Abstract:
This presentation discusses the impact of school-based traineeships on the socialisation and development of physical education teacher education (PETE) students, through reporting selected findings from three studies. A new study aimed at gaining a deep longitudinal understanding of the development of PETE students with a school-based traineeship background is also introduced.
In the first study, nine PETE recruits who had completed a one year school-based traineeship between completing secondary school and entering PETE participated in a demographical survey study at the commencement of their first year. Findings highlight elements that attracted and facilitated the trainees' into PETE and their strong desire to reproduce the practices of their own PE teacher. The second study further explored, through interviews and multiple document analysis, the impact of the traineeship experience on two of the trainees' teaching beliefs and practices during their first preservice teaching placement. Although this interpretive case study further illustrated the trainees' strong socialisation experience, upon completion of the placement both trainees indicated a desire to progress their pedagogical knowledge and practices from what they experienced as a student.
A separate case study also explored the impact of the traineeship experience on two second year PETE students' first preservice teaching placement. Through interviews and reflective journals, data was collected prior, during and after the placement. Prior to the placement, the trainees reported more survival or self concerns than their non-trainee peers. However these concerns dissipated during the placement and new impact concerns for improving student learning became apparent. In contrast, non-trainees developed more survival concerns throughout the placement and did not reflect any impact concerns. This finding indicates the need for the further study which explores and compares the development of trainee and non-trainee PETE students throughout their entire four year PETE program.