Insook Kim

Changing beginning teachers’ content knowledge and its effects on student learning

Background: Lack of content knowledge (CK) is problematic in teaching in classroom subject areas and in physical education. There is a dearth of data-based research on interventions aimed at helping teachers acquire CK and, in turn, on the effects of CK on student learning. Aim: To investigate the effect of professional development, in the form of a CK workshop, on the quality of instruction and student learning. Participants: Two beginning middle-school physical education teachers of both genders who had no experience in playing or teaching badminton were purposefully selected. A total of 48 students (2 teachers × 4 classes × 6 students) participated in this study. Data collection and analysis: Descriptive statistics for students’ and teachers’ data were reported. General linear models with a nested design structure were used to examine the statistical differences of the mean percentage of students’ correct or incorrect performances between the comparison and experimental classes. Findings: Most students rarely performed the skills correctly in the comparison classes, whereas the students tended to perform the skills correctly in the experimental classes. Both teachers used more correct task representations and more mature tasks by using more diverse forms of visual and verbal representations in teaching after the badminton CK workshop. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that a relatively short, 4-hour CK workshop was effective in changing teacher pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) behaviors. More importantly, the results also demonstrate that these changes in teacher PCK behaviors produced better student learning. However, levels of procedural fidelity of workshop in teaching need to be further investigated.

Exploring changes to a teacher’s teaching practices and student learning through a volleyball content knowledge workshop

This paper describes how improving a teacher’s content knowledge changes his teaching practices and its subsequent effects on student learning during a middle school volleyball instructional unit. The study was designed to challenge teacher educators’ thinking about the importance of in-depth content knowledge for effective teaching by demonstrating the effects of a content knowledge workshop on a teacher’s teaching practices and student learning. A mixed-method research design was adopted with one male physical education teacher’s qualitative teaching data and his 24 eighth-grade students’ quantitative learning data. Two separate classes of volleyball were observed for 5 days before and after the content knowledge workshop (n = 20 lessons total). Audio and videotaped recordings were made of each lesson. Descriptive and constant comparative analyses were used to analyze the data. The results of the study indicated that the teacher used more task progressions, integrated skill practices, small-sided games, content adaptations, and diverse verbal instructional repertoires after developing content knowledge. These changes ultimately impacted the students’ game performance and involvement as well as cognitive understanding of content. The findings verify that there are strong relationships among the teacher, content, and student learning by showing how the other components are changed when the teacher’s level of content knowledge is altered. The research effort may guide teacher educators’ professional development efforts aimed at increasing pre-service and in-service teachers’ professional knowledge for teaching.

Elementary physical educators’ positioning in teaching English language learners

Public schools in the United States (US) have become more linguistically diverse. With the rise of English as a global language, English Language Learners (ELLs) experience “transnationalism”, which requires them to gain a critical and reflective knowledge of diverse cultures and the valuing of a new language and culture. Many teachers do not recognize the importance of language as a tool for teaching academic subjects. Teachers struggle to shape and guide conversations using language to help ELLs further their development. The purpose of this study was to explore elementary physical education (PE) teachers’ experiences with teaching ELLs. Based on positioning theory, this study employed an interpretive case study research design. Six PE teachers volunteered to participate in the study. Data were collected from a survey questionnaire, face-to-face interviews and follow-up e-mails. Three major interrelated and complex themes emerged from the data analysis. These recurrent themes were (a) race and cultural-based stereotype, (b) social inclusion and communication challenges, and (c) PE teachers’ learning experiences. Although each of the PE teachers expressed the view that there were challenges in working with ELLs, they believed that they should implement effective pedagogical methods (inclusive pedagogy), address social justice and diversity issues of ELLs, and develop a positive learning atmosphere for all students.

Measuring Preservice Teachers' Knowledge of Instructional Tasks for Teaching Elementary Content.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to measure preservice teachers’ knowledge of instructional tasks for teaching three manipulative skills in elementary physical education. Method: Data were collected to measure preservice teachers’ entry and exit knowledge of instructional tasks that require selecting developmentally and sequentially appropriate content for elementary students. Preservice teachers from four PETE programs in the United States participated. Descriptive statistics were used to report the data. Findings: The results of this study showed that (a) preservice teachers’ entry and exit levels of task knowledge for teaching elementary content were insufficient and varied across programs and (b) the improvement in task knowledge from entry to exit of the elementary content courses was small. Conclusion: The results challenge the current methods for teaching elementary content in PETE programs. Several research-driven strategies are suggested for promoting preservice teachers’ knowledge of instructional tasks. Subscribe to TPE

International physical education teacher education physical activity content knowledge study

ed/indexed in: Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport is an SCI (Science Citation Information) and SSCI (Social Science Citation Information) journal. It is also abstracted/indexed in Biological Abstracts, CurrentREFERENCES The VERBTM Summer Scorecard (VSS) program was designed with the purpose of promoting physical activity among ‘tweens’ (8-13 year olds). A unique aspect of the VSS program is the scorecard which serves multiple purposes. The scorecard primarily serves as a behavioral reinforcer for physical activity. The scorecard also tracks physical activity for each participant. A community-based prevention marketing (CBPM) approach was taken to adapt the VSS to meet the needs of a rural, diverse population in the southeastern United States. Formative research was conducted with the target audience. Focus group interviews were conducted with parents and their children. Content analysis showed significant changes were needed for program. Previous versions of the Scorecard did not test well with the target audience, who suggested the use of smaller Scorecards and fobs as a secondary reinforcer. These changes offer many potential benefits to participation reinforcement and physical activity participation tracking. Figure 2. Scorecard from Southeast Georgia