Repertoire networks among national board-certified physical education teachers

Abstract

Nearly three decades after its publication, A Nation at Risk continues to impact our educational establishment. Most notably, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards was established as a result of A Nation Prepared, Carnegie’s response to A Nation at Risk. Some contend that the national board has through its certification process fostered the emergence of communities of practice (CoP) among its certified teachers. This study attempted to identify this type of community among national board-certified physical education teachers. Sociometric and CoP survey data were collected from national board-certified physical education teachers within the state of South Carolina, followed by formal interviews. Results showed that an expansive CoP exists among these teachers, spanning nearly the entire state of South Carolina. This group of teachers was detected through use of sociometric software that facilitated the examination of pathways within this large network of board-certified teachers. Overall, this study provides strong support to the notion that the national board is, as a result of its certification process, fostering emergent CoPs among the participants in the current study.

Keywords:

• complexity theory
• communities of practice
• national board