Browsing by Subject "Teachers -- Attitudes"

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    General Educators' Attitudes toward Inclusion and Their Corresponding Adaptations to Curriculum
    (2011) Olson, Lynda; Nierengarten, Gerry; Brice, Lynn
    The purpose of the current phenomenological study was to identify how general education teachers’ attitudes about inclusion affect the use of adaptations for students with disabilities when participating in the general education setting. Participants were nine female general education teachers in one of two primary schools in a middle-size urban school district located in Northeastern Minnesota during the 2009-2010 academic year. Results indicated educators’ attitudes were affected by their perceived ability to teach students with disabilities. Other influences included: integrated classroom management, benefits of integration, benefits of special vs. integrated education, and disability type. Factors affecting the use of adaptations were the type of adaptation, student factors, resource factors, adaptation factors, teacher factors, and perceptions of successful adaptations. Suggested areas of need include districts providing additional resources to support the inclusion of students with disabilities. Implications for current practice include further training of per-service and in-service educators, identifying resources necessary to train classroom aides in administering adaptations, and identifying specific resources and how to implement them into various school settings. Implications for future research include further investigation of inclusion patterns based on disability type and further study of teacher perceptions of successful adaptations.
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    Motivations of Pre-Service Teachers in Physical Education to Incorporate Outdoor Education in K-12 Physical Education School Programs
    (2012) Kohlin, Patrick M
    There is strong national endorsement for including outdoor adventure and challenge activities in the physical education classroom yet, for whatever reasons, PE practitioners still cling to the traditional sport oriented method of physical education. Still, sports and games remain in the realm of PE and outdoor skills activities remain in the realm of OE. This behavior implies a misperception of where and how to incorporate outdoor education focused physical skills lessons. This study describes how current PE and OE pre-service teachers perceive the PE/OE pre-service landscape, and the motivations leading them to choose one program major over the other. Students who are currently enrolled in degree required courses in either PE or OE teacher preparation programs at the University of Minnesota Duluth, University of Wisconsin Lacrosse and the University of Wisconsin Steven’s Point were surveyed. The findings of this study reveals that there are college student who have an interest in providing outdoor education, but are not particularly interested in teaching it to kids in the formal school setting. And that there are college student who are interested in teaching kids in a formal school setting, but are not be particularly interested in providing outdoor education. Developing students who have both an interest in outdoor education and an interest in teaching in the formal setting is just one important step. Equally important is that all parties invested in the health and well being of our children create an environment within our physical education system that is accepting of outdoor education principles and supportive of its advocates.