Pre-service teachers’ learning and implementation of student-centred models in physical education: a systematic review

Abstract

This study provides a systematic review of empirical research on Pre-service Teachers’ (PST) course units learning and school placement implementation of Student-Centred Models (SCM) in Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) programs. A systematic review method was used, which included searching in electronic databases, selecting studies based on pre-established inclusion criteria and refining this selection to identify research-based papers. 39 studies were included for analysis and an overview was provided of the main research features (SCM researched, study purpose, study focus and context, and study design). Furthermore, this study discuss how PSTs learn about SCMs in their curricular years and how they implement SCMs in their school placement. Additionally, an overview of the educational impact of PSTs’ SCMs implementation is also presented while highlighting empirical gaps and future research suggestions. Results showed that research has neglected the integrated analysis of the different phases of the PSTs’ professional development during their PETE programs process. Mentoring programs applying social learning theory in practice and experiencing SCM as learners are key strategies for facilitating PSTs’ professional development. Concluding, our findings suggest that offering a theoretical basis is insufficient to development PSTs’ understanding of SCMs and PSTs construct their professional development by experiencing the SCMs in first-hand, which seems to contribute to their pedagogical and content knowledge development. A scarcity of knowledge about specific mentoring processes employed by CTs and USs than can support PSTs’ delivery of SCMs is highlighted. Moreover, in-depth phenomenological, longitudinal and follow-up analysis with a high range of designs is encouraged.