Through the years: a longitudinal study of physical education teachers from a research-based preparation program

Entering the Field of Physical Education: The Journey of Fifteen First-Year Teachers

PURPOSE

Given the significant challenges facing today's physical educators, the purpose of this study was to examine the expectations of induction teachers and identify the factors in both their personal and organizational environments enhanced or constrained their assimilation into the field during their 1st year.

METHOD

Using occupational socialization theory as a guide, data from demographic surveys and a series of formal interviews with participants at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year were inductively analyzed for theme development.

RESULTS

Results revealed positive acculturation experiences and unity regarding the purpose of physical education as preparing students to be fit for a lifetime. Barriers were noted to be family and personal crises, role conflict, isolation, marginalization, issues with classroom management and discipline, and difficulties in developing positive relationships with stakeholders. Enhancers were identified as positive interactions and rapport with students, colleagues, and administrators and favorable individual dispositions.

CONCLUSION

Implications indicate a need for purposeful physical education teacher education training to proactively address these barriers during professional preparation as well as the creation of additional support systems for beginning teachers.

The role of family and community involvement in the development and implementation of school nutrition and physical activity policy

BACKGROUND

Although there are several evidence-based recommendations directed at improving nutrition and physical activity standards in schools, these guidelines have not been uniformly adopted throughout the United States. Consequently, research is needed to identify facilitators promoting schools to implement these recommendations. Therefore, this study analyzed the 2008 School Health Profiles Principal Survey (Profiles) to explore the role of family and community involvement in school nutrition and physical activity standards.

METHODS

Survey data on nutrition and physical activity policies, as well as family and community involvement, were available for 28 states, representing 6732 secondary schools. One-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA), 2-sample t-tests, Pearson's chi-square tests, and multiple logistic and linear regression models were employed in this analysis.

RESULTS

Family and community involvement were associated with schools more frequently utilizing healthy eating strategies and offering students healthier food options. Further, involvement was associated with greater support for physical education staff and more intramural sports opportunities for students.

CONCLUSIONS

Though family and community involvement have the potential to have a positive influence on school nutrition and physical activity policies and practices, involvement remains low in schools. Increased efforts are needed to encourage collaboration among schools, families, and communities to ensure the highest health standards for all students.

Should I stay or should I go? Physical education teachers' career intentions

PURPOSE

This study investigated Finnish physical education (PE) teachers' intentions to leave the profession and the reasons behind them.

METHOD

A large sample (N = 808) of PE teachers who graduated between 1980 and 2008 (432 women, 376 men) answered a modified job satisfaction and teacher follow-up questionnaire that elicited career perceptions, intentions, and current work duties.

RESULTS

In this sample, 26% of the respondents were contemplating leaving their jobs as PE teachers and an additional 13% were actually in the process of transferring from PE teaching but planned to remain in school teaching. To determine the reasons for considering leaving the PE teaching profession, principal axis factoring with direct oblimin rotation was performed on the 35 items of the questionnaire. These factors were labeled as status of the PE teaching profession, pupils, working conditions, colleagues, expertise, workload, administration, and stress. The most influential factors were poor facilities, poor equipment, and isolation from the peers. Additional factors included working conditions, low status of the PE teachers, and workload. For women, workload and stress were more significant reasons for leaving the profession than they were for men (p = .010-.040, d = 0.34-0.43). PE teachers in the age group of 40 to 44 years old constituted the largest group who were considering leaving the profession.

CONCLUSION

Thirty-nine percent of the PE teachers considered leaving the profession. Even though PE teachers face a variety of challenges in their work, the majority intend to remain in the teaching profession. Improved resourcing and collegial support could potentially reduce PE teachers' intention to leave.

The Socialization of Teachers in Physical Education: Review and Recommendations for Future Works

Occupational socialization theory describes the acculturation, professional preparation, and organizational socialization of physical education teachers and addresses factors that contribute to their decisions and behaviors. Utilizing occupational socialization theory as a grounding framework, this paper summarizes research conducted on teacher socialization in physical education and provides recommendations for future research. Each of the three phases of socialization is reviewed as are related constructs. The paper concludes with a discussion of socialization into physical education more generally and addresses the limitations of the current body of literature. Future researchers are encouraged to continue using occupational socialization theory as a framework though which to understand the careers and pedagogical decisions of physical education teachers.

One physical educator's career cycle: strong start, great run, approaching finish

PURPOSE

This article is nested within a longitudinal project examining 6 teachers' journeys along their career cycles (Lynn & Woods, 2010; Woods & Earls, 1995; Woods & Lynn, 2001). Two participants from the initial 6 continue to teach K-12 physical education; 1 of these participants, Everett, is examined in the current study. This veteran teacher's career-cycle movement and the environmental factors that both enhanced and constrained his career development are examined through the lens of Fessler and Christensen's career cycle model (1992).

METHOD

Data sources included: 8 formal interviews with Everett; formal interviews with his university teacher educators, student-teacher supervisor, principal, and spouse; informal interviews; field notes; and systematic teaching observations. An interpretative framework was used to assess the perceptions and meanings Everett gave to experiences as a physical educator and coach.

RESULTS

Several factors acutely influenced Everett's career progression, including: (a) his individual disposition, (b) the impact and continued influence of a professional preparation program, and (c) his school and community support. He entered the profession with great promise and spent most of his career in the enthusiastic and growing, and the career stability, stages before shifting into the career frustration stage where he currently remains.

CONCLUSIONS

Everett was able to negotiate personal and organizational environmental factors that have been identified as barriers for some physical educators. Therefore, viewing his professional life through the lens of the career cycle provides insights into the areas of change necessary to motivate and retain high-quality physical educators such as Everett.

Physical education resources, class management, and student physical activity levels: a structure-process-outcome approach to evaluating physical education effectiveness

BACKGROUND

This study was conducted to empirically evaluate specific human, curricular, and material resources that maximize student opportunities for physical activity during physical education (PE) class time. A structure-process-outcome model was proposed to identify the resources that influence the frequency of PE and intensity of physical activity during PE. The proportion of class time devoted to management was evaluated as a potential mediator of the relations between resource availability and student activity levels.

METHODS

Data for this cross-sectional study were collected from interviews conducted with 46 physical educators and the systematic observation of 184 PE sessions in 34 schools. Regression analyses were conducted to test for the main effects of resource availability and the mediating role of class management.

RESULTS

Students who attended schools with a low student-to-physical educator ratio had more PE time and engaged in higher levels of physical activity during class time. Access to adequate PE equipment and facilities was positively associated with student activity levels. The availability of a greater number of physical educators per student was found to impact student activity levels by reducing the amount of session time devoted to class management.

CONCLUSION

The identification of structure and process predictors of student activity levels in PE will support the allocation of resources and encourage instructional practices that best support increased student activity levels in the most cost-effective way possible. Implications for PE policies and programs are discussed.

Pedagogy research through the years in RQES

This paper examines the growth in research on teaching, curriculum, and teacher education in Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, describing how this body of work has evolved over the past 75 years. The research stream progressed from "expert" discourses about what physical education should be to scientific approaches that have generated a body of knowledge based on evidence rather than beliefs. Investigations focused on the teaching and learning process have evolved to provide research-based benchmarks for designing teacher education programs and evaluating instruction as well as informing effective teaching practice. We advocate for a broad view of pedagogy and argue that pedagogical researchers can make an important contribution to efforts to increase levels of physical activity through interdisciplinary projects.