Secondary physical education teaching methods course: through the lens of the preservice teachers

ABSTRACT

Public school secondary physical education needs support. One approach in assisting is to improve the next generation of preservice physical education teachers (PPETs). The purpose of the study was to explore PPET secondary physical education training through the secondary teaching methods course offered in two universities in the US. A total of 14 PPETs participated in the study. Qualitative methods were employed through a phenomenological framework. Semi-structured interviews were analyzed using constant comparative methods [Kolb (2012). Grounded theory and the constant comparative method: Valid research strategies for educators. Journal of Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policy Studies, 3(1), 83–86]. Two themes emerged: (a) PPETs have a stronghold on management, as they displayed feelings of high importance towards this topic, and (b) preparing for quality instruction when cooperating teachers are not, resulting in PPETs’ questioning the importance of lesson planning. PPETs views on the misalignment of university and district practices are troubling and suggest university and K-12 partnerships to be formed. Future research should examine ways to improve field experiences associated with these courses.

KEYWORDS:

• Secondary teaching methods courses
• college physical education students
• secondary physical education teacher preparation
• curriculum and pedagogical knowledge

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Michael Hodges

Michael Hodges serves as an Assistant Professor at Bronx Community College and holds a doctorate degree in Curriculum and Instruction with an Emphasis in Physical Education from Arizona State University. He has a wide-range of teaching and coaching experiences working 6 years in the K-12 public school system in Arizona and serving as both an interscholastic and collegiate football coach. His passion resides in reshaping K-12 physical education curriculum and creating useful tools for professionals to make teaching more exciting and effective.

Ashley Phelps

Ashley Phelps is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Physical Education Teacher Education program at the University of New Mexico. Ashley’s research is in technology in physical education, attitudes towards technology use in physical education, and the impact of augmented reality on physical activity patterns among youth and adolescents.

Robert Knipe

Robert Knipe is a Doctoral Candidate in the department of Curriculum and Instruction at The University of Texas at Austin. Knipe’s area of research is occupational socialisation of preservice teachers through PETE Faculty and the impact this socialisation has on their subjective warrant as teachers and professors.

Brooke Doherty

Brooke Doherty is a Doctoral Candidate in the department of Curriculum and Instruction at The University of Texas at Austin. Her research interests are related to fitness testing and fitness self-testing in schools and higher education.

Jeff Colburn

Jeffrey Colburn is a Doctoral Candidate in the department of Curriculum and Instruction at The University of Texas at Austin. Colburn’s area of research is the professional learning of physical education teachers from undergraduate preservice experiences into and through inservice careers.

Xiaofen D. Hamilton

Xiaofen Hamilton is a professor in the dept. of Curriculum and Instruction, The University of Texas at Austin. Her research interests are related to teacher preparation in PETE programs, focusing on the role of teaching methods courses and curriculum design. She is also interested in technology and youth fitness testing in schools.