UNC Greensboro|Directory|Ben Dyson

Ben Dyson

Ben Dyson

Professor

Kinesiology

Email Address: bpdyson@uncg.edu

Phone: 336.334.3187

Bio & Education

Dr. Ben (Benedict) Dyson, Professor of Kinesiology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, has dedicated over three decades to enhancing education, health, physical education, and student well-being through innovative research and practical teaching strategies in K-12 schools. Ben is internationally recognized as a researcher in Health and Physical Education in the areas of research on innovative curriculum and pedagogy in Health and Physical Education, Cooperative Learning (CL) as a pedagogical practice, and scholarship in Social and Emotional Learning and more recently Self-Compassion.

Ben’s area of scholarship has always involved school-based qualitative research with teachers and with students, which has contributed to the evidence base on effective pedagogy for children’s Physical Education, Health, and well-being. He has carried out research and taught at McGill University, Montreal, Canada, the University of New Hampshire, the University of Memphis, and the University of Auckland, Aotearoa-New Zealand. Ben has presented at over 100 national and international conferences and has published over 90 refereed research articles, editorials, book chapters, and books. His research has been cited over 8,000 times (h-index 43). Since 2021, Dr. Dyson has been acknowledged for his scholarly excellence as Elsevier BV rated him in the top 2% globally for both 1) career-long and 2) single recent year impact of academics in Kinesiology in his sub-field: https://elsevier.digitalcommonsdata.com/datasets/

Ben served as Program Chair for Research on Learning & Instruction in Physical Education Special Interest Group at the American Education Research Association (AERA) 1999-2002. From 2012-2016, he was the Co-Editor of the Journal of Teaching in Physical Education. In 2017-2020, Ben served as Chair for Research on Learning & Instruction in Physical Education Special Interest Group at AERA. Ben’s work was awarded the “Exemplary Paper Award” from the AERA, Research on Learning and Instruction in Physical Education, in 2011. In 2018, he was re-elected to the board of the International Association Internationale des Écoles Supérieures d’Éducation Physique (AIESEP.org). While on the AIESEP Board, he created the Developing Country Scholar Award that helped support dozens of scholars from developing countries (through fundraising) to attend international conferences.

In his spare time, Ben enjoys hiking in the North Carolina Parks system. He is an avid kayaker and has recently taken up paddleboarding. He takes time to downhill ski annually and has a road bike that keeps him in shape. Most of his cooking is done on the grill: salmon, lamb, shrimp, and veggie skewers. He is also an avid gardener.

Courses Taught

  • KIN 701 Research Topics in Kinesiology
  • KIN 716 Action-Oriented Research in Kinesiology
  • KIN 717 Qualitative Research Methods in Kinesiology
  • KIN 799 Dissertation
  • KIN 802 Dissertation Extension

HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION PODCAST

Pedagogy Seminar Reflection, Podcast 174

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Dyson, B. (2026). Holistic Physical Education and Health Education for Kinesiology. Kinesiology Review. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1123/kr.2025-0051

Bjørke, L., & Dyson, B. (2026). Rethinking group processing as part of cooperative learning pedagogies in physical education practice. Quest. 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2026.2625062

Lee, Y., Chu, T. L., & Dyson, B. (Ahead of print). Nurturing Inner Strength: Teaching Self-compassion in Physical Education. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance. https://doi.org/10.1080/07303084.2025.2533145.

Dyson, B., Baek, S., Lee, Y., Fowler, J., & Stuttle, K. (2025). Teachers’ perspectives of Social and Emotional Learning in the United States elementary schools. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education.

Dyson, B., Baek, S., Howley, D., Lee, Y., & Fowler, J. (2024). Students’ perspectives of social and emotional learning in a high school physical education program. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 43,549-556. https://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.2023-0090.

Dyson, B. Shen, Y., Howley., & Baek, S. (2023) Social Emotional Learning Matters: Interpreting Educators’ Perspectives at A High-needs Rural Elementary School. Frontiers in Education-Educational Psychology, 8. 1-10. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1100667

Wibowo, J., Gaum, C., Krieger, C., & Dyson,B. (2023). Bildung: A German student-centered approach to Health and Physical Education, European Physical Education Review, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X221133060

Dyson, B., Howley, D., Shen, Y., Baek, S., Fowler, J., & Lingle, J. (2023). The Health and Physical Education Creative Pedagogies Seminar Series: Experiences and learnings from international scholars, applied practices, and diverse contexts. Advance online publication. Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, 14,(3),375-391. https://doi.org/10.1080/25742981.2022.2155201

Dyson, B., Howley, D., & Shen, Y. (2022). “It’s not just about listening to the teacher”: Unpacking experiences of interactional strategies to develop social and emotional learning in Aotearoa New Zealand. The Elementary School Journal, 122, (2). https://doi.org/10.1086/716713

Dyson, B., Shen, Y., & Hemphill, M. (2022). School Educators’ Perspectives on Restorative Practices in Aotearoa, New Zealand Elementary Schools, The New Educator, 18,(1-2), 132-147, https://10.1080/1547688X.2022.2044099

Dyson, B., Howley, D., & Shen, Y. (2021). “It’s Not Just About Listening to the Teacher” Unpacking Experiences of Interactional Strategies to Develop Social and Emotional Learning in Aotearoa New Zealand. The elementary school journal, 122(2).

Dyson, B., Howley, D., & Shen, Y. (2021). “Wow! They’re Teaching Each Other”: Primary Teachers’ Perspectives of Implementing Cooperative Learning to Accomplish Social and Emotional Learning in Aotearoa New Zealand Physical Education. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education.

Dyson, B., Howley, D., & Wright, P. (2021). A scoping review critically examining research connecting social and emotional learning with three model-based practices in physical education: Have we been doing this all along? European Physical Education Review. 27(1):76-95.

Dyson, B., Howley, D., & Shen, Y. (2020). ‘Being a team, working together, and being kind’: Primary students’ perspectives of cooperative learning’s contribution to their social and emotional learning. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy. 26(2), 137-154.

Dyson, B., Howley, D., & Shen, Y. (2019). Teachers’ perspectives of Social and Emotional Learning in Aotearoa New Zealand primary schools. Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning.

Dyson, B. (2019). Cooperative Learning: A model-based practice in physical education. Guest Editor. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. 90, (3), 10-133.

Dyson, B., Gordon, B., & Landi, D. (2018). The futures of Health and Physical Education in Aotearoa New Zealand. In Hal Lawson Redesigning Physical Education Because Every Child Matters. London, UK: Routledge.

Dyson, B., Cowan, J., Gordon, B., Powell, D. & Shulruf, B. (2018). Physical education in Aotearoa New Zealand primary schools: Teachers’ Perceptions and policy implications. European Physical Education Review, 1-20. DOI: 10.1177/1356336X17698083.

Dyson, B., Colby, R., & Barratt, M. (2016). The Co-construction of Cooperative Learning in Physical Education: Generalist classroom teachers’ perspectives. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 34(4), 370-380.

Dyson, B. & Casey, A. (2016). Cooperative Learning in Physical Education and Physical Activity: A practical introduction. London, UK: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-138-82619-9.

Dyson, B. (2014). Quality Physical Education: A Commentary on Effective Physical Education Teaching. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 85 (2), 144-152.

Dyson, B. & Dryden, C. (2014). Cooperative Learning: Social Skill Development in Physical Education. ACHPER Active and Healthy Magazine, 21, 2/3. 6-11.

Clarke, TC., Fleming, T., Bullen, P., Crengle, S., Denny, S., Dyson, B., Peiris-John, R., Robinson, E., Rossen, F., Sheridan, J., Teevale, T., Utter, J., & Lewy, S. (2013). Health and wellbeing of secondary school students in New Zealand: Trends between 2001, 2007 and 2012. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 47,(11), 925-934.

Dyson, B., & Casey, A. (2012). Cooperative learning in physical education: A research-based approach. London, UK: Routledge.

Selected National & International Conference Presentations

Dyson, B., Lee, Y., Baek, S., Chu, A., & Fowler, J. (April 2026). How do high school students perceive and experience self-compassion in physical education? Presented at the SIG at the 2026 American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Dyson, B., Lee, Y., Baek, S., Howley, D., Shen, Y., & Fowler, J. (June 2026). Holistic Physical Education and Health Education for Kinesiology. Association Internationale des Écoles Supérieures d’Éducation Physique (AIESEP), Taipei, Taiwan.

Dyson, B. (June 2026). Pedagogy of the Possible: Holistic Physical Education and Health Education for Kinesiology. The National East Asia Alliance of Sport Pedagogy. June 2026. Taipei, Taiwan.

Dyson, B. (September 2025). A Holistic Approach to Physical Education and Health Education for Kinesiology. Presented at the National Academy of Kinesiology, Pittsburgh, PA.

Dyson, B., Lee, Y., Baek, S., Chu, A., & Fowler, J. (May 2025). Students’ perspectives of Social and Emotional Learning and Group Processing in Physical Education. Association Internationale des Écoles Supérieures d’Éducation Physique (AIESEP), St. Petersburg, FL, USA.

Dyson, B., Lee, Y., Baek, S., & Fowler, J. (June 2024). Social and Emotional Learning Group in Health and Physical Education. Association Internationale des Écoles Supérieures d’Éducation Physique (AIESEP), Jyväskylä, Finland.