main finding of this dissertation is the importance of understanding the pedagogical significance of learning and teaching human movement in physiotherapy through the concept of Human Movement Literacy (HML), which comprises four interrelated elements and three pedagogical drivers. These four essential elements are movement embodiment, movement quality, shared interaction and the promotion of action, and they underscore the need to cultivate a deeper, more holistic understanding of learning and teaching human movement in physiotherapy education and practice. The three pedagogical drivers that emerged as essential for advancing this understanding are: respectful consideration of movement diversity, acknowledgement of otherness and the cultivation of a critical attitude.

How can the results be applied in practice? What new knowledge does this research provide?

By conceptualising HML and identifying its critical pedagogical principles, this dissertation provides a novel perspective of physiotherapy as an educational and clinical discipline. It also reveals a significant gap in the research on the views of higher education teachers of physiotherapy, highlighting the need for further studies in this area. Ultimately, this work contributes to the development of physiotherapy pedagogy by offering tools and concepts that promote the integration of learning and teaching HML into both professional education and practice.

• Sirpa Ahola will defend her doctoral dissertation in health sciences (physiotherapy) –‘Understanding the Pedagogical Significance of Learning and Teaching Human Movement in Physiotherapy’ – on Friday, 15 May 2026 at 12:00 in Room S212 of the Seminarium building at the University of Jyväskylä. Her opponent will be Professor Camilla Ann-Louise Koskinen (University of Stavanger, Norway).
• Custos: Senior Lecturer Pirjo Vuoskoski (University of Jyväskylä).
• Language of the examination: Finnish.
• More information: Sirpa Ahola, sirpa.v.ahola@student.jyu.fi 
   
• Direct transmission: Dissertation, Sirpa Ahola, 15 May 2026:  https://r.jyu.fi/dissertation-ahola-150526  
   
• Publication in JYX-archive: https://jyx.jyu.fi/jyx/Record/jyx_123456789_110107?sid=299839831