Implementation and outcomes of a responsibility-based continuing professional development protocol in physical education

Abstract

Research in education and physical education has emphasized the need for continuing professional development (CPD) programs that are aligned with best practices. More specifically, scholars interested in teaching personal and social responsibility (TPSR) have emphasized the need to examine teachers' CPD. The purpose of this study was to provide a novel responsibility-based CPD experience to three physical educators and examine its impact on a middle school physical education program in the USA. Data were collected through systematic observations, interviews, nonparticipant observations and document analysis. Findings showed that the physical educators increased their awareness of responsibility-based teaching strategies, perceived them to positively impact students and integrated the strategies into their teaching. Furthermore, descriptive statistics illustrate frequent use of the teaching strategies and confirms the reliability of the observation instrument. The findings suggest that systematic observations can support responsibility-based CPD for the purposes of research, peer evaluations, or as a reflection tool. The long-term approach enhanced the potential for sustainability.

Keywords:

• Peer observations
• Systematic observation
• Tools for assessing responsibility-based education