Preservice Teachers from Physical Education: Differences between Ireland and Spain in Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility

Abstract

The present study aimed to analyse and contrast the experiences of six Preservice Physical Education Teachers (onwards PPET) from two different socio-demographic contexts, Spain and Ireland, regarding the use of Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (henceforth TPSR) during their work placement. The sample consisted of six students aged between 21 and 25 years (three boys and three girls), in their final year of their bachelor’s degree, who had completed their work placement within the education pathway in different schools in Ireland and Spain. Each student participated in a semistructured interview to find out about their practicum experience, the relevance of TPSR and its relation to occupational socialisation theory. After transcription of the interviews, the results show great similarity between the two contexts, with a positive assessment of the experience and its high relevance for both the teacher tutor and the teachers during their nonuniversity education. Spanish students largely described the importance of past school experiences, showing a very positive assessment of past experiences as PE teachers. On the other hand, it is the students from Ireland who placed greater value on the applicability of TPSR in other subjects. In addition to having more experience using other pedagogical models, they also emphasised the importance of planning before applying methodologies such as TPSR.TPSR is highlighted as a suitable model for the promotion of social values in the classroom, although the training received during the degree course is insufficient for the proper application of the model. It is concluded that TPSR was perceived by Spanish and Irish students as a suitable methodology for teaching undergraduate students, but the students’ previous experiences must be taken into account.