PETE Teacher Candidates’ Preferred Teaching Styles

Abstract

This study examined the chosen teaching styles of teacher candidates in a university PE high school teaching methods course (a) to see if teaching styles were chosen with equal probability and (b) to see if there was a difference of the distribution of styles used by males compared to females. A chi-square goodness of fit test determined if one or more teaching styles was more popular than at least one other, and a post hoc test compared all pairs of proportions. A two-sided normal-based test tested whether reproductive and productive styles were equally popular. A test for independence of gender and preferred teaching style was conducted, followed by post hoc tests. The following pairs of teaching style proportions were significantly different: practice with all the other styles except reciprocal. Overall, reproductive styles were more popular. Female candidates preferred reproductive styles at a significantly higher rate than male candidates did, and male candidates preferred productive styles at a significantly higher rate than female candidates did. Reasons for style preference are explored and recommendations made for environmental enhancements that help teachers to develop productive styles.Subscribe to TPE