Developing adaptive teaching competence in preservice physical education teachers

This study examined how preservice teachers (PSTs) develop adaptive competence in teaching peers in an introductory physical education pedagogy course underpinned by a pedagogical cycle designed to promote adaptive teaching competence. Two guiding research questions were: (a) what was the total number of adaptations that PSTs made in their peer teaching? and (b) what were the total numbers of missed content (MC) that PSTs had in their peer teaching? We used a descriptive-analytic study to evaluate teaching data from 22 PSTs. The course included different pedagogical strategies (e.g. discussing teaching scenarios, repeated teaching, and reflecting on teaching) to develop adaptive competence. A total of 85 teaching videos were analyzed using three coding variables (adaptations added, adaptation corrections, and MC) by comparing them with the PSTs’ lesson plans. The descriptive analyses showed that all PSTs were able to make substantive and consistent teaching adaptations across the five-week period. The amount of MC decreased across the five weeks. This study demonstrated that the pedagogical cycle designed to promote adaptive teaching competence was effective in helping PSTs make adaptations to their teaching. Simply providing PSTs opportunities to teach or teach repetitively is not sufficient to develop adaptive competence. Intentional integration of the pedagogical strategies is essential to equipping PSTs with effective teaching skills and knowledge, and helping them connect theory and practice with ongoing feedback and reflection.