A Delphi Study of Effective Adapted Physical Education Practicum Experiences

Area of Science:

• Adapted Physical Education
• Special Education
• Teacher Training

Background:

• Adapted physical education (APE) practicum experiences are crucial for preparing preservice teachers.
• Defining essential characteristics of these practicum experiences is vital for curriculum development and quality assurance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish expert consensus on the essential characteristics of adapted physical education practicum experiences for preservice physical educators.
• To identify key components that contribute to effective APE teacher preparation.

Main Methods:

• A 3-round Delphi procedure was employed with a panel of 24 content experts.
• Online questionnaires were used to gather and refine expert opinions on the importance and feasibility of identified characteristics.

Main Results:

• Expert consensus was achieved on 47 essential characteristics for APE practicum experiences.
• These characteristics were categorized into four major themes: program context, teaching and learning activities, outcomes/soft skills, and evaluation of instructor performance.
• A significant portion of these characteristics were identified as both very important and feasible.

Conclusions:

• The study identified critical elements for effective adapted physical education practicum experiences.
• These findings provide a framework for developing high-quality APE teacher preparation programs.
• Focusing on program context, teaching activities, skill development, and instructor evaluation is key.