The Affective Domain—A Program to Foster Social-Emotional Orientation in Novice Physical Education Teachers

Abstract

The present study aimed to assess the influence of an emotional-based program for novice physical education teachers on their perception of the affective domain in teaching, and the influence of the program on their social-emotional orientation. Thirty-two physical educators in their induction year participated. Instrumentations included reflective assignments: individual tasks, a group artwork task, short videos containing student–teacher scenarios, and summary reflections. The study covered tasks that contained a variety of emotional expressions—verbalizing, acting, and art creation. Content analysis was conducted for each of the assignments. The results indicate that the participants felt that they gradually developed an awareness of the role of emotions in their practice. In addition to personal gain, they felt that their empathy for others—especially their students—was enhanced. These results highlight the important influence that an emotional-based program has on physical educators’ social-emotional orientation.