Background/Purpose: Professional development for physical education teachers historically has often lacked meaning or has been seen as ineffective. Today professional development time and funding have been reduced and even cut for physical education teachers. The fact that professional development for physical education teachers has been reduced and lacks value when it is offered has led some to consider more effective means to professional development for physical education teachers. Recently, researchers have begun exploring an approach to professional development in physical education that is accomplished through establishing and sustaining a community of practice (Parker, Patton, Madden & Sinclair, 2010). Communities of practices are grounded in social learning theory that posits that learning is social and results from interactions with others and the environment (Bandura, 1977). The purpose of this study was to examine a group of K-12 physical education teachers’ perceptions of a community of practice that was focused on creating a K-12 curriculum map.
Method: Participants included eight experienced teachers and one district director of physical education. The teachers taught in a large urban district in the northeast part of the United States. In addition, two facilitators were participant observers. Both facilitators were university faculty who were involved in a university school partnership with the district and possessed experience with curriculum development. Data sources included field notes, formal interviews with teachers and the director of physical education, and artifacts, including curriculum maps and existing curricular documents.
Analysis/Results: Data were analyzed by developing categories and examining them for common elements that ran throughout and tied them together. Themes were then extracted from these categories. Data were then selectively coded for examples that illustrated the themes. Three main findings were drawn from the analysis. First, the teachers indicated that the meetings were important because they were able to see the big picture of how the curriculum articulated between grades K-12. Secondly, teachers valued the time to communicate with colleagues that were committed to improving physical education. Finally, teachers indicated that they had become more reflective of their teaching.
Conclusions: Since the teachers were committed to improving physical education, the community of practice allowed them an opportunity to move toward this goal. In light of this, using a community of practice as a form of professional development, may lead to teachers developing the knowledge and skills to advocate for improved physical education.