Application of research literature in Physical Education Teacher Education

Background and purpose: To educate pre-service PE-teachers to become life-long learners capable of following, changing and critically discussing new tendencies in society and educational settings is extremely relevant in... [ view full abstract ]

Background and purpose: To educate pre-service PE-teachers to become life-long learners capable of following, changing and critically discussing new tendencies in society and educational settings is extremely relevant in order to support qualified PE-practices and strong arguments for PE as a school subject. Training student teachers to become competent readers and users of research literature is in that regard a central element (Jyrhämä et al., 2008; Munthe & Rogne, 2015; Reis-Jorge, 2005). Among the main agents here are teacher educators who are supposed to have the competences to integrate research literature into teacher training. This presentation will give first-hand accounts of barriers to using research literature as experienced by a group of Danish teacher educators teaching PETE. Danish PETE educators provide an interesting case since research literature is only integrated into PETE syllabi to a limited degree (Svendsen and Svendsen, 2014) and since PETE teacher educators in Denmark in general are early in their transition to applying research in teacher training.

Method: The presentation is based on a case study of a course developed to qualify PETE teacher educators’ competences in the use of research literature. The empirical background includes six papers from the participants, detailed notes from the classes on the course and three follow-up Skype interviews. Bernstein’s concept of the pedagogic device is used to conceptually clarify different fields within the educational system and to identify major barriers in the mobilisation of research between the fields.

Results: Four main barriers and categories emerged from the analyses: (1)‘We’re competing on time’, (2) ‘A separate approach’, (3) ‘It has to add value’ and (4) ‘It is hard to make it that academic’.

Conclusion and implications: The discussion addresses some general focus point, challenges and necessary questions for supporting the application of research in PETE.