Understanding US PETE Faculty Stress in the Sociopolitical Environment of Higher Education

Teacher socialization theories have been extensively applied to understand the sociopolitical stressors faced by inservice physical education teachers. On the other hand, little is known as it relates to how physical education teacher education (PETE) faculty members experience and navigate stress in their jobs. Through the lens of occupational socialization theory, this study sought to understand US PETE faculty members’ experiences navigating the stress of their work in sociopolitical department and university environments. Participants included 36 US PETE faculty members (20 female, 16 male). Data were collected using in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Results highlighted the ways in which participants experienced and navigated the stress associated with their work environments. Specific themes included: (a) ambiguous, conflicting, and high expectations for performance contribute to role stress, (b) department cultures can challenge and marginalize physical education, (c) (development of) personal approaches and coping strategies to manage role stressors, and (d) networks of support are integral to faculty development and socialization. Results are discussed with implications for how various roles and the internalization of those roles impacted participants’ perceived stress while addressing the intra- and interpersonal strategies participants employ to navigate these stressors. Recommendations related to both doctoral education and continuous faculty development are provided and future directions for research are forwarded.

Adapted Physical Education Teachers’ Job Satisfaction

Grounded in occupational socialization theory, the authors examined adapted physical education (APE) teachers’ job satisfaction. Twelve (nine female and three male) APE teachers who had 3–43 years of teaching experience participated in the study. A semistructured interview was employed. The interviews focused on the participants’ roles and responsibilities. The following questions guided this study: (a) What social agents positively impact APE teachers’ job satisfaction? (b) what APE teachers’ roles and responsibilities are related to job satisfaction? and (c) what type of working conditions are linked to APE teachers’ job satisfaction? Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data. The following four themes emerged from the analysis: (a) support from administrators, physical education teachers, and colleagues; (b) relevant and meaningful professional development; (c) itinerant working conditions; and (d) seeing students’ progress and achievement. The results of this study provide several implications to enhance APE teachers’ job satisfaction.

‘I am finding my path’: A case study of Swedish novice physical education teachers’ experiences when managing the realities and challenges of their first years in the profession

Novice teachers face several challenges during their first years of socialization in schools, often feeling unprepared in managing the full range of teaching duties. If teacher retention and attrition are to be improved, research on the difficulties encountered by novice teachers in diverse contexts and cultures is required. There is a lack of studies regarding physical education (PE) teachers’ induction processes, especially outside Anglophone countries. The aim of this study was, from an occupational socialization perspective, to examine how Swedish novice PE teachers experience, perceive and manage their induction process. Through a single-case study design with embedded multiple units of analysis, we interviewed eight Swedish novice PE teachers. Based on thematic analysis, the results show that Swedish novice PE teachers experience several challenges related to reality shock, marginalization and isolation during induction. We identified three approaches used by the novices as central to successfully managing challenges of induction in the Swedish context: (1) socializing into a community of colleagues, (2) performing the role of the PE teacher as health promoter and (3) maintaining a critical teaching perspective. We conclude that these novice teachers’ socialization relies heavily on the individual, and therefore we argue that the induction process could be further facilitated by formal organizational support. This paper confirms long-standing difficulties reported in other countries, and contributes with new knowledge of how the approaches used when managing challenges of induction are contextually dependent due to the social and political surroundings of education.

Settlement Inequality and Social Exclusion of People with Epilepsy

Introduction. Patients with epilepsy, due to the presence of the chronic disorder, belong to deprived social groups. The results of many studies confirm the discrimination of patients with epilepsy on various social parameters, such as the availability of high-quality medical care, education and jobs. The settlement factor aggravates the deprived situation of patients with epilepsy and significantly affects their socio-psychological well-being. Based on the materials of the study conducted, the article identifies the interconnection between the characteristics of the place of residence of a patient with epilepsy, indicators of social exclusion, and the level of emotional-volitional and cognitive disorders. Materials and Methods. The data from a survey of 157 patients with epilepsy registered in neuropsychiatric dispensaries in Penza, Saransk, and Alatyr were used as materials for the study. The survey was conducted using the authors’ tools in May – December 2020 as formalized interviews. The results were processed using mathematical statistics methods in the SPSS software package. Results. The survey data have confirmed the stigmatization and deprivation of patients with epilepsy: they are less likely to marry, have limited opportunities for vocational education, and are more often unemployed. The settlement factor manifests itself in the unequal availability of modern medical services and provision of drugs, inclusive educational programs and opportunities for occupational socialization. The performed cluster analysis of the data has made it possible to single out three groups of respondents that differ significantly in terms of indicators and the degree of social exclusion: “educational deprivation”, “exclusion in the labor market” and “coping with stigma”. Analysis of these categories regarding the settlement factor shows that the share of the most deprived groups is inversely related to the population of the cities under study. Discussion and Conclusion. The authors have drawn the conclusions that the availability of social integration mechanisms reduces the likelihood of developing negative consequences of epilepsy, and the corresponding opportunities are largely due to the size of the city. The data obtained can be used to identify categories of patients with similar social problems, which will facilitate more targeted emotional and instrumental support for patients with epilepsy, with regard to the settlement factor.

Stability and change in vocational interest profiles and interest congruence over the course of vocational education and training

The current study is concerned with the stability of and changes in vocational interest profiles and interest congruence in vocational education and training (VET). Specifically, we examined (1) the stability of vocational interest profiles, (2) the existence of occupational socialization effects that manifest themselves as increases in person-environment (P-E) congruence, and (3) the question of whether or not changes in P-E congruence are psychologically relevant because they are related to trainees’ attitudes towards their VET course. We used data from a three-wave longitudinal sample comprising N = 2611 trainees from five different VET courses in Germany. Through the use of meta-analytical aggregation techniques, we were able to analyze interindividual differences in intraindividual interest stability and P-E congruence and to relate these differences to trainees’ satisfaction with VET. On average, interest profiles turned out to be highly stable over the entire course of VET. However, we found substantial interindividual and intergroup differences in interest stability. Average P-E congruence increased slightly in two groups, providing only little evidence for the presumed socialization effects. Nevertheless, interindividual differences in P-E congruence and changes in P-E congruence were psychologically relevant because they were linked to trainees’ satisfaction with their VET course and changes therein.

People and the Place: Social Dominance Orientation Is Reciprocally Associated With Hierarchy-Enhancing Occupations Over Time

Social dominance orientation (SDO) is a widely researched construct that indexes a preference for hierarchical intergroup relations. However, it remains unclear whether this preference (a) motivates people to seek out occupations that enhance hierarchical relations between groups (i.e., occupational assortment), (b) develops as a result of working within hierarchy-enhancing occupations (i.e., occupational socialization), or (c) both. One reason for this gap is that the large-scale longitudinal data required to simultaneously model assortment and socialization processes are scarce. In this study, we analyzed data from two waves of longitudinal data (spaced either 1, 3, or 5 years apart) from a nationwide sample of adults ( N = 3,452–4,412) who were already working in either hierarchy-enhancing occupations (e.g., law enforcement) or hierarchy-attenuating occupations (e.g., social work). Results showed that SDO predicted an increased probability of working in a hierarchy-enhancing occupation 3 and 5 years later. Working in a hierarchy-enhancing occupation was also positively associated with SDO after 1 and 5 years. These patterns generally suggest that occupations both shape, and are shaped by, intergroup beliefs.

Stability and Change in Vocational Interest Profiles and Interest Congruence over the Course of Vocational Education and Training

The current study is concerned with the stability of and changes in vocational interest profiles and interest congruence in vocational education and training (VET). Specifically, we examined 1) the stability of vocational interest profiles, 2) the existence of occupational socialization effects that manifest themselves as increases in person-environment (P E) congruence, and 3) the question of whether or not changes in P-E congruence are psychologically relevant because they are related to trainees’ attitudes towards their VET course. We used data from a three-wave longitudinal sample comprising N = 2,611 trainees from five different VET courses in Germany. Through the use of meta-analytical aggregation techniques, we were able to analyze interindividual differences in intraindividual interest stability and P-E congruence and to relate these differences to trainees’ satisfaction with VET. On average, interest profiles turned out to be highly stable over the entire course of VET. However, we found substantial interindividual and intergroup differences in interest stability. Average P-E congruence increased slightly in two groups, providing only little evidence for the presumed socialization effects. Nevertheless, interindividual differences in P-E congruence and changes in P-E congruence were psychologically relevant because they were linked to trainees’ satisfaction with their VET course and changes therein.

Challenges faced by preservice and novice teachers in implementing student-centred models: A systematic review

The purpose of this study was to unpack the challenges and constraints encountered by preservice and novice teachers when implementing student-centred models, and to describe the methodological characteristics of research conducted on this topic between 2004 and 2020. The procedure had a three-step approach: (a) searching for publications in electronic databases; (b) selecting studies based on inclusion criteria; and (c) refining this selection to identify research-based papers. 29 articles were selected, most of which were from Europe and North America. The most researched model was Sport Education, and studies considering novice teachers were scarce. The predominant methodology across studies involved multiple qualitative data sources and inductive analysis. Our major finding was the identification of three themes reflecting distinct challenges to the implementation of student-centred models: (a) teacher-related challenges (i.e. pervasive beliefs, occupational socialization, managerial- and instruction-related); (b) student-related challenges (i.e. student resistance to engaged participation in student-centred models); and (c) external challenges (i.e. context- and environment-related). Physical education teacher education should invest in training preservice teachers to: (a) manage the dynamics of students’ cooperative interactions and peer-assisted learning; (b) design developmentally appropriate small-sided games and problem-solving contexts, and (c) scaffold the gradual transfer of responsibility to students for their engagement in persistent learning team activities. Longer studies and the inclusion of student perspectives will be particularly valuable for future investigations.

Influence of Occupational Socialization on Sport Pedagogy Doctoral Students’ Beliefs and Actions

Purpose: To examine the influence of occupational socialization on the beliefs and actions of six sport pedagogy doctoral students (DSs) in terms of physical education (PE) teaching and physical education teacher education (PETE). Method: Data were collected with five qualitative techniques and analyzed by employing analytic induction and constant comparison. Results: DSs had conservative or liberal views about PE and endorsed hybrid forms of PETE, which included elements of the behavioristic, traditional/craft, and critical inquiry orientations. Patterns of socialization that shaped these beliefs and actions were both congruent and contrasting with those described in past research. Conclusions: The study highlights the importance of asking potential DSs about their beliefs and the forces that shaped those beliefs during recruitment. In addition, it indicates that the potency of doctoral education can be enhanced when it has a dual focus on PETE and research and when DSs experience it within a cohort.