A longitudinal study of physical education trainee teachers’ experiences on school placements in the south-east of England (1994-2004)

Abstract

This research highlights issues relating to Physical Education (PE) and Initial Teacher Education (ITE) over the last ten years. The discussion is based upon data collected from three separate surveys of trainee teachers and their teaching experiences of PE during statutory periods of school-based training. The samples used in this, the most recent survey and in our previous surveys, were four-year undergraduate trainee PE teachers studying a Bachelor of Arts Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) degree course at a university in the south-east of England with a strong tradition of PE teacher training. The secondary schools used for school-based training by the university covered the south-east region of England and included state, independent and single-sex schools. The trainees had all completed the statutory thirty-two weeks of school-based experience. A questionnaire was formulated after discussions with trainees based on their continued professional development. The results of this latest survey (2000-4) have been analysed in the light of our previous two surveys (1994-8; 1997-2001). Hence, this article constitutes a longitudinal study covering the period 1994-2004. Key findings are identified in the areas of gender, examination experiences, the use of information and communications technology (ICT) and national curriculum activity areas of study. This article identifies areas where there have been some changes to practice, as well as demonstrating aspects where little has changed in the last ten years of ITE.

Moving beyond physical education subject knowledge to develop knowledgeable teachers of the subject

“…Thus, there is a self-perpetuating cycle and prior socialisation is reinforced. Stidder and Hayes (2006) suggest that although this may better prepare trainee teachers to teach specific activities in a specific school, it does not help to prepare them as teachers of children and not of the subject. Flintoff and Scraton (2006, p. 774) argue that physical education teacher training ‗prepare[s] students to teach in schools -as they are‖, rather than as they might be'.…”

“…However, research has shown that many physical education teachers are motivated to enter the profession because of their experiences, and success, in sport as opposed to physical education (e.g. Stidder and Hayes, 2006).…”

Making physical education relevant: increasing the impact of initial teacher training

“…Some of these experiences are likely to be stronger than others for a number of reasons. For example, research has shown that many physical education teachers are motivated to enter the profession because of their experiences, and success, in sport as opposed to physical education (see, for example, Stidder and Hayes, 2006).…”

“…Thus, gender has a significant impact on the socialisation of trainee physical education teachers (see for example, Brown, 2005;Flintoff and Scraton, 2001;Rich, 2001;Stidder and Hayes, 2006).…”

Physical Education in the UK: disconnections and reconnections

“…Beliefs formed by trainee physical education teachers prior to their training are not easily changed, and research suggests that teacher training has relatively little impact on trainee teachers (Evans, Davies, and Penney 1996;Green 1998;Placek et al 1995;Curtner-Smith 1999;Tsangaridou 2006). Research suggests that many physical education teachers are motivated to enter teaching because of their successes in sport, not in physical education (Stidder and Hayes 2006). These experiences, beliefs and values about the nature of physical education become crystallised through a process of occupational socialisation during initial training placements and first professional appointments, and continue to grow in structure and size as trainee teachers' perceptions of their role are shaped by their colleagues and the structures within which they are required to work (Lawson 1983a(Lawson , 1983bCurtner-Smith, Hastie, and Kinchin 2008).…”