One demand associated with changes in teacher licensure is the provision of ongoing professional development opportunities for teachers. Traditional in-service workshops have failed to provide interesting and valuable learning experiences for teachers. Despite research on staff development, we have yet to solicit physical education teachers' views regarding what is meaningful, effective, professional development. This study was designed to describe how physical education specialists with varying degrees of experience sustain themselves as professionals. The intent was to provide a rich description of their professional journey as teachers as well as identify the strategies they deemed most helpful in sustaining best practice.
Three elementary physical education specialists were used as a purposeful sample to provide diverse perspectives on their professional development experiences. One male novice teacher, one female mid-career teacher and one female thirty-year veteran were selected. The primary data source was a ninety-minute semi-structured interview, which focused on the types of experiences that were helpful as well as barriers that prevented the teachers from continued learning. On-site observations of their workplace and teaching practices as well as document analysis of lesson plans and teaching philosophies were conducted. Data were analyzed using constant comparison method and trustworthiness was established through peer debriefing, member checks, and triangulation of data sources.
Results indicated that teachers used both formal and informal learning experiences to sustain their professional development. The major theme representing informal professional development was collaboration with physical education colleagues external to their school district and family members who were also teachers. A secondary theme was reflection upon their own practice based upon the perceived needs of their students. The two more experienced teachers identified formal networking with university programs and personnel as well as participation in professional organizations as the most beneficial forms of professional development. The novice teacher identified no formal means of professional development as playing a significant role in his initial year of teaching. Results suggest that novice, mid-career and veteran teachers may need a variety of staff development alternatives to match their professional needs. Constructing communities of practice that address teacher expertise and interests is one possible solution for professional development of in-service teachers.