Challenging pre-service teacher habitus:A self-study of unit design in teacher education

The purpose of our paper was to examine how John, the lead author, attempted to bridge the reality-congruence gap between how his Health and Physical Education (HPE) pre-service teachers (PSTs) knew HPE, before commencing the undergraduate unit (subject) central to this paper and how we know contemporary HPE as teacher educators. Here we use reality congruence according to its figurational sociology meaning as “the knowledge of it that is possible” (Giovannini, 2015, n.p.). The “it that is possible,” is the broad disciplinary knowledge necessary for teaching HPE contemporarily, that both authors have acquired over many years. A self-study approach was adopted, using Norbert Elias’s figurational sociology to deductively analyse John’s practice in teaching the reported unit. We used a two-phase approach, with phase one being an exploration of John’s experience of unit design and phase 2 examining John’s assumptions about his practice and his students. We found that John’s approaches were effective in influencing his students to learn and value reality-congruent HPE. Supporting qualitative student satisfaction data suggested many HPE-PSTs valued the teaching approaches John used, which also aligned with their learning preferences. Through planning teacher education curriculum content that challenges traditional notions of PE in particular, it is possible for teacher educators to influence HPE-PSTs towards learning and embracing more reality congruent HPE

Being a Teacher Educator: Exploring Issues of Authenticity and Safety Through Self-Study

The catalyst for this self-study was implementing peer-teaching in our respective science education and physical education teacher education courses. Because our students taught one another it meant we redefined our roles as teacher educators as well as the roles that our students took in the teaching and learning community. We documented and explored our learning about teaching and teacher education through journaling, observations, discussions and interviews with students. Our students’ responses to peer- teaching provided a critical lens through which we considered our efficacy as teacher educators. Through this collaborative self-study, we have learnt to manage the issues of authenticity and safety for ourselves and our students

TGfU and its governance: from conception to special interest group

Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) has emerged over the past thirty years as one of the leading instructional models for sports coaches and physical education teachers. From its initial beginning as a set of theoretical and practical initiatives on how to teach games, TGfU has evolved to become one of the most readily identifiable pedagogical movements within the sports and physical education field. In this paper we aim to document and study this development in a way that acknowledges the complexity and collectivity involved. At one level, it is easy to see that there is a broad mix of people who value this model and want to work in a collaborative way to promote, research and advance it. At another level, however, the problem becomes one of resisting the urge to simply tell the history without acknowledging the methodological issues involved. As historians would remind us, it is important that we never take history as fixed and linear. Instead, we must interrogate the popular construction of history and seek alternative perspectives in order to escape the confines of biography and experience. By reflecting on the dominant narratives, as well as a few counter narratives, we have a means to engage with and understand how key pedagogical initiatives, like TGfU, are supported and sustained in educational contexts.El modelo Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) se ha convertido en los últimos treinta años en uno de los modelos de instrucción más relevantes para entrenadores deportivos y profesores de Educación Física. Desde su comienzo como un conjunto de iniciativas teóricas y prácticas sobre cómo enseñar juegos deportivos, el modelo TGFU ha evolucionado hasta convertirse en uno de los movimientos pedagógicos más fácilmente identificables dentro del deporte y la Educación Física. En este artículo pretendemos documentar y estudiar este desarrollo en una forma que contemple la complejidad y la colectividad involucrada. A cierto nivel, es fácil ver que hay una amplia mezcla de gente que valora este modelo y desea trabajar de forma colaborativa para su promoción, investigación y desarrollo. En otro nivel, sin embargo, el problema reside en evitar la tentación de simplemente contar la historia sin reconocer los aspectos metodológicos implicados. Como los historiadores nos recordarían, es importante que nunca interpretemos la historia como fija y lineal. En cambio, debemos cuestionar la construcción popular de la historia y buscar perspectivas alternativas para escapar de los límites de la biografía y la experiencia. Al reflexionar sobre las narrativas dominantes, también sobre unas pocas narrativas particulares, tenemos la intención de abordar y comprender cómo iniciativas pedagógicas, como el TGFU, son apoyadas y mantenidas en contextos educativos

PEDAGOGIAS CRÍTICAS NA FORMAÇÃO DE PROFESSORES DE EDUCAÇÃO FÍSICA PARA O NOVO MILÊNIO

Socially-critical scholarship and critical pedagogy have become increasingly central to Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) over the last three decades. The purpose of this paper is to provide a snapshot of the history of the critical project in PETE and an analysis of critical pedagogies in contemporary Western society. In this paper, the accounts of critical pedagogies are classified based on their focus on (a) critical reflection, (b) pedagogies of discomfort and (c) democratic principles, although the authors recognise that in PETE practice these categories overlap and interconnect and do not represent exclusively independent pedagogies. The paper concludes that relationships between PETE teacher educators and PETE students built on trust and care and secondly, connections between PETE teacher educators and the broader physical education teaching community are important as they provide the conditions needed to embed critical pedagogies into PETE courses and PETE programmes. Estudio sociocrítico y pedagogía crítica, en las últimas tres décadas, son centrales en la formación de profesores de Educación Física. El objetivo de este artículo es presentar un retrato de la historia del proyecto crítico en la formación de profesores de Educación Física y ofrecer un análisis de las pedagogías críticas en la sociedad occidental contemporánea. La extensión de esa representación sugiere que los estudios sociocríticos y la pedagogía crítica continúan prosperando en los programas de formación de profesores en varios países. El artículo concluye que las relaciones entre profesores y alumnos de la formación inicial en Educación Física son construidas con base en el cuidado, en la confianza y, secundariamente, que conexiones entre profesores que actúan en la formación superior y la comunidad más amplia que enseña Educación Física son importantes para proporcionar las condiciones necesarias para las pedagogías críticas en los cursos y programas que forman profesores.Estudo sociocrítico e pedagogia crítica, nas últimas três décadas, são centrais na formação de professores de Educação Física. O objetivo deste artigo é providenciar um retrato da história do projeto crítico na formação de professores de Educação Física e oferecer uma análise das pedagogias críticas na sociedade ocidental contemporânea. Nesse texto, as representações de pedagogia crítica são classificadas nos focos sobre (a) reflexão crítica, (b) pedagogias do “desconforto”, (c) princípios democráticos, embora os autores reconheçam que na formação de professores tais categorias sobrepõem-se e não são independentes entre si. O artigo conclui que as relações entre professores e alunos na formação inicial em Educação Física são construídas com base na confiança, no cuidado e, secundariamente, que conexões entre professores que atuam na formação superior e a comunidade mais ampla que ensina Educação Física são importantes para providenciar as condições necessárias para as pedagogias críticas nos cursos e programas que formam professores.

O conhecimento indígena como parte de uma pedagogia crítica contra a precariedade em Saúde e Educação Física em Aotearoa Nova Zelândia

A pedagogia crítica é uma abordagem dinâmica e transformadora da educação que deve continuar a se adaptar aos contextos sociais e históricos em rápida mudança. Neste artigo, defendemos que práticas pedagógicas baseadas em saberes e princípios indígenas possibilitam uma pedagogia crítica para a Saúde e Educação Física que questione os efeitos da precariedade. Com base especificamente no contexto de Aotearoa Nova Zelândia, descrevemos os princípios de Kaupapa Māori, uma perspectiva indígena que expressa as aspirações Māori e os valores Māori específicos, e como esses princípios são articulados em Saúde e Educação Física. Argumentamos que as práticas de Saúde e Educação Física sustentadas por Kaupapa Māori têm o potencial de reduzir a raiva, a ansiedade e a alienação por meio do fortalecimento de conexões entre alunos, entre alunos e professores, com a terra e com identidades emergentes

Shedding light on our practices: Four assumption hunters on a quest

We are an international collaborative of self-study researchers who have begun work together to identify and challenge assumptions that underpinned our practice as teacher educators. Assumptions are the underlying biases that define how pedagogy is enacted. Seeking out and challenging assumptions helps to discover the unconscious biases that define and mediate a practitioner’s actions in the classroom. Assumptions by themselves are neither good nor bad things, but rather are the tacit beliefs that guide a teacher’s decision making. As Brookfield (1995) states, “informed actions…are based on assumptions that have been carefully and critically investigated” (p.80). By using this as the starting point for self-study, the objective is then not to eliminate assumptions from our teaching practice, but to better understand and analyse those assumptions through a process of rigorous self-inquiry. Such inquiry empowers us to assess the impact of our assumptions on our professional practice

Distanciamento social e o ensino de Educação Física: estratégias, tecnologias e novos aprendizados

This “Focus Section” brings together a collection of papers that consider the pedagogical implications of teaching Physical Education (PE) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has challenged teachers around the globe to adapt to social distancing and teaching online requirements. Our goal in this special edition is to share and reflect together on these challenges and see that the issue is not just about the use of technology, but also about how teachers navigate the implications for teaching a subject like PE. The shared stories provide valuable insights into how teachers adapt and learn new strategies and technologies for teaching PE in times of social distancing.Este dossier temático reúne una colección de artículos sobre las implicaciones pedagógicas de la enseñanza de la Educación Física (EF) durante la pandemia de COVID-19. La pandemia ha desafiado a los profesores de todo el mundo a adaptarse al distanciamiento social y a los requisitos de enseñanza en línea. Nuestro objetivo en esta edición especial es compartir y reflexionar sobre estos desafíos y ver que el problema no se trata solo del uso de la tecnología, sino también de cómo los profesores enfrentan con las implicaciones para enseñar una materia como la EF. Las historias compartidas brindan insights valiosos sobre como los profesores se adaptan y aprenden nuevas estrategias y tecnologías para enseñar EF en tiempos de distanciamiento social.Este dossiê temático reúne uma coletânea de artigos acerca das implicações pedagógicas do ensino de Educação Física (EF) durante a pandemia de COVID-19. A pandemia desafiou professores em todo o mundo a se adaptarem ao distanciamento social e aos requisitos do ensino remoto. Nosso objetivo nesta edição especial é compartilhar e refletir sobre esses desafios e ver que a questão não se trata apenas do uso de tecnologia, mas também de como professores lidam com as implicações para o ensino de uma disciplina como a EF. As histórias compartilhadas fornecem valiosos insights sobre como os professores se adaptam e aprendem novas estratégias e tecnologias para ensinar EF em tempos de distanciamento social

What Drives a Teacher Educator to Self-Study? An Exploration of Personal, Professional and Programmatic Influences

What drives a teacher educator to self-study? This is a question with what might be perceived as an easy answer. Perhaps there was an influential professor or colleague who conducted self-study. Or, an ingrained desire to engage in critical reflection. Maybe there was an experience that needed exploration. These are all valid reasons for why someone might choose to engage in self-study. In this work, our purpose was to look strictly to the past and investigate the experiences that we felt led a teacher educator to engage in self-study. Melva is a woman of color and recently tenured faculty member, who was made to feel uncertainty and inadequacy related to her teaching due primarily to perceptions held by others. There were several critical incidents that pushed Melva toward self-study, most salient were incidents that compromised her professional identity. Melva, new to the department, was aware of Brandon’s self-study scholarship and sought collaborative engagement for learning self-study research. Brandon, also newly tenured, has extensive selfstudy experience, including self-study presentations (AERA, Castle), publications in Studying Teacher Education, and service to the S-STEP SIG. This collaborative learning opportunity led us to examine how teacher educators come to self-study through the lens of novice and experienced self-study researchers. Our examination in this study encompasses professional, programmatic, and personal influences to answer the question of, “What personal, professional and programmatic influences draw a teacher educator to self-study?

A complexidade e a criticidade dos processos colaborativos de longo prazo: autoestudo de um professor-pesquisador de Educação Física dentro de uma comunidade de saberes

There has been increasing recognition that social collectives, such as knowledge communities and professional learning networks, support teachers and enhance their practice. At the same time, there is little research on how such communities form, are sustained over time, create professional knowledge and practices, and transform the professional lives of their participants. We address these gaps in this paper by drawing on self-study methodology to structure a critical reflection of Luiz’s experiences of participating in an autonomous group of teacher-researchers that constituted their own knowledge community since 2005. Through critical friendship, a complexity thinking lens guided the shared reflection on Luiz’s experience in the knowledge community by considering the relational connections, affective forces, opportunities for action and agential capacities that are continually made and reconfigured within the collective nature of learning communities. In conclusion, we discuss both the facilitation and cultivation of long-term collaborative processes towards a complex, critical, and socially just perspective of PETE.Cada vez se reconoce más que los colectivos sociales, como las comunidades de saberes y redes de aprendizaje profesional, apoyan los/as docentes y mejoran sus prácticas. Al mismo tiempo, hay poca investigación sobre cómo se forman, se sostienen en el tiempo, crean saberes y prácticas profesionales y transforman la vida profesional de sus/as participantes. Abordamos estas brechas en este artículo, recurriendo a la metodología de self-study para estructurar una reflexión crítica de las experiencias de Luiz al participar en un grupo autónomo de profesores/as-investigadores/as que constituyeron su propia comunidad de saberes desde 2005. A través de la amistad crítica, un lente de pensamiento de la complejidad hay guiado la reflexión compartida sobre la experiencia de Luiz en la comunidad de saberes al considerar las conexiones relacionales, las fuerzas afectivas, las oportunidades de acción y las capacidades proactivas que se reconfiguran continuamente dentro de la naturaleza colectiva de las comunidades de aprendizaje. En conclusión, discutimos tanto la facilitación como el cultivo de procesos colaborativos de largo plazo hacia una perspectiva compleja, crítica y socialmente justa de la formación de profesores/as de educación física.Tem havido um reconhecimento crescente de que os coletivos sociais, como as comunidades de saberes, apoiam a aprendizagem dos/as professores/as e aprimoram a prática docente. Concomitantemente, há poucas pesquisas sobre como essas comunidades se formam, sustentam-se ao longo do tempo, criam saberes e práticas profissionais e transformam a vida profissional de seus/as participantes. Abordamos essas lacunas neste artigo, recorrendo à metodologia de autoestudo para estruturar uma reflexão crítica das experiências de Luiz ao participar de um grupo autônomo de professores/as-pesquisadores/as que constituíram sua própria comunidade de saberes desde 2005. Por meio da amizade crítica, uma lente de pensamento da complexidade guiou a reflexão compartilhada sobre a experiência de Luiz nessa comunidade de saberes, considerando as conexões relacionais, as forças afetivas, as oportunidades de ação e as capacidades proativas que são continuamente reconfiguradas na natureza coletiva das comunidades de aprendizagem. Em conclusão, discutimos tanto a facilitação quanto o cultivo de processos colaborativos de longo prazo em direção a uma perspectiva complexa, crítica e socialmente justa da formação de professores/as de Educação Física