Profiles of Physical Education Strategies: A Cross- National Comparison of Preferences of English and Canadian Teachers

Abstract

This study was designed to compare strategic teaching preferences of physical educators in two national settings, and to assess the impact of selected teacher characteristics and teaching situations upon these preference profiles. A field study employing a structured questionnaire was administered to two samples of physical education teachers, one from Canada ( n=178) and the other from England ( n =53). Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was used to test the main and in teraction effects of national setting, teacher age, gender, and teaching level upon preferences for instructional goals, tactics, and resources. The analysis revealed significant national differences, in all dimensions of the teaching strategy space. While Canadian physical educators placed emphasis upon fitness and the deve lopment of skills for future life-styles, British teachers attached more importance to fun and the promotion of team spirit as major physical education goals. Ca nadians demonstrated greater adherence to the use of innovative delivery techno logies and the promotion of student self-management. The British physical edu cators, however, placed the most emphasis upon the type of class organization that would lead to a maximum of skill teaching in class. Male Canadians preferred the more formal command method for teaching large groups, but it was the British female, rather than the male teachers who matched their enthusiasm.