1 research outputs found
Greek preservice physical education teachersā mental models of production and reproduction teaching styles
The purpose of this study was to examine Greek preservice physical education (PE) teachersā presuppositions, beliefs and mental models about the reproduction and production teaching styles. The participants were 16 preservice PE teachers (10 males, six females). A qualitative methodology was used with data collected using semi-structured interviews. A multi-level analysis process using open coding and axial coding was sequentially conducted. Findings revealed two generative mental models about teaching styles. For the first mental model (n = 5), learning is considered as a transmissive and unidimensional (i.e. one goal pursued at a time) process. Presuppositions supported by this mental model urge the preservice teachers to believe that the reproduction teaching styles promote effective learning, class control, studentsā safety and discipline. For the second mental model (n = 11), learning is viewed as a constructivist and multidimensional (i.e. multiple goals pursued at a time) process. Presuppositions supported by this mental model urge the participants to believe that the production teaching styles effectively promote studentsā learning, critical thinking, responsibility, motivation, autonomy and discipline. The aforementioned mental models highlight the developmental nature of preservice PE teachersā learning concerning the production and the reproduction teaching styles. These mental models reveal the diversity of PE preservice teachersā understanding of the teaching and learning processes. Furthermore, findings support Vosniadouās assumption that learners come to formal education not as a tabula rasa but holding a naive understanding about the world. Ā© The Author(s) 2018