Thesis
Professional development of generalist primary school teachers: a model for life-long physical education
Southern Cross University, School of Social and Workplace Development
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Southern Cross University
2002
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Abstract
This thesis focuses on the teaching of physical education by generalist primary school teachers and the impact of a six-month intervention program on their ability to promote life-long physical activity. The thesis does not enter into the debate of whether physical education should be taught by specialist teachers or generalist teaches. It looks at the knowledge and skills of those who teach physical education and how teachers' knowledge and skills can be incorporated into a professional development intervention program.
As a major source of date and learning for this study I carried out a six-month in-service Physical Education Intervention Program (PEIP). This is an intervention program where a group of six generalist in-service teachers (participants) worked with pre-service teachers (buddies) to enable development of their knowledge and skills in teaching physical education. This intervention program is unique in that it brought together both pre- and in-service teachers in a professional development program that focused on developing knowledge and skills in teaching physical education. This allowed us to combine theory and practice in physical education classes within an action learning program, which allowed for reflective practice.
The PEIP sought to challenge and change participants' espoused and enacted theories of action in teaching physical education through an action learning approach. This thesis proposes that generalist teachers may not have had positive experiences in physical education and sport in their own lives and may not have had their physical education teaching theories shaped by such life experiences or challenged during their pre-service teacher training. Their past personal experiences in physical education and sport may impact upon their enacted theories of teaching physical. I proposed that through an action learning program PEIP can challenge participants' espoused and enacted theories. PEIP can thus also become a catalyst for change through increasing participants' knowledge and skills, which can result in improving teaching practices in physical education.
Overall, the research makes twelve contributions to theory and practice across the areas of teacher professional development and physical education. Contributions to practice include:
• an effective model of professional development intervention;
• recognition of holistic professional relationships that help participants through transformative change;
• a new application of the repertory grid technique with primary school teachers;
• a professional development integration package;
• a systemic model of the work environment for teaching physical education;
• new strategies for developing teachers' knowledge in action.
Contributions to theory include:
• a multi-dimensional model of effective roles in teaching physical education;
• a systems model for collaborative professional development for both pre-service and in-service teachers;
• development of the concept of 'life-long' physical activity through school physical education;
• transfer of the concepts of PEIP to pre-service teacher education;
• the precedent of using an action learning and action research approach across the curriculum;
• a new methodological framework for action learning and action research.
This thesis focuses on professional development in physical education in primary schools. However, it clearly has potential for useful application and research across primary schools in other curriculum areas, in secondary schools, and in higher education, particularly in pre-service training of generalist primary school teachers.
Details
- Title
- Professional development of generalist primary school teachers: a model for life-long physical education
- Creators
- William Robert Gilfillan
- Contributors
- Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt (Supervisor) - Southern Cross University
- Awarding Institution
- Southern Cross University; Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Theses
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Southern Cross University
- Publisher
- Southern Cross University, School of Social and Workplace Development
- Number of pages
- xxii, 399
- Identifiers
- 991013314728102368
- Copyright
- © William R. Gilfillan 2002
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Business, Law and Arts
- Resource Type
- Thesis