In-service teachers’ experiences of using game based approaches to teach games: implications for physical education teacher educators

This study investigated secondary school physical education teachers’ experiences of using a game based approach (GBA) with the primary aim of exploring the qualitatively different ways teachers experience what they consider to be a GBA when teaching games. Participants in this study (n=12) taught in schools in either southeast Australia or southeast England and all had previous experience of using a GBA to teach games. With the investigation of teaching experience being the fundamental focus of this study a phenomenographic research framework was chosen to explore a primary research question that inherently focused upon GBA experience interpretation and meaning. An analysis of findings indicated three conceptions of awareness detailing the collective meaning of participants’ GBA teaching experience; that being as a Learner, a Collaborator, and/or a Catalyst. Implications for physical education teacher education (PETE) programmes and recommendations from findings are offered for physical education teacher educators.