Research on Teaching (RT) and Research on Teaching Physical

Education (RT-PE)

KNR 158

Instructional Strategies in Physical Education

RT & RT-PE(Research on Teaching-PE)

For the most part research on teaching PE has followed the lead of educational research.

Much of what PE investigators know about good teaching evolved from research in non-activity (classroom) settings

Research on Teaching: A Historical Look

Began in 1940’s: methods required judgements about whether a teacher was good or bad.

Used rating scales (subjective)Much of the research was poorly done/disappointing

1950’s and 1960’s: suggested some process variables were desirable characteristics of good instruction (classroom climate, teacher warmth)

Outcome of this work- unable to tie the variables to student learning

A Historical Look – Cont’d.

Late 1960’s /1970’s : The search for generic teaching behaviors effective in all classrooms. Little success due to array of classroom situations.

Beginning of research to answer question: What do teachers do (process) that results in student achievement (product)?Known as process-product modelFactors were identified showing some promise

as being related to student achievement.

1980’s and 1990’s The arrival of

qualitative methods Research from the

perspective of the teacher and students (attitudes, beliefs about what they are doing/learning)

Research that tended to provide a detailed description of the learning environment and helped us understand context and complexity of the gym

Critical Factors Related to Student Learning in Physical Education

Several variables have emerged from research on teaching that have been shown to have a relationship with student learning.

What do good teachers do? Use direct

instruction task oriented classclear instructional

goalsstructured learning immediate relevant

feedbackstudents on task

Academic Learning Time (ALT)

Defined as the amount of time that students are engaged at an appropriate level of difficulty with the content to be learnedthe single most crucial variable related to

learningregular and appropriate practice

ALT – Cont’d…. Success Rate: 80% success rate has been

recommended (close to 50% is more realistic) Quality Practice: related to and contributing to

the learning goal Teacher Use of Time: maximize activity time Good Management Skills: maintain order and

appropriate behavior. Students do what they are supposed to do

Effective Teaching Practices Use of Direct Instruction Provision of relevant (specific) and

immediate feedback Use of appropriate step-by-step

progressions using clearly presented tasks

Teacher Expectancy

We are not that old! RT-PE has established

itself as a legitimate field

What is known about what good teachers do in PE has only emerged over the last 25 years