Influences on curriculum value orientations of physical education teachers and implications for the profession.

摘要

Curriculum value orientations are considered important as they influence the manner inwhich teachers implement the curriculum and undertake their teaching of physicaleducation.The purpose of this study was to investigate what has influenced the development ofcurriculum value orientations of teachers of physical education in secondary schools andto consider the implications of these value orientations for curriculum implementation,and consider the influences for teacher development, and in-service professionaldevelopment. The research utilised 'an existing inventory to establish the valueorientations of nineteen secondary school physical education teachers. Interviews werethen conducted to collect data from six of the teachers who formed two groups of threewith different value orientations. Interview data was analysed using the process ofconstant comparison.Analysis revealed that influences. which have impacted on the formation of theseteachers' value orientations can be classified within the categories of life experiencesbefore teacher education, influences during teacher education, influences in the schoolsetting and reflective practice. Findings indicate that secondary school physicaleducation teachers have different value orientations and a range of factors has shapedtheir value orientations. These include teacher philosophy, teacher education,professional development, life experiences, curriculum, colleagues, schools and reflectivepractice.The discussion investigates how and to what extent these influences have shapedteachers' different value orientations. The value orientations and their implications forcurriculum implementation are discussed and then the influences themselves areconsidered. Finally, in view of the influences, the implications for teacher education andin-service professional development are discussed.Teachers in this study enter teacher education with a sense of what it means to be aphysical education teacher based on their own experiences in life, school and sport inparticular. The way in which they interpret these experiences leads to different beliefs.These beliefs lead to the development of a value orientation, which in tum influences theway in which teachers make curriculum decisions, plan, implement and deliver theirphysical education programmes.This research indicates the extent to which life expenences, teacher education, andprofessional development impacts on value orientation is variable, but in order to create achange in value orientations, a key component is the development of critical reflection asa well established and ongoing habit. The study suggests that having an understanding ofand an awareness of value orientations will enable teachers to consider their beliefs andthe influences on these, and to make infonned decisions about curriculum and practice.