The interaction of factors which influence secondary student physical education teachers’ knowledge and development as teachers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to look at the influence of and interrelationships between concerns and socialization on the development of student physical education (PE) teachers’ knowledge for teaching and their development as teachers. Six secondary student PE teachers completed a journal on a monthly basis throughout the course of a one-year initial teacher education course. These student teachers and their mentors were interviewed in school towards the end of their course in June. Responses were analysed inductively. A major factor influencing these student teachers’ development throughout the year was their concerns about themselves, their teaching and the material they were to teach over-ridden by concern to pass the course. This was influenced by the student teachers’ socialization prior to and during the course. In turn, this influenced their views of the importance and value of knowledge developed on different parts of the course. The results are discussed in relation to student teachers’ development as teachers

An investigation of pre-service teachers’ learning in physical education teacher education: schools and university in partnership

“…PSTs were particularly influenced by the legitimised practices of the PE department (Keay, 2005) and individuals who assessed them and their progress on the school-based aspect of the programme of training (Smith, 2001;Capel et al, 2011). Conseqently, there was an acceptance of roles as apprentices within the PE department and school.…”

“…As PSTs evaluated and shared ideas these were then critiqued and re-used by others, providing a platform to enhance their learning. In the English context some authors have pointed to the prioritisation of content knowledge by PSTs and school-based mentors to be a limiting factor in achieving the development of more varied and more student-centred teaching approaches (Capel et al, 2011;Hayes et al, 2008;Velija et al, 2009). The acquisition of such knowledge was also to be valued by the PSTs in this study, but their development of subject knowledge extended beyond this.…”

“…However, the quality of professional and occupational socialisation in these departments is, at times, inconsistent (Capel et al, 2011;Chambers and Armour, 2012;Green 2000;Velija et al, 2009;Rossi, 2008, 2010). Green (2000) criticises the lack of theoretically informed teaching philosophies in physical education departments.…”

“…In England the aspiration for a 'World Class System of Physical Education' which was formulated in the manifesto of the Association for Physical Education (AfPE) highlighted the importance of PETE in achieving it (AfPE, 2008). However, whilst there may be a general consensus as to such a role for PETE, the actual impact and effectiveness in facilitating transformative learning experiences in physical education continues to be questioned (Chambers and Armour, 2012;Capel et al, 2011). Velija et al (2009 identify how PETE struggles to impact on PSTs' personal philosophies of teaching.…”

“…Other research on English PETE stresses that PSTs and their mentors frequently continue to prioritise content knowledge over other knowledge bases and favour knowledge with direct practical application for the school setting during their teacher education (Kinchin, 2009). Capel et al (2011) observe that the pre-dominance of traditional sporting practices and content-centred approaches to teaching physical education in many English schools continues to present significant challenges to developing critically reflective, pupil-centred teaching practices through PETE, and is an issue of international concern (Pill, Penney and Swabey, 2012).…”