Date of Award

1992

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Edith Cowan University

Degree Name

Bachelor of Education Honours

School

School of Education

Abstract

Like most professions, teaching needs to be concerned with the notions of expertise and effectiveness. This study aimed to determine how the expert physical education teacher is perceived by pupils, student teachers, and teacher educators. Perceptions were compared and contrasted to identify both areas of discrepancy and consensus with respect to subjects' views of expertise. Subject groups involved in the study consisted of 30 year 10 pupils, 30 student teachers completing a BArts degree majoring in physical education (3rd year), and 28 teacher educators (physical education specific). Perceptions of expertise were determined through the administration of a questionnaire which specifically addressed eleven focus areas: (i) personal qualities, (ii) interest in pupils, (iii) professionalism, (iv) knowledge, (v) classroom management and organization, (vi) questioning, (vii) feedback, (viii) planning, (ix) reflection/critical evaluation, (x) learning environment, and (xi) levels of opportunity to learn (OTL) and academic learning time in physical education (Al T-PE). Analysis of questionnaire responses highlighted both differences and similarities between subjects' perceptions of an expert physical education teacher. Common denominators of expertise appeared to focus on the variables "classroom management and organization", "interest in pupils", and "levels of OTL and AL T-PE". One of the most important variables for defining an expert was commonly perceived as "keen interest in pupils". Alternately, "teacher professionalism" was identified as one of the least important variables. It was concluded that it is essential that teacher education programmes be designed to ensure that meaningful content relating to conceptions of an expert physical education teacher is effectively transmitted to student teachers, and that the views of pupils be considered when formulating the constructed view of an expert physical education teacher.

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