Placek, J. (1983). Conceptions of success in teaching: Busy, happy, and good? In T.

Templin & J. Oslin (Eds.), Teaching in Physical Education (pp. 45–56). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics

Renee Brown & Annie Machamer

Type – Purpose - Background• Type: Qualitative

• Purpose: To present the results of 2 studies that examined how pe teachers and undergraduate majors think about success in teaching

• Background: Research focus on…– Interactive Teaching

• “What strategies work best?” (pg. 46)• Observable variable of student learning = Teacher effectiveness• Product/Process focus to improve teaching an teacher prep.

Significance What did it report to add?

• Research Focus:– Cognitive information processing

• “Teachers thinking”• How teachers behave/what they do = what they think

• First Study: – Examined Teachers Planning

• Sparking the next study to occur

• Second Study:– Directly investigated conceptions of success in teaching

Methods: Study 1

• Planning– Placek 1982 Study

• Setting– Natural Setting– Gym & Teachers offices

• Participants / Length– 4 physical educators– 2 weeks

• Data Collected– Observer field Notes– Teachers written plans– Interview w/teacher

Analysis Methods; Study 1

• Influence One:– Student enjoyment

• Ex: *article

• Influence Two:– Participation

• Ex: *article

• Influence Three:– Student Misbehavior

• Ex: *article

• Main Statements:

1. What activities will students enjoy?

2. What activities provide the most participation?

3. What activities have few discipline problems?

Methods: Study 2

• Conceptions of Success

– Obtained indirectly as parts of larger studies

– Critical incident technique (Flanangan, 1954)• Asked to identify a

specific instance of success/non-success in teaching

• Setting– Questionnaire completed

during class. (volunteer)

• Participants– Junior/Senior college – PE Majors in specific content– N=47

• Study Participants– Teaching K-12– N=29– F=15, M=14

Analysis Methods; Study 2• Instances of success in the

questionnaire were examined and listed.

• Success Categories: – Similar instances were grouped– See to right

• Non-success Categories: – Cause of the problem– Behavior and consequences– Some did not distinguish (so

categories were developed)

• Three categories of success:

1. If students demonstrated being “happy”– Ex: *article

2. If student learning occurred– Ex: *article

3. Higher participation levels– Ex: *article

Findings/Main arguments• The findings about teaching and learning were obtained indirectly as parts of larger

studies• Success Factors

– Student Enjoyment– Student Participation– Student Learning

• Non-success factors– No control (external)– Blamed themselves– Discipline Problems

• Absence of “successful” events does no make an experience unsuccessful. – Different Definitions of what constitutes success and non-success in teaching– Experience and inexperience teachers view success the same way

Conclusions/implications for practice and/or future research

• Teachers view success differently than researchers.– Researchers designs studies to tease out variables of effective teaching– Teachers believe success is related to the immediate, observable

happenings. Participation (busy) Enjoying themselves (happy) and doing what the teacher directs (Good)

– Problems may arise• The goal is to produce teachers who are concerned with both student

learning and student enjoyment – This may be fantasy

Take Away

• Renee: Teachers need to focus on student enjoyment and student learning simultaneously.

• Annie: Personal Experience, I saw the benefits of focusing on learning and student enjoyment.

Questions?

• In your opinion, what is it in the schools, teaching situation, college education or background of the teachers that causes them to view learning as relatively unimportant?

• Can you relate your physical education experience to the article?