Abstract
This cross-sectional study was designed to analyse the differences between the subject-specific competenc- es of Slovenian and Italian physical education (PE) teachers. The participants, 669 Slovenian and 484 Italian PE teachers, evaluated their professional competences with a self-administered questionnaire on a four-level Likert scale. A t-test for independent samples indicates differences in the self-evaluations of the majority of sub- ject-specific competences between both groups. However, in almost all items, Slovenian PE teachers evaluate their competences higher. A multivariate analysis of variance, used to identify the role of some socio-demo- graphic factors (state, gender, years of service), shows that the state has the highest impact on the differences between self-efficiency of both groups (p<0.001, Eta2=0.531). The greatest differences (Cohen's d > 0.8) are observed on those competences that relate to some of the narrower aspects of PE didactics. The reasons for the perceived differences can be found in some historical and social events, length of education, the different orientation of PE teacher education programmes, and the different responses of both countries to educational policies. The present study outcomes may aid in updating initial PE teacher training and designing a creative system of continuous professional development.
Highlights
In the 1990s, when “competences” became one of the key terms in professional education, many attempts were made to classify and describe this elusive and multi-layered term
The entire questionnaire has a high degree of reliability (Cronbach’s alpha=.97), while the values of individual segments of the questionnaire vary between .77 and .92. Both groups have recognized the highest level of competences in the following areas: understanding health aspects of physical activity (PA) and sport; understanding physical education (PE) curriculum; being able to use different teaching methods and forms of teaching PE; understanding the social importance of sport (Table 1)
The main findings of the study are i) PE teachers are able to evaluate their own perceived level and, at times, lack of competences critically; ii) the state has the highest impact on differences between both groups of teachers; iii) Slovenian PE teachers perceive their subject-specific competences to be much higher than the Italian ones do; iv) the greatest differences are observed on those competences that relate to some of the narrower aspects of PE didactics
Summary
In the 1990s, when “competences” became one of the key terms in professional education, many attempts were made to classify and describe this elusive and multi-layered term. The term “competence” involves tacit and explicit knowledge, cognitive and practical skills, as well as motivation, beliefs, value orientations, and emotions (Rychen & Salganik, 2003). The European network Eurydice (2003) divided teachers’ competencies into general (universal or subject-independent) and specific ones closely related to an individual subject area. Physical education (PE) is included in all national school systems as a vital part of children’s development; national curriculum documents, material conditions for implementing PE, and physical education teacher education (PETE) programmes vary considerably. Received: 26 January 2021 | Accepted after revision: 22 February 2021 | First published online: 1 September 2021
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