The Influences on Teaching Perspectives of Australian Physical Education Teacher Education Students: The First-Year Influences on Teaching Perspectives Exploratory (FIT-PE) Study

Oct 15, 2026

The paper addresses the scarcity of research on the teaching beliefs and intentions of Australian physical education teacher education (PETE) students at the point they enter training. The First-year Influences on Teaching Perspectives Exploratory (FIT-PE) study examines likely dominant and important teaching perspectives for physical education teaching. Using a Teaching Perspectives Inventory with 105 Australian PETE students, the study applies independent t-tests and one-way ANOVA across demographic variables. Findings show 18-year-olds and students from rural backgrounds report significantly higher transmission (content-oriented) teaching perspective scores.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

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Pages21

Reading Time53 min

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Abstract

Introduction

Australian Journal of Teacher Education | Volume 41 | Issue 5 | Article 7 | | --- | --- | 2016 The Influences on Teaching Perspectives of Australian Physical Education Teacher Education Students: The First-Year Influences on Teaching Perspectives Exploratory (FIT-PE) Study Brendon P. Hyndman Charles Darwin University, [brendon.hyndman@cdu.edu.au](brendon.hyndman@cdu.edu.au) Shane Pill Flinders University, [shane.pill@flinders.edu.au](shane.pill@flinders.edu.au) Recommended Citation Hyndman, B. P., & Pill, S. (2016). The Influences on Teaching Perspectives of Australian Physical Education Teacher Education Students: The First-Year Influences on Teaching Perspectives Exploratory (FIT-PE) Study. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 41 (5). Retrieved from [http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol41/iss5/7](http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol41/iss5/7) This Journal Article is posted at Research Online. [http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol41/iss5/7](http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol41/iss5/7) The Influences on Teaching Perspectives of Australian Physical Education Teacher Education Students: The First-Year Influences on Teaching Perspectives Exploratory (FIT-PE) Study Abstract: There has been a paucity of literature investigating the teaching beliefs and intentions of Australian physical education teacher education (PETE) students that enter teacher training. The First-year Influences on Teaching Perspectives Exploratory (FIT-PE) study explores the teaching perspectives of first year PETE students; including teaching perspectives predicted as being dominant and important for physical education teaching. The teaching perspectives inventory (TPI) was administered to 105 Australian PETE students. Independent t-tests and one-way ANOVA statistical tests were conducted to compare average teaching perspective summary scores across demographic variables. The FIT-PE study findings revealed 18 year olds (compared to 20-25 year olds) and PETE students from rural backgrounds (compared to regional) had significantly higher average summary scores for the transmission (content-oriented) teaching perspective. This paper provides reflective opportunities for teacher training programs of the underlying core teaching values (beliefs and intentions) of students at the entry point of PETE training. Introduction The importance of examining the teaching beliefs and intentions of physical educators is underlined by physical education (PE) teachers being potential gate-keepers to informing school physical activity policies, delivery, planning and implementation (Hyndman, Telford, Finch & Benson, 2012) . With a potential to strongly influence the physical activity levels of young people and just 18% of children meeting the recommended guidelines of physical activity (Active Healthy Kids Australia, 2014), an early understanding of the teaching perspectives ofour future PE teachers is valuable. Gaining insight into the teaching perspectives of PE teacher education (PETE) students is important to ensure teacher education programs are aware of the developmental needs ofour future PE teachers. This is especially important as PE teaching often assumes an ambition to positively influence activity levels ‘beyond the school gate’ (Drummond & Pill, 2011) . Identifying teaching perspectives (e.g. a lens of beliefs and intentions that provide direction to teaching) of PETE students is important to recognise how school physical activity and skill opportunities will be delivered both formally (e.g. PE lessons, school sport) (Hyndman, 2014) and informally (e.g. recess and after school time) (Hyndman & Telford, 2015) by our next generation of PE teachers. We agree with Wiegand, Bulger and Mohr (2004, p.7) that the nature of future PE programs will“depend on the insights and commitments ofthe professionals responsible for future curriculum decisions.” Physical Education Teacher Education students enter the ‘starting blocks’ of teacher

FAQs

What does the FIT-PE study investigate about PETE students?

It explores the teaching perspectives of first-year Australian PETE students, including which perspectives are predicted to be dominant and important for physical education teaching.

How were students' teaching perspectives measured and analyzed?

The Teaching Perspectives Inventory (TPI) was administered to 105 PETE students, and independent t-tests and one-way ANOVA were used to compare summary scores across demographic variables.

What key group differences did the FIT-PE findings report?

18-year-olds (versus 20–25 year olds) and students from rural backgrounds (versus regional) had significantly higher average scores for the transmission (content-oriented) teaching perspective.

Oct 15, 2026

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