- 8 views
- 24 downloads
An online developmental adapted physical education licensure: The potential of adding student voices in graduate program improvement
-
- Author(s) / Creator(s)
-
Many physical education teachers do not feel adequately prepared during their university
programs to meet the needs of students with disabilities in their classrooms (McGrath et al.,
2019). These professionals must navigate the demands of large class sizes, a wide variety of
abilities, numerous aspects of motor assessments, individual education plan (IEP)
implementation, and mandated special education regulations with usually only one 3-credit
course specific to teaching this population in the physical education setting. Additional licensing
in special education in graduate programs tends to focus on required content; however, little
attention is given to university student experiences when designing license programming
(Bourke & MacDonald, 2018; Seale, 2016; Thrill, 2019). While obtaining an adapted physical
education license, graduate students’ voices are rarely heard, and the content of the added
licensure only occasionally aligns with the job-related demands of teaching special education
(Lirgg et al., 2017). This research aimed to explore graduate students' experiences in an add-on
license program in developmental adapted physical education. Knowles' (1984) theory of
andragogy and Dewey's (1938) theory of lived experiences are the dual foundational lenses for
developing the Developmental Adapted Physical Education Program at Bemidji State University.
Using interpretive inquiry (Ellis, 1989) and hermeneutics, the process included personal stories
and practical examples to uncover the student's experiences in an online program. Data was
gathered from in-service teachers who had completed an online adapted physical education
licensure graduate program from Bemidji State, a 4-year university in the upper mid-west United
States. Data included an introductory survey, pre-interview activities, virtual interviews, and a
follow-up meeting as the analysis and interpretation (hermeneutic circle) to identify emergent
iii
themes regarding program components and online delivery. The themes uncovered in the
findings include providing online asynchronous learning opportunities for graduate students,
building prior educational experience as a foundation for future learning, delivering quality
content knowledge and skills through active learning, and increasing hands-on practical learning
opportunities, including positive examples of collaboration. Findings from this research give
professors and universities a broader understanding of graduate students’ experiences with the
content standards of a developmental adapted physical education licensing program and online
delivery methods.
Keywords: developmental adapted physical education, adapted physical education,
online education, physical education, teacher licensing, content standards, core skills, content
standards -
- Date created
- 2024-05-09
-
- Type of Item
- Research Material