Secondary PGCE PE students’ perceptions of their subject knowledge

Abstract

PE teachers in England are required to teach a wide range of physical activities in order to fulfil the requirements of the National Curriculum for Physical Education (NCPE). The content or subject knowledge necessary to teach all areas of activity in the NCPE is acknowledged as important, both in its own right and as giving students confidence and accuracy for subject application. Subject knowledge is identified as one of the standards for the award of qualified teacher status on completion of an initial teacher education course in England. However, students entering secondary Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) PE courses bring with them a variety of experiences, qualifications and subject knowledge to teach the areas of activity in the NCPE. Most students have a sports-related degree. However, such degrees may not include subject knowledge appropriate to teach all six areas of activity in the NCPE. Students, therefore, are required to gain subject knowledge on their one year PGCE course. The purpose of this study was to look at secondary PGCE PE students’ perceptions of amount of subject knowledge in the six areas of activity that comprise the NCPE.

Twenty-seven students completed a questionnaire at the beginning of each of the second and third terms of their course (January and April). The questionnaire included a question about knowledge in the six areas of activity in the NCPE and in specific Games taught in many schools in England. Results suggested that there were differences in students’ perceptions of amount of subject knowledge. The highest percentage of students perceived good subject knowledge in traditional team Games. The highest percentage of students perceived little subject knowledge in Outdoor and Adventurous Activities (OAA) and Dance. There were significant differences between male and female students’ perceptions of knowledge in OAA, Swimming, Football, Netball and Rounders. There were also significant differences in students’ perceptions of knowledge in Dance, Gymnastics, OAA and Volleyball between the beginning of the second and third terms.

Implications of the results are considered in relation to: (i) experiences which students require on PGCE courses to develop subject knowledge; (ii) selection procedures for secondary PGCE PE courses; and (iii) preparation of students for secondary PGCE PE courses on sports-related degree courses.