Do as we do and not as we say: teacher educators supporting student teachers to learn on teaching practice

This paper reports data from a larger study into the ways in which Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) students engaged in professional learning during teaching practice (TP) in Ireland. The study comprised one umbrella case study of Greendale University, schools and PETE students that consisted of five individual cases: tetrads of PETE student teacher, cooperating teacher (CT), University tutor (UT) and School Principal (SP). Each tetrad was defined as a unique community of practice located within the wider structures of school, education and university policies on teacher education. Data were collected over one academic year using qualitative research methods and grounded theory as a systematic data analysis tool. Findings indicate that in each of the five cases, support for PETE student learning was, to some degree, dysfunctional. In particular, it became evident that there were two conflicting teacher-learning curricula in operation. The official curriculum, expressed in policy and by SPs, UTs and CTs (also referred to as mentors), valued a PETE student who cared for pupils, had a rich pedagogical content knowledge, knew how to plan for and assess pupils’ learning, valued reflection, and was an active member of a community of practice. The unofficial but essentially more powerful enacted curriculum, encouraged PETE students to draw upon their own resources to learn pedagogical content knowledge in an isolated and unsupported manner. The data highlight the force of the unofficial curriculum and the ways in which PETE students were guided to the core of the dysfunctional community of practice by untrained CTs (mentors) and untrained UTs. PETE students in this study learned to survive in a largely unsupportive professional learning environment and, just as theories of social reproduction intimate, indicated that they would reproduce this practice with PETE students in their care in the future. The findings suggest that in cases similar to those studied, there is a need for teacher educators in Ireland, (in both universities and schools) to critically interrogate their personal practices and implicit theories of teacher education and to engage in training for their role. There is also evidence to suggest that PETE students in Ireland could benefit from the development of school–university partnerships that act as fundamental units of high quality professional learning. In the cases studied, this may have led to a stronger focus on the intended or official curriculum of TP, led by the revised maxim: ‘Do as we say and as we do’

‘Being’ in the coaching world: new insights on youth performance coaching from an interpretative phenomenological approach

Since Heidegger's influential text; Being and time (1927/2005), the phenomenological question of what it means to ‘be’ has generated a vast body of work. This paper reports data from a phenomenological study that investigated what it means to ‘be’ a youth performance coach. An overview of the interpretive phenomenological methods used is followed by presentation of coaches and data. Data analysis resulted in the identification of three constituent ‘essences’ of youth performance coaching: (i) care; (ii) a commitment to educate athletes authentically for corporeal challenges to come; and (iii) working with others to achieve a specialised corporeal excellence. The three identified essences manifest themselves in a broad lifeworld that includes settings on and off the field of play (FOP). Given the very different insights into the practice of coaching that emerge from this study, we argue it would be useful for future studies of coaching practice and coach education to extend their focus to take into account coaches' wider lives both on and off the FOP. We also argue for further exploration of coaching by drawing on phenomenological concepts such as care and relationality

Factors affecting the identification of talented junior-elite footballers: a case study

The purpose of this study was to identify and examine factors associated with the identification of talented junior-elite footballers. Three data collection methods were employed: (1) document analysis (4 documents), (2) overt observation (~105 h) and (3) 12 semi-structured one-to-one interviews with staff responsible for player recruitment (M = 70 min). Data were analysed using a constant comparative approach, which allowed flexibility and reflexivity throughout the data collection period. Two core themes concerning the identification of talented players at this academy emerged: "structural issues", which were further categorised as: (1) financial; (2) educational; (3) philosophical or cultural; (4) competition amongst clubs; and (5) hours in practice; and "Current performance and potential talent" which covered issues around growth, maturation and development and psycho-social attributes. The paper concludes by suggesting that clubs should be more proactive in understanding the structural issues that affect talent identification processes, and better educating and supporting staff responsible for recruitment activity

The ecology of physical education : an investigation into the 'life' of a physical education department and its impact upon the identities and opportunities of pupils and teachers

Within an ethnographic, case-study framework, this research uses observations, interviews and life-history reflections to investigate aspects of the `life' of a physical education department in a secondary school. The central focus is upon the four physical education teachers, charting how they develop their personal understandings of the nature and purpose of physical education. These understandings are located in the broader context of the school and the conflicting perspectives of senior teachers, parents, governors and pupils. Analysis of the data points to the complexity of the process by which teachers develop their personal `scripts' for education and physical education. It is suggested that a principle of `sufficient respect' for individuals' scripts may be a useful starting point for teachers, theorists and researchers as they seek to influence views or implement effective change. This can be viewed as an extension of the notion of the `reflective practitioner'. At a subject specific level, the research points to the invidious position in which some physical education teachers may be placed as their philosophies on the high status of theoretical knowledge ultimately trivialise much of their day-to-day, essentially practical activity. A plea is made for further consideration of the value of practical knowledge in education and physical education. Finally, in analysing the fieldwork process, it is suggested that this form of research can be compared to the genre of the `soap opera': an attempt is made to maximise the appeal of the research, particularly for teachers, by presenting interesting and accessible accounts of the key characters from Citylimits High School.</p

Personal, social and moral development through team games : some critical questions

Rôle des sports collectifs dans la socialisation et la promotion de l'éducation morale des enfants. Approche historique de l'évolution des pratiques et de l'idéologie concernant la place et le rôle des sports d'équipe dans les écoles privées et publiques britanniques depuis 150 ans, analyse des instructions du programme officiel d'éducation physique britannique (le 'National Curriculum') sur cette question, des points de vue actuels de théoriciens en psychologie, sociologie, philosophie, sciences de l'éducation

Personal, social and moral development through team games : some critical questions

Rôle des sports collectifs dans la socialisation et la promotion de l'éducation morale des enfants. Approche historique de l'évolution des pratiques et de l'idéologie concernant la place et le rôle des sports d'équipe dans les écoles privées et publiques britanniques depuis 150 ans, analyse des instructions du programme officiel d'éducation physique britannique (le 'National Curriculum') sur cette question, des points de vue actuels de théoriciens en psychologie, sociologie, philosophie, sciences de l'éducation

Professional 'development' and professional 'learning' : bridging the gap for experienced physical education teachers

Analyse de la formation professionnelle continue au cours de leur carrière chez 85 professeurs d'EPS en Angleterre. Les données ont été recueillies par interviews structurés (20 professeurs) et questionnaire ouvert (65 professeurs), pour mettre en évidence les formes de développement professionnel qu'ils ont suivies, ce qu'ils pensent de leurs expériences, et les recommandations qu'ils proposent pour améliorer la nature et la qualité de la formation professionnelle continue

Re‐engaging disaffected youth through physical activity programmes

It is a cherished belief within physical education and sport communities that participation in sport/physical activity has the potential to offer young people a range of physical, psychological and social benefits. More recently in the UK, this belief has become prominent in government policies that, among other things, are seeking to re-engage disaffected young people in order to increase their life chances and minimise the impact of anti-social behaviours upon others. Yet, the link between physical activity interventions and developing pro-social behaviours is not straightforward, and there is a lack of credible research evidence to support many of the claims made for physical activity to or to inform decisions about effective intervention design. This paper reviews key literature, focusing particularly on disaffected young people and physical activity interventions in the school context, and identifies six key issues that, we would argue, warrant consideration when planning physical activity programmes to re-engage disaffected young people. In particular, it is argued that the unprecedented levels of public and private funding available for physical activity related programmes in the UK, and the high expectations placed upon them to deliver specific measurable outcomes, mean that the need for credible monitoring and evaluation is pressing