From entry to completion: An examination of secondary physical education student
teachers expectations of initial teacher education across one PGCE course
Gary D. Kinchin
School of Education
University of Southampton
Gary D. Kinchin, PhD
Senior Lecturer in Physical Education
School of Education
Building 32
University of Southampton
Highfield
Southampton
SO17 1BJ
Tel: 023-8059-5822
Email: gdk@soton.ac.uk
Paper presented at the 2009 British Educational Research Association Conference,
University of Manchester, 1-4 September, 2009.
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Introduction
Occupational socialization offers one theoretical framework which helps explain how
teachers learn to teach (Lawson, 1986). As one element of occupational socialization,
professional socialization is defined as "the process by which . . . teachers acquire and
maintain the values, sensitivities, skills, and knowledge that are deemed ideal for physical
education teaching" (Lawson, 1983p. 4).
The influence of physical education teacher education on student teacher beliefs has been
deemed by some as quite ‘weak’. Student teacher beliefs concerning teaching and
schooling have often been developed in the period prior to student teaching, which is
known as acculturation (e.g. Doolittle et al. 1993; Lortie, 1975. Both O’Sullivan (1996)
and O’Bryant et al. (2000) have argued that the views held by entering student teachers
do need to be considered if programmes are going to impact upon their perspectives on
teaching, learning and schooling. O’Sullivan’s work points to research which seeks to
understand the starting positions student teachers have concerning the scope of physical
education teacher education, the place of the essential content within the course and the
sequence of the constituent parts. More recently Siedentop (2007) has called for further
research which seeks to learn more about those who intend to learn to teach and in
particular their ideas and beliefs regarding initial teacher education.
Within the general education literature both Hollingsworth (1989) Wideen et al (1998)
attention to the fact that the views and beliefs held by entering student teachers can be
shaped by their expectations of teaching and initial teacher education.
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Significance of expectations
Interest in expectations held by teacher education students is evident within the literature.
Early course interviews undertaken by Younger et al. (2004) revealed student teachers
had placed considerable importance on observation of experienced teachers and deemed
learning to teach to be as a consequence of making mistakes while teaching as much as
they could. Hobson et al. (2006) employed post-course interviews with student teachers
and revealed an apprenticeship orientation where specific concerns around pupil
behaviour and workload were evident at entry to the course. Malderez et al. (2007)
offered accounts from student teachers on positions they held prior to undertaking an
initial teacher education programme. Student teachers claimed they expected having
people watch them teach, watching experienced practitioners in the classroom and
studying how children learn to be the most valuable components of their programme.
Much of the research on student teachers’ expectations has collected accounts at the
conclusion of initial teacher education (e.g. Hobson et al., 2006; Malderez at al., 2007).
Scholars acknowledge the limitations of such a methodology in that the accuracy of
student recollection might be questionable as students’ perceptions may have been
influenced by their interim experiences. To this end, Kyriacou & Kunc (2006) stated;
“…we need to know more about the type of expectations students hold at the start
of their PGCE course, and the extent to which these may change in the light of
their subsequent experiences” (p.2)
This point has been further reinforced by Ashby, Hobson, Tracey et al. (2008) in
suggesting that expectations be examined across an entire initial teacher education
programme.
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Kinchin (2008) unearthed the entering expectations of initial teacher education held by 24
secondary physical education student teachers (13 males, 11 females) undertaking a
PGCE. Data were collected from participants on the first day of the course. Participants
wrote responses to a set of prompts developed through reading the published literature on
student teacher expectations [e.g. Malderez et al. 2007) and taking into account the
purposes of the research. These prompts addressed student entering expectations of; the
course in general, the content of the course, how they believe they will be taught, the
contribution of the constituent parts [school-based, university-based], and the role of the
key personnel [school-based and university-based]. As reported last year in BERA an
inductive analysis revealed a number of themes, which I will briefly offer as a reminder
of the starting points. The themes reflect statements written by student teachers.
Themes
‘Being shown’
The majority of student teachers expected to be shown the most
appropriate teaching strategies to teach the National Curriculum in Physical Education
[skills and drills] and this ‘showing’ would take place in the school under the supervision
of qualified physical education teachers
‘Guide, mentor, advisor’
Practically all student teachers conceptualised the
role of the university tutor [UT] in the above terms. The following was illustrative;
“mentors more than lecturers”
‘Addressing concerns, expecting [some] failure’
Students were concerned
with their knowledge of content & expected to spend time addressing perceived
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weaknesses, which they expressed as areas of activity [e.g. dance and gym]. Some failure
in the early stages of teaching was inevitable, but desirable, where learning to teach was
considered, to some extent to be trial and error
‘Learning actively’
Student teachers expected the pedagogy of University-
based sessions to be student-centred where theory-practice links would appear regularly
across sessions. Their descriptions of the pedagogy of the practical work pointed to a
more skills and drill didactic expectation.
‘Maximise (real) time in school with kids’
Student teachers expected to spend
most of their time in school gaining “…as much realistic practice and practical lessons as
possible”
‘Steep learning curve’
Student teaching was predicted to be a challenging
experience many claimed considerable instructional experience with learners. As one
wrote; “I am confident around children”
Data Collection and Analysis
Following the collection of these written responses interviews were employed with eight
student teachers at three points across their PGCE course [three female and 5 male]. The
first took place in November at the end of the first serial phase of the course, the second
in February just before the second extended placement and the third on the last day of the
course in June. The purpose of these interviews was to revisit their entering expectations
in light of interim experiences. Students were interviewed in two groups of three and one
pair. Interviews lasted approximately 40 minutes and were audiotaped. Data analysis
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involved reading and re-reading interview transcripts across both groups and time to
identify significant comments and themes or constructs. During this process data were
coded and categorized using analytic induction and constant comparison (Goetz &
LeCompte, 1984).
Findings
A number of themes emerged from these interviews;
Insufficient Practical
Students reflected upon the practical component within
their PGCE course. For some they claimed the attention to practical had been insufficient.
Some students expected more… “Ideas on drills to be used in the lessons” [Male].
Nearly all students hoped they would have been able to complete a number of coaching
qualifications, “…as the basis of developing our subject knowledge” [Male]
Students also discussed omissions in practical, as one stated “we missed out on a lot of
sports, such as cricket and tennis…” [Female, Interview]. A few indicated the course had
not provided the appropriate practical for them, and they did not support having to take
content classes in areas they claimed to already feel competent. “Gym and dance were
not what I needed” [Female, interview], was illustrative.
Fading out
Students reflected back upon their expectations of the university
tutor. One student summed up her exiting position;
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“At the start I thought the role of the tutor within the university would be the most
important thing but instead it has become less significant. The role of the staff in
schools, I now see as a lot more important and they have actually influenced my
teaching a lot more” [Female]
Students were consistent in stating they saw their university tutors less and less as the
course unfolded.
Both observation of their teaching and feedback from the school-based mentor, plus
opportunities to watch good teachers were ultimately deemed the most significant
influences on their development as teachers. An additional aspect of the University tutor
role did emerge; “The University tutor comes into moderate, which is helpful…and
ensures we are on a level playing field [Female, Interview].
“Chunking it”
The term ‘chunking’ appeared a number of times when
students were asked to set out their ideal form of initial teacher education in light of their
experiences across the course. Students described the serial stages of the course in a
range of ways [“bitty”, “too broken up” “disrupting routines” “not realistic for what it
will be like in September” “only get one day a week in the department”]. Their preferred
form of teacher education was to ‘chunk’ pieces in sequence of blocks of time in one of
the two separate settings. As one suggested…“Chunk the university stuff and then go
straight through….with micro-teaching opportunities at the university to solidify our
teaching” [Male]. While another proposed; “…a week of solid observation” before a
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placement begins or the use of an intense period of student teaching at the start of the
course.
Immediate practical application essential
There was general agreement that
too much time had been spent sitting during the university-based elements, as one
remarked; “we need to get up and do things”. Students appeared frustrated with delays in
not seeing if theory [e.g. differentiation, behaviour management] in lectures would work
in practice. Their suggested solution was a repeated pattern of what can best be described
as a) Theory Input b) Observe children c) We teach for application. The aforementioned
suggestion was one solution to what they perceived to be a weakness within the
university-based element in that; “…sometimes the university presents the ideal image”
[Female, Interview].
Appreciating some theory
University-based sessions on differentiation,
teaching styles & including pupils with special educational needs were highlighted in
terms of application to practice. Students claimed that more was needed on behaviour
management and assessment of pupils
Discussion
At entry student teachers placed a higher value on the practical and school based
components. This position persisted and at completion were still deemed the most
valuable and helpful elements of their initial teacher education (Hobson, 2002). The
entering position that they would learn more from school was realized in their view
(Williams & Soares, 2002).
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Indirectly, the initial expectations of student teachers in terms of course content made
reference to known sources of teacher concerns for self (Fuller, 1969). At exit the student
teachers still demonstrated a concern for self which they attributed to the course not
having offered sufficient assistance with behavioural management
It was evident that the school-based mentor emerged as the most significant figure within
the student teacher’s programme. In this study, the university tutor retained much of their
expected pastoral role, however, a quality assurance aspect of their role [in particular
their responsibility for moderating teaching performance] became more significant over
time. It was evident these student teachers were anxious to know that they were being
treated fairly in terms of their assessment of teaching performance on placement.
The university tutor, in their mind, was there to fulfil that task as “…they get to go into a
range of schools” [Male].
At the outset of the course, little mention was made of ‘theory’ and if so there was a view
that this be kept to a minimum. Over time student teachers were able to realise the
importance of some theory and made explicit particular elements of the university content
they believed had helped in their development as teachers. Some theory was viewed more
problematic when these students could not immediately see the direct application to
practice. Further delays in exploring the potential theory-practice links only served to
compound their frustration and quite likely increased their scepticism of this component
to their programme. There is a suggestion of some persisting dissonance between some
knowledge developed within the university-based elements of the programme and the
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experiences of student teachers in the field, which will require efforts within partnerships
to further build coherence in concepts and emphases between these two settings. As
Gambhir et al. (2008) recently remind us;
“..building coherence is an on-going challenge in institutions, particularly in large
teacher education programmes. Coherence encompasses all initial teacher
education programme components…aiming at greater coherence, while also
making a commitment to differentiation and innovation requires careful planning,
critical awareness and on-going attention” (p.21)
According to Gower & Capel (2004) PGCE physical education student teachers
perceived considerable gaps in time between university and school-based work as an
impediment to developing their subject knowledge. Though not referencing subject
knowledge, continuity of experience appeared more desirable for these student teachers,
as opposed to a combination of university-based and school-based work offered in a
serial manner. Any disruption to the continuity of school-based work was typically not
supported. While not advocating significant changes to the length of the course, extended
time in schools was, for these student teachers, the appropriate preparation for the real
thing.
There are a number of references within OFSTED Inspection framework to teacher
education courses developing and meeting student teacher’s individual needs [both in
terms of developing strengths and addressing areas in need of development]. Ofsted
(2008) in its most current framework will seek evidence in courses of initial teacher
education that student teachers’ specific needs are identified, that an action plan is put in
place and that this plan is reviewed to determine progress and reflect as OfSTED state the
extent to which… “…the training and assessment ensures that all trainees progress to
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fulfill their potential given their ability and starting points?” This expectation seems
pertinent to some issues surrounding content areas, which emerged in this study. Student
teachers were quite open in both identifying their weaknesses in the knowledge of
content, (Younger et al., 2004), and that they did not consider it necessary to take some
content areas [particularly where they claimed considerable experience and expertise]. At
the same time some were disappointed if areas of activity perceived as in need of
development at the outset were not addressed in their course. It is speculated that the
ever-increasing reduction in the length of ITE might lead to a situation where student
teachers eventually regard their programme more as a ‘deficit model’ and that the limited
time in teacher education sets up a situation where they prioritise content areas which in
their view are less well-developed. This is quite likely to further challenge initial teacher
education programmes to continue to find ways of differentiating and personalizing the
teacher education experience for individual student teachers and meet expectations not
unlike those which emerged in this study. Remember the female student who somewhat
disappointingly said “…gym and dance were not what I needed”
It is not uncommon, in the current climate of strong competition for PE initial teacher
education places, that many prospective teachers arrive at their PGCE with considerable
experience in schools. It is claimed that these pre-course activities are providing yard
sticks for some students to make judgments about their competence to teach certain areas
and shape their expectations in terms of a readiness to begin teaching. There was
evidence some student teachers in this study arrived at the course with quite strong
teacher role identities. For example one student had spent two years working and
assisting in a school with teaching and coaching before commencing their PGCE and was
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somewhat exercised about having to spend extended periods observing lessons – instead
expecting to teach independently.
It would be interesting to further explore rationales for such positions and determine if
there is any foundation to their self assessment of subject knowledge when they are
actually teaching in the classroom.
Closing comments
These tend to focus around student teachers’ persisting and to an extent strengthening
expectations of course content in particular how much practical content they expect to
cover in what is essentially a nine-month course, the role of the university tutor, the
importance and indeed preference for school-based work and the significance of schoolbased mentors in supporting their development as teachers. Like Raffo and Hall (2006),
there is a suggestion here that prospective student teachers’ prior expectations appeared
to have created barriers to their receptiveness to some other components parts of their
initial teacher education programmes, in particular the role of theory and the serial phases
of their training.
It is hoped that this work offers teacher education programmes a sense of the potential
starting positions held by physical education student teachers. As Ashby et al. (2008)
state;
“…Such starting points are important: they may ‘block’ or distort some elements
of the ITP programme, or lead to disappointment or dissatisfaction if other
expected elements are not provided” (p.16-17).
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This statement appears quite pertinent to the unfolding expectations of some students in
this study.
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