Professional ëdevelopmentí and Professional ëLearningí: Bridging the Gap for Experienced Physical Education Teachers

Abstract

This article analyses the career-long continuing professional development (CPD) of 85 experienced physical education (PE) teachers in England. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews (20 teachers) and open-ended profile questionnaires (a further 65 teachers) to find out what forms of professional development these teachers had undertaken in their careers, what they thought of their experiences and any recommendations they would make for changes to either the nature or quality of CPD provision. The research was undertaken in a climate of growing government interest in teachers’ professional development as a means of raising educational standards, and promises of increased funding to encourage more and better CPD. However, very little is known about the nature and quality of existing CPD in PE, or about PE teachers’ views on their professional learning requirements. The findings of this study suggest that PE teachers’ CPD experiences lack coherence and relevance. It is also suggested that there may be something of a gap between teachers’ ambitious aspirations for pupils in PE and the professional development available to help them achieve those aspirations. It is argued, therefore, that professional development should be restructured and refocused to ensure that PE teachers’ career-long learning needs are met.