Knowledge Transfer Process and Influencing Factors of PE Teachers

Background/Purpose: Knowledge is a dominant feature in today’s post-industrial society, but little is known about knowledge transfer process and related influence factors of physical education (PE) teachers. Some studies have found that, due to their professional characteristics (e.g., their own physical fitness and sport skill competency),PE teachers in higher education ignored the absorption and application of academic knowledge, leading to an increasingly apparent job-people-knowledge mismatch. The purpose of this study was to examine the process and influencing factors of PE teachers in higher education.

 

Method: A survey with four factors (i.e., knowledge characteristics, knowledge sender, recipient of knowledge and knowledge transfer scenarios), which were measured 2-4 questions in a 5-point (1=Strong disagree, 2=Disagree,  3=Neutral, 4=Agree, 5=Strongly agree) Likert scale, was mailed to 500 PE teachers in 30 colleges/universities in 9 provinces, China. A total of 461 (response rate =92.2 %) returned the survey, with 57.9% male, mean age = 38.6 yr., and mean teaching experience =14.8 yr. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlations and multiple regressions.  

 

Analysis/Results: Ratings (M±SD, the higher, the more positive on knowledge transfer) on the factors and related questions are summarized below:  

1. Knowledge Characteristics.(3.59±.49): Knowledge      complexity (3.73±1.74), Knowledge embeddedness (3.70±1.91), and Tacit of      knowledge (3.65±2.19);
2. Knowledge      Sender.(3.03±.47): Transfer ability (4.02±1.79) and Transfer motivation (3.65±2.89)     
3. Recipient      of  Knowledge.(3.76±.42): Study      motivation(3.99±2.89), Application ability (3.70±1.61) and Absorptive      ability (3.60±2.64)
4. Knowledge      Transfer Scenarios.(3.28±.50): Organizational      culture (3.29±3.29), Incentive (3.45±1.87), Knowledge distance      (3.24±1.64), and Transfer method (3.24±3.66).

Transfer Results and Satisfaction, two perceived measures of knowledge transfer performance, scored 3.91±1.36 and 3.58±3.65, respectively. Further regression analyses indicated Absorption capacity, Transfer ability, Organizational culture, Knowledge distance, Transfer method, and Transfer motivation are statistically significant predictors(p< .05) of Transfer Result; and Absorption capacity, Transfer method, Transfer ability, Application ability, and Motivation are the significant predictor of Satisfaction.

Conclusions: Knowledge transfer of PE teachers in higher education was closely related with knowledge absorptive ability, knowledge transfer ability and transfer method. Understanding of the process and influencing factors of PE teachers’ knowledge transfer could improve idea creation, sharing, evaluation, dissemination, and adoption; as a result, to improve their teaching performance and effectiveness, as well as provide guidance for the in-serve training for the PE teachers.