Students’ and Staff’s Opinions about the Reflective Practice Process Implemented in a Preservice Physical Education Teacher Programme

Abstract

Teachers’ reflection is considered as a determining factor in physical education teacher education (PETE). Despite the emphasis that is provided to this approach, it is noteworthy that it is not proposed systematically in higher education. A specific unit focusing on reflective practice was developed at the University of Liege (Wallonia, Belgium). This paper reports the opinions of the preservice PE teachers (n = 18) as well as involved staff members (n = 3) about the process. Students completed a questionnaire after completion of their preservice programme. Staff members’ reports (n = 22) of their reflective practice sessions (RPS) as well as one final report focusing on the whole process were analysed. Findings showed that the opinions are mainly positive, with the staff members rating the process at a higher level than the students. If the latter emphasized the interest of the RPS, they underlined the organisational constraints and regretted the requirements dealing with the formalizing of the reflections.