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Finnish Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions of Perceived Competence in Early Childhood Physical Education

Author

Listed:
  • Anne Soini

    (Department of Education, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland)

  • Anthony Watt

    (College of Arts and Education, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 8001, Australia)

  • Arja Sääkslahti

    (Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland)

Abstract

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) teachers have a central role in supporting young children’s physical activity (PA) and overall development in the early years. However, the value of early childhood education teacher training (ECETT) programmes is not widely understood. This study aimed to investigate pre-service teachers’ perceptions of perceived competence when (1) supporting a child’s PA, (2) teaching PE, and (3) observing and assessing a child’s motor skills and PA. These self-evaluations were compared with a range of individual, educational, and behavioural characteristics. Final-year Bachelor degree pre-service teachers ( n = 274; 54%) from seven universities in Finland participated in the self-report questionnaire. The results of the linear regression models showed that the relevant PE studies and previous experiences of pre-service teachers predicted higher perceived competence of supporting a child’s PA, teaching PE, and observing and assessing a child’s motor skills and PA. Thus, the study findings demonstrated how teacher training could positively influence perceptions and attitudes to increase a person’s perceived competence when implementing PE in the early years. Overall, results reinforce the importance of PE in ECETT, and the time devoted to this syllabus area should be maintained or increased.

Suggested Citation

  • Anne Soini & Anthony Watt & Arja Sääkslahti, 2021. "Finnish Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions of Perceived Competence in Early Childhood Physical Education," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-14, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:12:p:6454-:d:575022
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Irinja Lounassalo & Mirja Hirvensalo & Anna Kankaanpää & Asko Tolvanen & Sanna Palomäki & Kasper Salin & Mikael Fogelholm & Xiaolin Yang & Katja Pahkala & Suvi Rovio & Nina Hutri-Kähönen & Olli Raitak, 2019. "Associations of Leisure-Time Physical Activity Trajectories with Fruit and Vegetable Consumption from Childhood to Adulthood: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-17, November.
    2. Pulan Bai & Ashleigh Thornton & Leanne Lester & Jasper Schipperijn & Gina Trapp & Bryan Boruff & Michelle Ng & Elizabeth Wenden & Hayley Christian, 2019. "Nature Play and Fundamental Movement Skills Training Programs Improve Childcare Educator Supportive Physical Activity Behavior," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-16, December.
    3. Clover Maitland & Leanne Lester & Stewart G. Trost & Michael Rosenberg & Jasper Schipperijn & Georgina Trapp & Pulan Bai & Hayley Christian, 2020. "The Influence of the Early Childhood Education and Care Environment on Young Children’s Physical Activity: Development and Reliability of the PLAYCE Study Environmental Audit and Educator Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-10, April.
    4. Toby C. T. Mak & Derwin K. C. Chan & Catherine M. Capio, 2021. "Strategies for Teachers to Promote Physical Activity in Early Childhood Education Settings—A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-14, January.
    5. repec:mpr:mprres:3903 is not listed on IDEAS
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    Cited by:

    1. Hannah Bigelow & Barbara Fenesi, 2023. "Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions of and Experiences with Classroom Physical Activity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-15, January.

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