ERIC Number: EJ740090
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2004
Pages: 12
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0031-8981
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Available Date: N/A
Physical Educators Online: What Is on the Minds of Teachers in the Trenches?
Pennington, Todd; Wilkinson, Carol; Vance, Julienne
Physical Educator, v61 n1 p45-56 Win 2004
With the advent of the Internet, and more specifically the use of email discussion groups or listservs, physical educators have a new resource to assist them in overcoming the challenges to their professional development. One such resource is the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) listserv. NASPE-L is a physical education listserv that encourages teachers to discuss and share ideas about improving their teaching and programs. This study examined physical education teachers' conversations posted on the NASPE-L, in which teachers shared information about their needs and concerns while working in their own school environments. Data were acquired from the messages (N=333) in the NASPE-L archives for one randomly selected month. The data was analyzed using a qualitative inductive content analysis (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). Results of the qualitative analysis identified six common themes: professional issues, teaching activities, instructional strategies, technology in physical education, professional conferences, and advocacy. Findings indicate the professional nature of the conversations on the listserv, what teachers may expect by participating on a listserv, and its potential to reduce teachers' feelings of isolation. (Contains 7 tables and 1 figure.)
Descriptors: Discussion Groups, Educational Strategies, Physical Education Teachers, Electronic Mail, Content Analysis, Physical Education, Internet, Professional Development, Program Improvement, Instructional Improvement, Advocacy, Teacher Attitudes, Teacher Participation
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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Authoring Institution: N/A
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Author Affiliations: N/A