Scheduled for Symposium: Physical Education Teacher Educators - A Contemporary Profile, Wednesday, April 9, 2008, 3:15 PM - 5:15 PM, Convention Center: 202C


Demographic Characteristics of Physical Education Teacher Educators by Carnegie Classification

Kim C. Graber1, Heather E. Erwin2, Amelia Mays Woods3, Jesse Rhoades3 and Weimo Zhu1, (1)University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, (2)University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, (3)University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL

Physical Education Teacher Educators (PETE) play a critical role in the preparation of pre-service physical educators. Defining the demographic characteristics of PETE promotes an understanding of their unique characteristics. The purpose of this study was to survey PETEs in the United States to identify their defining personal characteristics, educational backgrounds, and related experiences based on the type of institution in which they were employed, and the institution's classification according to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education (CCIHE) published in 1994. The CCIHE classifications used in this study were: Research Universities I (RI), Research Universities II (RII), Doctoral Universities I (DI), Masters Comprehensive I (MI), Masters Comprehensive II (MII), Baccalaureate Colleges I (BI), Baccalaureate Colleges II (BII), Associates of Arts Colleges (AA), and Specialized Institutions (SI). PETEs numbering 1252, from 599 institutions, were contacted to complete a comprehensive online survey to identify their characteristics. Double blind measures were taken to assure no bias in data processing. Respondents numbered 461, which constituted a 42% return rate. The survey consisted of 43 questions. Two classifications, AA and SI institutions, were not included in the analysis because these groups were represented by only one participant respectively. Data obtained from responses were utilized to run descriptive statistics by CCIHE. One-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) were employed to determine significant differences among CCIHE. Descriptive statistics revealed that white/Caucasian was the predominant ethnicity, regardless of CCIHE classification. Mean age for the aggregate PETE was 48.63, in contrast the mean age for PETE by CCIHE was: RI = 49.63±8.9, RII = 46.94±8.9.7, DI = 48.08±8.9.2, MI = 47.97±8.57, MII = 48.91±10.75, BI = 47.10±7.46, and BII = 49.35±8.16. No significant differences were found in age among CCIHE classifications (p=.844). Gender percentages for the aggregate PETE were M = 42%, F = 58%. Gender percentages by CCIHE were RI (M=46.3%, F=53.7%), RII (M=44.4%, F=55.6%), DI (M=41.2%, F=58.8%), MI (M=36.2%, F=63.8%), MII (M=42.9%, F=57.1%), BI (M=30.0%, F=70.0%), BII (M=47.0%, F=53.0%). No significant differences were found in gender among CCIHE classifications (p=.770). Mean salary for the aggregate PETE was 51K-60K. Average annual salary by CCIHE was: RI = 61-70K, RII = 61-70K, DI = 61-70K, MI = 51-60K, MII = 41-50K, BI = 51-60K, BII = 41-50K. These findings indicate that PETE tends to be a homogenous group, with similar ethnicity, age, and educational background.
Keyword(s): leadership development, physical education PK-12, professional preparation

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