The role of gender and parenthood in shaping faculty work and identity in physical education teacher education

Suchon, Nicolette M. Smith

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/130096 Copy

Description

Title

The role of gender and parenthood in shaping faculty work and identity in physical education teacher education

Author(s)

Suchon, Nicolette M. Smith

Issue Date

2025-07-11

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Richards, Kevin Andrew

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Richards, Kevin Andrew

Committee Member(s)

• Woods, Amelia
• Graber, Kim
• Kinder, Christopher J
• Shiver, Victoria N

Department of Study

Health and Kinesiology

Discipline

Kinesiology

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• Maternal wall
• faculty stressors
• socialization

Abstract

This dissertation employs a sequential explanatory mixed methods design to investigate the lived experiences of physical education teacher education faculty members as they navigate the dual demands of academia and parenthood. Addressing a significant gap in the literature, the study extends prior research on gendered faculty dynamics by explicitly examining how caregiving responsibilities shape professional trajectories. Building on the findings from earlier phases, the final qualitative phase centers on the phenomenon of the "maternal wall" (Mason et al., 2013; Sallee et al., 2016), with a focus on the socialization experiences of pre-tenure PETE faculty who are mothers. Using in-depth interviews and photovoice, the study captures participants’ narratives to illuminate the complex challenges, strategies, and forms of resilience that emerge at the intersection of gender, caregiving, and academic life. Collectively, these integrated studies contribute to a richer understanding of PETE faculty socialization, offering insight into how gender and parental roles shape career development in higher education. First, “Socializing the professoriate: A scoping review into and through faculty roles in physical education teacher education” (Chapter 2) examines how faculty members are socialized into and through academic roles across their careers. Drawing upon an adapted version of occupational socialization theory that includes anticipatory socialization, academic career preparation, and faculty socialization, the review synthesizes findings from 37 empirical studies published between 1991 and 2023. Key trends in publication, authorship, methodology, and conceptual framing are identified, and persistent gaps highlighted. Most studies focused on early career faculty members, with limited attention to formative stages of academic identity or late career transitions. Findings underscore the influence of mentorship, institutional structures, and identity-based experiences on professional development. Despite growing interest, the literature remains methodologically narrow and disproportionately shaped by a small number of scholars and institutions. This review calls for greater conceptual clarity, methodological diversity, attention to social identity and structural influences to better support faculty preparation and development in physical education teacher education. The first empirical article (Chapter 4), “Crossroads of career and caregiving: A quantitative look at physical education teacher education parents” examines how caregiving responsibilities intersect with gender. Grounded in faculty socialization, a cross-sectional survey was conducted with 97 PETE faculty members who were also parents. Results showed that female faculty reported significantly higher levels of work–family conflict, emotional exhaustion, and role overload than male counterparts, particularly at doctoral institutions and in early- to mid-career stages. These disparities persisted even when caregiving responsibilities were similar, suggesting that gendered expectations and systemic inequities, rather than workload alone, contribute to faculty strain. Faculty members with school-aged children experienced the highest levels of conflict, underscoring the enduring demands of caregiving across career and child development phases. Findings position caregiving as an important socializing force in faculty development and highlight the need for PETE doctoral programs and departments to embed gender-responsive support into mentoring, policy, and professional development structures. The second empirical piece (Chapter 5) “Scaling the maternal wall: Experiences of female physical education teacher education faculty members navigating work-family conflict” provided evidence as to how motherhood shapes faculty socialization. Drawing on occupational socialization theory and feminist theories, semi-structured interviews and photovoice data from 19 physical education teacher education faculty mothers revealed that caregiving was not separate from academic life but central to how participants navigated their roles, redefined success, and developed professional identities. Participants described the strain of being both scholars and default caregivers, often managing institutional expectations with limited structural support. Findings highlight the need for the field to address caregiving realities, for departments to implement transparent and inclusive policies, and for PETE organizations to develop formal support networks. This study challenges traditional assumptions about faculty development and calls for more equitable and sustainable models that recognize caregiving as a legitimate and influential part of academic life.

Graduation Semester

2025-08

Type of Resource

Thesis

Handle URL

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/130096

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2025 Nicolette Suchon

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