Scheduled for Research Consortium Pedagogy II Poster Session, Thursday, April 27, 2006, 1:15 PM - 2:45 PM, Convention Center: Exhibit Hall Poster Area I


Impact of Exemplary Physical Education Curriculum Professional Development on Teacher Curricular Self-Efficacy

Jeffrey J. Martin1, Nate McCaughtry1, Pamela Hodges Kulinna2, Donetta J. Cothran3, Roberta E. Faust4, Sara D. Barnard1 and Sara Smigell1, (1)Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, (2)Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, (3)Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, (4)Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI

Teacher efficacy is a major determinant of teacher behavior with efficacious teachers providing a better quality of teaching compared to less efficacious teachers. Therefore the purpose of the current study was to determine if a year long professional development training intervention in the Exemplary Physical Education Curriculum (EPEC) increased teacher's efficacy to use EPEC. Forty-seven teachers participated in the following 3 groups: Group 1 (n=15) consisted of experienced teachers, Group 2 were relatively inexperienced teachers (n=15) and Group 3 (n=17) constituted the control group. Groups 1 and 2 received year long training in how to teach EPEC as well as in how to use computers and pedometers to facilitate their teaching. Both intervention group teachers completed 4 subscales of EPEC efficacy based on EPEC objectives in physical fitness, knowledge, social and personal skills, and motor skills 5 times over the course of the academic year. The control group completed measures at time 1 and 5. A repeated measures analysis of variance revealed a variety of significant results. For EPEC physical fitness objectives, a time by group interaction, (F (2, 44) = 25.09, p<.001, eta squared; ç = .53) indicated that experienced teachers (ET) (M=7.6 to M=8.7) and inexperienced teachers teachers (IET) (M=5.9 to M=9.0) compared to control teachers (CT) (M=7.6 to M=3.1), increased their efficacy. For EPEC physical activity knowledge objectives, a time by group interaction, (F (2, 44) = 30.69, p<.001, eta squared; ç = .58) indicated that ET (M=7.9 to M=9.3) and IET (M=5.9 to M=9.2) compared to CT (M=8.5 to M=3.6), increased their efficacy. For EPEC motor skill objectives, a time by group interaction, (F (2, 44) = 31.50, p<.001, eta squared; ç = .59) indicated that ET (M=7.8 to M=8.9) and IET (M=6.2 to M=9.2) compared to CT (M=8.2 to M=3.2), increased their efficacy. For EPEC personal and social skill objectives, a time by group interaction, (F (2, 44) = 31.20, p<.001, eta squared; ç = .59) indicated that ET (M=8.0 to M=8.9) and IET (M=6.4 to M=8.8) compared to CT (M=9.1 to M=3.3), increased their efficacy. The results suggest that the EPEC training was effective in enhancing teacher efficacy.


Keyword(s): curriculum development, physical activity, professional preparation

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