Teachers’ Concerns and Participation Styles during In-Service Education

During this study, concerns data were collected from 7 elementary physical education teachers in order to determine their types and intensities of concerns as they proceeded through an in-service program, and to determine the degree to which they implemented the proposed changes. The Stages of Concern Questionnaire and open-ended statements of concern were administered to the teachers on three occasions during the 3-month in-service program: at the outset, midway, and upon completion of the sessions. In order to amplify data collected through these instruments, researchers conducted observations and formal and informal interviews. The data revealed three participation styles among the 7 teachers. The 2 teachers who became users of the innovations were categorized as actualizers. The 3 conceptualizers felt positively disposed to the changes but did not become users during the inservice program. The 2 remaining teachers—the resisters—were negatively disposed to the innovations and failed to implement them. Group and individual analyses are discussed as well as factors that influenced the teachers’ participation.