The purpose of this study was to illuminate the experiences and understandings of
adaptive physical education (APE) teachers in their implementation of the newly
introduced K-13 curriculum in special needs schools (SLB) in Indonesia. This research
is a replication of previous research (Sigid XXABSTRACT Setiawan, 2018) conducted with primary
school physical education (PE) teachers. Twenty-six APE teachers aged 28-39 years (X
= 34.04, SD = 3.46) who worked with various disabilities in SLB were involved as
participants. Data collected were observations, interviews, and documentation working
within a phenomenological framework. Results indicated that teachers’ experiences of
the K-13 implementation were focused on (1) the acquisition of basic knowledge and
competence, (2) the adoption of the scientific approach, (3) the use of authentic
assessment, and (4) awareness of the supporting and inhibiting factors. The
understandings arising from these experiences were that: (1) the required knowledge of
APE SLB teachers could be found within the supporting government publications; (2)
the scientific approach placed systematic student problem solving at its core, and; (3)
authentic assessment involves a comprehensive focus on the learning and development
of skills, attitudes and knowledge. A comparison of these findings with those of the
primary teacher study showed that some of the additional understandings revealed by
the Adapted PE teachers reflected some of the specific demands and challenges facing
teachers in the context of special needs education. This research should serve as a
reference for novice teachers in emphasizing that good K-13 curriculum learning at all
levels must involve preparation for its implementation and its assessment.
Recommendations for the value of ongoing research of this nature with a broader cohort
of teachers are made.
Behind an Accelerated Scientific Research Career: Dynamic Interplay of Endogenous and Exogenous Forces in Talent Development