“My Methods Courses Feel Like Walmart”: Influence of Secondary Organizational Socialization on Early Career Faculty Members’ Implementation of PETE

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe the influence of secondary organizational socialization on seven early career faculty members’ (FMs’) implementation of physical education teacher education (PETE). Data were collected with four qualitative techniques and analyzed with standard interpretive methods. FMs delivered PETE that was either a hybrid of the traditional/craft and behavioristic orientations to teacher education or of the critical inquiry, traditional/craft, and behavioristic orientations. Cultural elements and conditions that helped or hindered FMs’ in PETE were identified. FMs coped with negative and unfavorable elements of their cultures and conditions by fully complying with, strategically complying with, and strategically redefining their situations, or finding a new position. The stories of these FMs should inspire administrators, senior colleagues, and those training doctoral students to reflect on the degree to which they help or hinder neophyte FMs, as well as aid doctoral students preparing to make the transition into faculty positions.

Influence of Secondary Organizational Socialization on How Physical Education Teacher Education Program Coordinators Execute Their Administrative Roles and Responsibilities

“…PETE faculty in the United States typically enter higher education having obtained an advanced degree (Russell et al, 2016) and depending on their duration in the profession they can be classified as early (less than 7 years' experience), mid-(7-15 years), or late career (over 15 years). Prior research on faculty socialization indicates that the university cultures and conditions (e.g., see Brunsdon & Curtner-Smith, 2022a, 2022bCasey & Fletcher 2017) are significant to faculty members' experiences in higher education institutions. Key components of the university culture acting to assist and/or hinder PETE faculty include the ethos of the university (e.g., research or teaching), senior colleagues, administrators, and students (Brunsdon & Curtner-Smith, 2022a;2022b;Casey & Fletcher, 2012Richards et al, in press).…”

“…Prior research on faculty socialization indicates that the university cultures and conditions (e.g., see Brunsdon & Curtner-Smith, 2022a, 2022bCasey & Fletcher 2017) are significant to faculty members' experiences in higher education institutions. Key components of the university culture acting to assist and/or hinder PETE faculty include the ethos of the university (e.g., research or teaching), senior colleagues, administrators, and students (Brunsdon & Curtner-Smith, 2022a;2022b;Casey & Fletcher, 2012Richards et al, in press). In addition, role ambiguity between research and teaching objectives as informed by the focus of the institution are also prevalent at universities that maintain 'businesslike' cultures (i.e., universities that base program success on metrics only, and attempt to eradicate programs with low student enrollments, and/or programs that are not 'financially worthwhile') (Enright et al, 2017;Richards et al, in press;Solmon et al, 2020;Sparkes, 2021).…”

“…Of course, not all faculty experience the 'pull' and are often required to deploy coping strategies when the cultures and conditions are perceived as negative and unfavorable (Brunsdon & Curtner-Smith, 2022a, 2022bCasey & Fletcher, 2012. These strategies include fully complying with the cultures and conditions that are seen as positive and favorable, strategically complying with and/or attempting to redefine components that were negative and unfavorable, and finding a new position when the cultures and conditions were most hostile.…”

“…Research indicates that early career faculty are more likely to strategically comply when learning the 'ins and outs' of the institution while mid-career faculty are more likely to redefine their cultures and conditions upon receiving tenure and promotion and PETE COORDINATORS V3. September 9, 2022 7 after entering leadership positions (Brunsdon & Curtner-Smith, 2022a, 2022bCasey & Fletcher, 2017). Unlike the initial organizational phase, there also appears to be little evidence indicating that faculty members' perspectives and practices toward PETE become 'washed out' during this secondary phase (Casey & Fletcher, 2012), although they can become 'watered down' (Park & Curtner-Smith, 2018).…”

“…The research described in this paper was our attempt to build on only a handful of studies presently available that are focused on this final phase (Brunsdon & Curtner-Smith, 2022a, 2022bMerrem & Curtner-Smith, 2018;Park & Curtner-Smith, 2018;Richards et al, in press).…”