Influence of students’ cognitive processes on physical education teachers’ thought process

Abstract

Problem Statement: In recent years, several teaching models, which are designated as meditational integrative models, have emerged. These models advocate the existence of dynamic interactions between cognitive processes of teachers and students in the classroom. Approach: However, these models still lack empirical validation and need to be further explored in a vast array of educational settings. This will help understand how physical education teachers perceive the existence of dynamic interactions. Purpose: Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether physical education teachers acknowledge cognitive processes of students and if these cognitive processes influence their own thinking (e.g., planning, thoughts and interactive decisions). Four professional physical education teachers and 198 students from the ninth grade, who are part of the Portuguese public school system, participated in this study. The thoughts of the students were assessed through questionnaires. On the other hand, the thoughts of the teachers were analysed using the following investigation techniques: "thinking aloud" and through the processes of re-memory. Results: The results show that pre-interactive thoughts and interactive thoughts and decisions made by physical education teachers are not influenced by the acknowledgement of cognitive processes of their students. Conclusions: Teacher education can provide the necessary conditions for physical education teachers to learn how to develop reflexive skills and to consider teaching a dynamic process that is led by students’ cognitive processes. Additional research is needed to further understand and map the relationship between effective physical education teachers’ behaviours and students’ cognitive processes/responses.