Exploring New Technologies in Physical Education Teacher Education

Technology is becoming an integral part of teaching
and learning in schools. This thesis explored the use
of a wiki, a collaborative editable webpage within
physical education teacher education. An interpretive
inquiry investigated the perceptions of a cohort of
28 final year physical education teacher candidates
(PETC) through an online group project. The objective
of the assignment was for PETC to develop deeper
understanding of the Teaching Games for Understanding
(TGfU) approach. Information collected from
reflective journals, writing samples and focus groups
identified both enabling and constraining factors
this wiki brought to the wiki project. Data analyses
confirmed that the wiki facilitated collaboration
among group members, improved writing skills and
enhanced deeper understanding through scaffolding of
one s own ideas as well as those of others. In their
efforts to work collaboratively, the students
realized that establishing roles and responsibilities
and creating more opportunity for communication were
necessary ingredients for learning.

Autorentext

Helena completed this Masters thesis at the University ofManitoba in Canada. She is currently completing a PhD program inKinesiology Pedagogy at the University of Arkansas, USA where sheinvestigates the applications and implications of technologyintegration into Physical Education Teacher Education programs.

Klappentext

Technology is becoming an integral part of teaching and learning in schools. This thesis explored the use of a wiki, a collaborative editable webpage within physical education teacher education. An interpretive inquiry investigated the perceptions of a cohort of 28 final year physical education teacher candidates (PETC) through an online group project. The objective of the assignment was for PETC to develop deeper understanding of the Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) approach. Information collected from reflective journals, writing samples and focus groups identified both enabling and constraining factors this wiki brought to the wiki project. Data analyses confirmed that the wiki facilitated collaboration among group members, improved writing skills and enhanced deeper understanding through scaffolding of one's own ideas as well as those of others. In their efforts to work collaboratively, the students realized that establishing roles and responsibilities and creating more opportunity for communication were necessary ingredients for learning.