Impact of a physical education teaching methods course on pre-service classroom teachers

Abstract

Elementary classroom teachers play key roles in school-wide physical activity initiatives, such as “Let's Move in School,” and it is important to consider their professional preparation. The purpose of this study was to examine pre-service classroom teachers’ beliefs about physical education, knowledge of the subject, and teacher self-efficacy beliefs to perform specific teaching tasks when partaking in one of three laboratory conditions (teaching children, peer-teaching, or no teaching) as part of a physical education methods course. Bandura's self-efficacy theory (1997) served as the theoretical framework. As part of a complementary mixed-method design, participants (N=66) completed a physical education knowledge test, Values and Purposes of Physical Education Questionnaire, and a modified version of the Teacher's Self-efficacy Belief System-Self at both the beginning and end of the semester. Approximately 50% of participants also partook in either focus group interviews or individual interviews that occurred both pre- and post-course. One-way analysis of variances of gain scores did not reveal any impacts of laboratory type on participants' beliefs, knowledge, or self-efficacy (p < .05). However, paired-sample t-tests revealed that each laboratory group improved on all measures (p > .05). Analytic induction and constant comparison of qualitative data revealed three major themes: (a) changed perspectives, (b) desire to work with children, and (c) lecture as a mastery experience. Physical education methods courses designed for pre-service classroom teachers can be effective and should include field-based experiences focusing on implementation of movement breaks and interdisciplinary lessons.