Theoretical insights applied to learning to teach primary school physical education

Abstract

This paper presents a précis of the theoretical perspective to an investigation of preservice teacher preparedness across a pathway of learning within an initial teacher education program. The pathway is a suite of curriculum units that enable interested Education students at The University of New England to specialise in the teaching of primary school Physical Education (PE). In New South Wales, PE is a marginalised subject in the primary school curriculum situated within the Key Learning Area known as Personal Development, Health and Physical Education. The specialisation pathway at UNE ensures that PE is not further marginalised within the curriculum of teacher education. In an attempt to investigate the efficacy of this pathway, the descriptive and explanatory potential of Transformative Learning Theory (TLT) has been explored. Application of TLT to the research program has been detailed with implications for the major study outlined.