The Self-Efficacy of Preservice Physical Education Teachers in Disabilities Education in China

Yong-Shun Wang,Xiao-Wen Wei,Martin E Block,Liu Liu

doi:10.3390/su12187283

Abstract

The adapted physical education (APE) field is developing vigorously in China, and an increasing number of students with physical education (PE) as their major will encounter students with disabilities in their future teaching careers. This study thus surveyed PE major students from eight Chinese sports colleges and universities in order to explore how perceived social support could affect the self-efficacy of PE major students who are expected to face students with different types of disabilities; furthermore, it aimed to demonstrate the regulating effect of APE studies and internships. The survey found that (1) perceived social support positively affected self-efficacy among Chinese PE majors who would be facing students with different types of disabilities; (2) APE studies and internships positively affected self-efficacy among Chinese PE majors who would be facing students with different types of disabilities, and; (3) APE studies and internships strengthened perceived social support’s effects on self-efficacy among Chinese PE majors who would be facing students with different types of disabilities.

Highlights

Adapted physical education (APE) refers to theoretically grounded and empirically based physical education programs that are specially designed, implemented, and evaluated for students with disabilities
The average self-efficacy score of Chinese PE major students with regard to teaching students with disabilities was 3.67 (3.61 (SD = 0.76), 3.67 (SD = 0.80), and 3.71 (SD = 0.83) with regard to teaching students with intellectual, physical, and visual disabilities, respectively); these results indicated that there were no significant differences in Chinese PE major students’ self-efficacy with regard to teaching students with different types of disabilities, and the effect size is 0.12, which is low
We found that perceived social support positively affected Chinese PE major students’ self-efficacy with regard to teaching three types of students; the correlation coefficients were 0.75 (p < 0.01), 0.85 (p < 0.01), and 0.63 (p < 0.01) for students with intellectual, physical, and visual disabilities, respectively

Summary

Introduction

Adapted physical education (APE) refers to theoretically grounded and empirically based physical education programs that are specially designed, implemented, and evaluated for students with disabilities These programs allow learners to acquire the competence needed to take part in sports, leisure, and entertainment activities throughout life, and contribute to their physical fitness and health [1]. 54.2% of China’s 442,200 students with disabilities are enrolled in regular primary schools, junior high schools, or affiliated special education classes (Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, n.d.). They are often excluded from physical education (PE) classes. Students with disabilities who are able to attend PE classes together with their classmates are often treated as bystanders and are in effect, deprived of their right to receive PE [3]

Methods

Results

Conclusion