Background/Purpose Standards-based instruction delivered by high quality teachers is necessary to produce an acceptable level of student achievement in the age of educational reform. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) acknowledges teachers who demonstrate their ability to meet high and rigorous standards. The purpose of this study was to examine Florida National Board Certified Physical Education Teachers' (F-NBCPETs) perceptions of the certification process relative to its benefits and implications to their instructional performance and related experiences.
Method F-NBCPETs (N=155) were contacted to complete an anonymous electronic survey. Responses were received from 82 teachers resulting in a 53% response rate. Participants were predominately female (77%), Caucasian (90%), and between the ages of 41-55 (73%). Most participants held Master's degrees (57%), followed by Bachelor's degrees (39%), then Doctorate degrees (4%).
Analysis/Results Descriptive statistics and frequencies were calculated. Open-ended responses were coded and categorized. Participants identified personal challenge (75%), increased compensation (75%), receiving a stipend to pay for fees (72.5%), and professional development (65%) as motivations to pursue National Board Certification (NBC). All participants said the process was a good professional development opportunity. The large majority of participants believed the process made them a better teacher (95%) and was personally challenging (83.8%). Participants felt they benefited both professionally (85%) and personally (86.2%). F-NBCPETs perceived the NBC to benefit their students (82.5%).
Conclusions These findings indicate that F-NBCPETs value NBC for the challenge and its perceived impact on teaching, in addition to the increased compensation.
See more of: Research Consortium