Utilizing Peer Coaching to Facilitate Pre-service Physical Education Teachers’ Reflection

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine pre-service physical education teachers’ perceptions of peer coaching as a tool for reflection, and their reflectivity on their microteaching peer coaching experiences. Five pairs of coaches and coachees (4 female, 6 male) were selected from a pool of 30 students who were enrolled in a secondary physical education methods course. Data, which were collected from teachers’ reflective journal entries, peer coaching evaluation forms, and individual interviews with participants, were analyzed inductively by individual and cross-case analysis. The findings revealed that peer coaching facilitated teacher candidates’ reflection by: (a) helping them to face and deal with barriers to reflection, (b) connecting planning, instruction, and reflection, and (c) providing three-dimensional perspectives. In addition, the teacher candidates’ reflectivity on peer coaching was categorized into: (a) reiteration and acceptance, (b) extension and confrontation, and (c) adjustment and re-aiming. The findings supported that peer coaching can be a viable tool to initiate and sustain teacher candidates’ reflection.