Teacher Preparedness in Health and Wellbeing

Author(s):

Elaine McCulloch(presenting / submitting)

Conference:

ECER 2016

Network:

Emerging Researchers' Group (for presentation at Emerging Researchers' Conference)

Format:

Paper

Session Information

ERG SES G 07, Health and Language in Education

Paper Session

Time:

2016-08-23

09:00-10:30

Room:

OB-E2.18

Chair:

Christine Winter

Contribution

This paper arose from a study that examined the factors that influence the perceived levels of preparedness in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) graduates in Physical Education in Scotland. The paper considers how research into teacher preparedness contributes to practice in health and wellbeing.

Background

The European Commission (2012) offered that the quality of teaching and learning is of key importance in determining student performance. However, in the current education climate teachers face unprecedented challenges. In Scotland the prominence given to Health and Wellbeing has resulted in all teachers being challenged to deliver Health and Wellbeing across the curriculum. Given the importance that is placed on Health and Wellbeing and teacher quality it is imperative that the next generation of physical education teachers are prepared to teach within this context.

Preparation is a concept that is frequently used in education, throughout initial teacher education preparation is emphasised as being one of the key constructs of an effective teacher leading to confidence or ‘teacher efficacy’ in their ability to promote students learning (Hoy, 2000). Bandura (1986, 1997) offered that there were four sources of information used to construct a persons self-efficacy and in the case of teaching there are strong links between preparedness and teacher efficacy with particular reference to their experiences (Protheroe, 2008). In further work Hoy (2000) suggests that some of the most important factors that contribute to the development of teacher efficacy are mastery experiences during their initial teacher education and into their induction year. Given the importance placed on teacher efficacy and the evident links to teacher preparedness it is essential to investigate the levels of preparedness in probationary teachers and early phase teachers.

Research Questions:

1) How do practitioners view their levels of preparedness as a) a probationary teacher and b) an early phase practitioner?

2) What are the factors that contribute to perceived levels of preparedness within physical education graduates of ITE?

Method

Method A mixed method approach was used. Quantitative data were gathered via questionnaires. This then led on to the second stage of data collection; qualitative data were collected in the form of focus groups. The focus group was used to explore the themes and questions emerging from the questionnaires, looking for similarities and differences in experiences of the participants. Analysis Within this study the ability to capture the experiential world of the research participants is of key importance and the selection of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) for the analysis of data was key to allowing the researcher to focus on interpretation of meanings (Smith et al, 2009). Within IPA the researcher reflects on their own preconceptions and attempts to suspend them in order to focus on making sense of the research participants meanings.

Expected Outcomes

In alignment with the four categories presented by Menter et al (2010) there are clear indications of effective and reflective teaching within the views of the participants. The participants indicated that they felt prepared to effectively deliver their responsibility for health and wellbeing. Continued study is needed to explore the participants understanding of practice and their responsibility within Health and Wellbeing.

References

Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84 (2), 191-215. European Commission (2012) Rethinking Education:Investing in skills for better socio-economic outcomes [Online] Available: European Commission Hoy, A. W. (2000) Changes in teacher efficacy during the early years of teaching. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans. Menter, I., Hulme, M., Elliot, D. & Lewin, J.(2010) Literature Review on Teacher Education in the 21st Century [Online] Available: Scottish Government Protheroe, N (2008) Teacher efficacy: what is it and does it matter? [Online] Available: www.naesp.org Smith, J.A., Flowers, P. & Larkin, M. (2009) Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis; Theory, Method and Research London: Sage Publications

Author Information

Elaine McCulloch (presenting / submitting)

University of the West of Scotland

Education

Ayr

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