Teacher Biography: SOLO Analysis of Preservice Teachers' Reflections of their Experiences in Physical Education

Abstract

Teacher biography, as a reflective practice, was implemented in the context of Physical Education in a primary teacher education course at a regional Australian university. Second year students were asked to provide descriptions of a critical incident they experienced at the primary or secondary level in a Physical Education or sporting context (N=214). Their responses comprised the data for this study and the Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) Model was used to determine the levels of complexity of the responses to ‘alternatives for action’ associated with these incidents. More responses were multistructural (48%), than relational (24%), and unistructural (23%), with extended abstract (3%) and the least, were prestructural (2%). The responses varied for gender and mode of enrolment (on or off campus). The findings that one third of students developed higher order (relational or extended abstract) responses challenge teacher educators to consider strategies to extend critical reflections.