Purpose: This study investigated differences in (a) completion of teaching methods courses and (b) participation in professional development opportunities between alternatively and traditionally certified physical educators. Method: The sample included 1,850 physical educators (mean age: 42.7 years, male: 61.7%, female: 38.3%) from the 2017 to…

Purpose: This study explored how preservice physical education teachers (PPETs) perceive health-related fitness testing (HRFT) administered in a self-testing format with the aim to enhance their HRFT learning and better prepare them for future HRFT implementation. Methods: The study utilized a constructive phenomenological research design. A total…

Purpose: To review past research on teaching methods courses with preservice physical education teachers and preservice elementary classroom teachers. Method: This study was guided by the "2017 National Standards for Initial Physical Education Teacher Education." A thorough literature search was conducted using online databases, and a…

Purpose: To determine the influence of an elementary methods course and early field experience on eight preservice teachers' (PTs') value orientations. Method: The theoretical perspective employed was occupational socialization. Data were collected with the short form of the value orientation inventory and five qualitative techniques (formal and…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine how preservice teachers (PSTs) developed their adaptive competence in lesson planning through repeated rehearsals and reflections in an online learning environment. Methods: A case study design utilizing descriptive analysis was used to analyze data collected from a series of lesson plan iterations…

Purpose: To investigate the existence of fitness orientations among preservice teachers (PTs) and to identify what has influenced these orientations. Methods: The participants were 14 undergraduate PTs enrolled in a physical education teacher education games methods course in the Northeast United States. Qualitative data were collected through…

This study examined the implementation and effectiveness of a comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP)- informed, 15-week physical education secondary methods course, adapted from its previous in-person format to be completely online for fall 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants were 15 preservice physical education…

Purpose: This study was framed with an explorative approach in which preservice classroom teachers (PCTs) participated in physical education learning activities. The purpose was to investigate the construction of their practical knowledge. Methods: Data collection was integrated into a methods course and included a written text assignment in which…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine preservice physical education teachers' (PPET) service learning experiences planning and implementing course assignments aligned with comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) recommendations. Methods: Based on service learning principles, PPETs (N = 18) enrolled in a physical…

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of an intervention grounded in Self-Determination Theory on preservice teachers' instructional behaviors and the motivational responses of their students. A total of 62 preservice physical education teachers enrolled in a secondary physical education content and methods course were randomly…

The purpose of this study was to design and validate the Basketball Offensive Game Performance Instrument (BOGPI) that assesses an individual player's offensive game performance competency in basketball. Twelve physical education teacher education (PETE) students playing two 10-minute, 3 vs. 3 basketball games were videotaped at end of a…

Studies of the influence of conventional methods courses on preservice classroom teachers (PCTs) have provided mixed results. The purpose of the study described in this paper was to break new ground and examine the effects of a critically oriented 6-week methods course and a 9-week early field experience on one class of 24 PCTs. Data were…

Examined preservice teachers' beliefs about elementary physical education (PE) and the impact of a field-based elementary PE methods course on their beliefs. Participant surveys indicated that preservice teachers held similar beliefs about the values and purposes of elementary PE to those of PE professionals. The methods course positively impacted…

This study used interviews; observations of methods, course meetings, and field experiences; and audiotapes of weekly reflection sessions. Data analysis indicated that preservice teachers made managerial decisions, planned lesson content, considered children's prior learning, and connected their choice of words to children's perspectives but did…

This study examined the impact of an early field experience, combined with a methods course, on preservice physical education teachers' conceptions of the teaching-learning process. Results indicated that these preservice teachers were concerned with pupil learning or elements of teaching related to pupil learning, and focused primarily on…