“Far from reality!” – Pre-service PE student teachers’ perspectives on inquiry learning in school placement in Germany [Völlig Realitätsfern - Haltungen Sportstudierender zum Forschenden Lernen im Praxissemester]

Nocon-Stoffers, Renate

Abstract

Inquiry learning (IL) in school placement is mandatory for pre-service student teachers (college students) in most states in Germany. The purpose of IL in teacher education is to develop inquiry stance (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 2009) and construct professional identity. IL implies authoring one’s own inquiry and learning by asking, investigating, answering questions, and sharing results. School placements are viewed as an authentic learning environment for IL. In physical education teacher education (PETE), IL challenges relating theory, practice and the (professional) self variously (Neuber, 2018; Aggerholm & Giese, 2023). However, research into understandings, views and the relevance of IL is limited. Based upon relational Bildung-theory (Benner, 2015), this study explores a) understandings of IL in school placement, b) views on IL in school placement and c) the relevance of IL for professional development among pre-service PE student teachers. In an explorative, longitudinal mixed-methods study a questionnaire was administered to pre-service PE student teachers (N = 221) at the University of Muenster before and after school placement. Qualitative data were gained from semi-structured interviews conducted during 6-12 weeks (N = 15) and 1 ó years (N = 12) after school placement. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify deductive and inductive categories. Answers to open-ended questions show that understandings of IL remain incomplete before and after school placement. Referring to views on IL and its relevance for professional development, there are significant pre-post-changes, both becoming more critical (d = .49 respectively d = .54). Preliminary results from the qualitative study exemplify understandings of IL as narrow (i.e. research-oriented) while relations between theory and practice remain fragmentary. Considering views, IL is not the preservice student teachers’ priority in school placement. They prefer teaching, which indicates a preference for practice over theory. The circumstances of IL in school placement are criticized in terms of lack of time, autonomy and appreciation. Its relevance for professional development seems ambivalent (i.e. unrealistic). The interviewees suggest a long-term implementation of IL into PETE, tailored guidance and a reduction of inquiry projects to improve IL in school placement. This study illustrates the need to introduce IL to pre-service student teachers in PETE in the long term and more deeply. It emphasizes challenging circumstances of IL in school placement particularly in view of Bildung-theoretical goals and professional development. Both of them do not seem to be reached adequately.