Early career teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of pre-service teacher training for real-world Physical Education settings

Abstract

The induction into a real-world Physical Education (PE) setting can be challenging for beginner and early career PE teachers, and could either be detrimental or enriching to the teachers’ careers. This study investigated early career PE teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of their pre-service teacher training regarding unique challenges of PE teaching. Guided by the Self-determination Theory (SDT) and using convenience and purposive sampling, qualitative data were collected by means of open-ended questionnaires and a focus group interview. Eight teachers who had recently graduated with a major in PE at the North-West University in South Africa, completed an online questionnaire and four of these early career teachers participated online in a semi-structured focus group interview. Data analysis revealed the following themes: Practical teaching challenges, which entailed obstacles such as high teacher-to-learner ratios and learner discipline and motivation. Positive experiences that pointed to positive experiences of teaching PE, including learners’ enjoyment of the PE classes, and applying what had been learnt during their teacher training. Perceptions of and recommendations for PE teacher training included recommendations from the participants about PE pre-service teacher training. From the findings it was concluded that, although some participants perceived their pre-service teacher training as sufficient, the majority felt that the training could be improved in view of the “real-world” challenges they faced. Based on the findings, the following were recommended: training PE teachers how to improvise by crafting their own equipment using recycled materials, imparting strategies for managing both substantial class sizes and constrained spaces, fostering school-wide PE promotion, formulating learner-specific motivation-enhancing support strategies, and advocating exposure to schools with diverse socio-economic profiles. Overall, this study shows that PE pre-service programs should incorporate various aspects aimed at preparing teachers for the various challenges that they may experience in their first years in practice.