Grounded Theory

How to Turn Classroom Experiences into T

� Qualitative Research — How to Turn Classroom Experiences into Theory with Grounded Theory

Hello, this is Young-in teacher (research notes edition)! :)

As we teach, we often walk away with nagging questions like,
“Why does Class 1 go so smoothly, but Class 2 always feels so chaotic?”
“What made that student suddenly start liking PE?”

Grounded Theory is a qualitative research method that starts exactly from these kinds of lived classroom questions and builds theory from the ground up.
In other words, it’s not just a tool for writing a thesis, but a way to solve the mysteries of your own classroom and build your personal teaching philosophy.

1️⃣ Grounded Theory in one line (Bottom-up)

Grounded Theory is a method of creating theory from the “ground” up, based on rich, real-world data such as:

Students’ words

Classroom scenes

Teacher’s field notes and memos

Instead of taking some big, existing theory and trying to “test” it, we begin with a question like:

“In my own class, this same pattern keeps showing up —
how can I explain it in terms of concepts and processes?”

2️⃣ Why is it such a good fit for teachers?

Because in elementary PE and play-based lessons, there are many subtle processes of change that are very hard to capture with numbers alone.

Examples:

Same game, but one class is fully engaged while another just skims the surface → (interaction patterns)

Over 4 weeks of YOU.FO, how does students’ idea of “fun” change in their own words? → (change in perception)

While using character-education bracelets, how do responsibility and caring appear and develop step by step? → (growth process)

Whenever we want to know,

“So… how exactly is this change happening over time (Process)?”,

Grounded Theory becomes a research lens that fits the classroom especially well.

3️⃣ Core steps of Grounded Theory (simple version)

It may look complicated at first, but the basic logic is quite simple:

[Collect → Name → Group → Build a story]

Data collection Lesson journals, students’ reflections, short interviews, activity photos, etc.

Open Coding Read through the data and attach short labels (codes) to meaningful segments. e.g., “Afraid of making mistakes”, “Feels relieved when partner helps”

Axial Coding Group similar codes together into broader categories. e.g., early anxiety, relational support, emerging desire to challenge

Selective Coding

Find the core story that runs through everything and summarize it as
“the process of change in my class” — this becomes your grounded theory.

It doesn’t have to be some grand PhD-level theory.
For teacher-research, the goal is to discover:

“The working principles that actually make sense in my school context.”

4️⃣ An example directly connected to your classroom

Let’s say we’re doing a study on a unit of YOU.FO as a new sport in PE.

You might end up with a result like this:

“In YOU.FO lessons, students’ engagement develops through the stages of
[Initial skill anxiety] → [Relational safety with peers] → [Challenging engagement].”

A single sentence like this is already a strong grounded theory outcome.
It also gives you a clear instructional insight for the next unit:

“Ah, in the early lessons I really need to create a sense of relational safety first!”

� Research Application – Young-in Teacher’s TIP! (For teacher-researchers)

✅ Tip ① Build a simple “research lesson journal” routine

Don’t make it complicated!

For each unit, choose just 1–2 key lessons and, right after class, jot down 3 things in 3–5 short lines:

Students’ overall reactions (atmosphere)

One memorable student quote

Your own intuitive feeling as the teacher

When these notes pile up, they become golden data later when you start coding.

✅ Tip ② Try coding together with a colleague

Share a portion of your data with:

A fellow PE teacher in the next class, or

Members of your PlayGround teacher research community.

Read the same excerpt together and ask:

“How would you interpret this student’s statement? What code would you give it?”

Through that conversation:

The trustworthiness of your research increases, and

The feeling of “I’m doing this all alone…” disappears.

� In Closing

Grounded Theory gives teachers the power to look at their own classroom with a truly professional lens.

A passing student comment,
a tiny gesture during an activity,
a small moment in a game—

through your research, these can all become part of a meaningful theory.

I hope you’ll experience at least once what it feels like to turn your everyday classroom into research that shines. ✨

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