Development of preservice teachers' value orientations during a secondary methods course and early field experience

Abstract

Few studies have examined the value orientations of physical education preservice teachers (PTs). The purposes of this study were to: (1) describe the extent to which one cohort of PTs' value orientations changed and developed during a secondary methods course and early field experience (EFE); and (2) determine why PTs' value orientations changed and developed as they did. Participants were 17 PTs. Data were collected using the short form of the Value Orientation Inventory (VOI-SF; Chen et al., 1997), formal, informal and stimulated recall interviews, and passive participant observation. Descriptive statistics were calculated for VOI-SF data and changes in value orientation scores during the methods course and EFE were assessed by employing repeated measures analysis of variance tests with Bonferroni follow-ups where necessary. Qualitative data were analyzed by employing constant comparison and analytic induction. VOI-SF data suggested that PTs entered the methods course contemplating a variety of perspectives but unsure of their priorities. During the methods course, these data suggested that PTs gave greater priority to the learning process value orientation. Qualitative data indicated that most PTs began the methods course with a superficial disciplinary mastery focus, and that those with strong coaching orientations thought much less about the purposes of the subject than those with teaching or weak to moderate coaching orientations. These data also suggested that teaching oriented PTs and PTs with weak to moderate coaching orientations acquired a more sophisticated understanding of and stronger commitment to the disciplinary mastery perspective. In contrast, qualitative data sources indicated that the value orientations of PTs with strong coaching orientations were not affected by the methods course or EFE at all. Implications of these findings for physical education teacher education are discussed.