Research on Teaching in Physical Education Doctoral Dissertations: A Detailed Investigation of Focus, Method, and Analysis

Abstract

As a part of their doctoral education, students complete a dissertation. Examining these dissertations can provide one analysis of research in a field. The primary purpose of this study was to analyze all physical education dissertations with a teaching focus that were completed between 1985 and 1999. All possible dissertations were examined through the electronic version of Dissertation Abstracts International. For the teaching dissertations (n = 201), each abstract was coded for (a) research type, (b) research focus, (c) student variable measured, (d) observation used, (e) interview used, (f) other methods used, (g) population, (h) general methodology, and (i) statistics reported/used. Most research on teaching dissertations addressed issues related to teacher effectiveness and focused on motor skill learning and attitude. There was an increase in qualitative methods from those reported in a previous study (Silverman, 1987). While there were methodological advances, many dissertations still used methods that were not informed by the research methods literature.

Interventionin physical education and sport: trends and developments in a decade of Francophone research

“…This orientation of Francophone studies towards heuristic research seems to contrast with Anglophone research, even though qualitative research has recently come to dominate (Silverman and Manson 2003;Ward and Ko 2006;Kirk 2010). Indeed, analysing more than 500 theses in physical education from 1985 till 1999, Silverman and Manson (2003) underline the ascendancy of research centred on the efficiency of the teacher (93%), among which 43% of research centred on the comparison of various teaching methods and 23% on descriptive research, while 4% of the research was concerned the cognition of the teacher and 4% with the development of tools for pedagogy. A previous study by Silverman and Skonie (1997) analysing 179 research articles in physical education published between 1980 and 1994 reported similar trends.…”

“…After several readings of the texts, initial categories were developed a posteriori and pre-tested. Categories were modified or added if necessary (Silverman and Manson 2003). For example, we observed that researchers sometimes pursue two research aims (to understand and to transform the practices).…”

“…Research in how students develop perceptions is clearly needed (Lee 1997). Indeed, additional research on student attitude, cognition and decision making will enhance what we know about students' thoughts and feelings in PE and will provide greater insight (Silverman and Manson 2003).…”

“…the analysis of the scientific programmes of congresses), we can nevertheless, with appropriate care, draw on analyses of trends in Anglophone publications (e.g. Silverman and Skonie 1997;Silverman and Manson 2003;Ward and Ko 2006;Kulinna et al 2009;Kirk 2010) to highlight the specificities of Francophone traditions in research on intervention/pedagogy. ARIS seeks to promote and spread research concerning the system of intervention in the field of the physical and sports activities.…”

Efecto de una intervención basada en el modelo de Educación Deportiva sobre variables psicológicas en nadadores federados

“…Los estudios que predominan en este contexto, se centran en conocer las sinergias entre las principales variables de entrenamiento y las variables psicoló-gicas que optimizan el rendimiento deportivo (Bompa, 2003;Platonov y Bulatova, 2007). En el contexto escolar no obstante, está definida por estudios que se centran en conocer el efecto de determinadas variables de proceso, sobre la experiencia de aprendizaje de los alumnos (Silverman y Manson, 2003). Una de las variables que se analiza, es el modelo de enseñanza.…”