Insights on the PETE Faculty Shortage in the United States



Insights on the PETE Faculty Shortage in the United States

AAHPERD National Convention, March 2009, Tampa, Florida

Ann Boyce, Virginia University, bab6n@virginia.edu

Grace Goc Karp, University of Idaho, gockarp@uidaho.edu

Michael R. Judd, Wingate University, m.judd@wingate.edu

Linda Rikard, George Mason University, lrikard@gmu.edu

Marianne L. Woods, Western Illinois University, ml-woods2@wiu.edu

Supply and Demand of PETE Graduates & Program Characteristics

PETE Programs in 2005-2006:

Advertised positions were acquired from The Chronicle of Higher Education & OPERA.

Position searches were obtained from doctoral granting institutions.

• 26 PETE Doctoral programs fully functioning

• 73 positions were advertised , 37 were filled (13 ABD’s)

o More ABD’s are taking positions before completing degrees due to great need

• 32/37 positions filled were in higher education

• Of all 99 advertised positions in Kinesiology, 46 (47%) were in PETE, next was Exercise Physiology at 14% and Exercise Science at 10%

• Almost all filled position hires were at the Assistant level

• Comprehensive universities were most in need of PETE faculty (35 positions)

• AAHPERD’s Southern and Eastern Districts had the greatest need for PETE faculty & were the largest districts

• Small colleges and comprehensive universities (88%) searched 2-5 years to fill PETE positions

Boyce, B. A. & Rikard, G. L. (2008). A comparison of supply and demand for PETE faculty: The changing landscape, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 79, 540-545.

PETE Programs in 2008-09 (incomplete report)

Same data source for positions in Kinesiology and PETE as cited above.

• 24 PETE Doctoral programs fully functioning

• 60 PETE positions were advertised as of Feb 09. More will be announced!

• 87% of current PETE faculty are Caucasian. Little diversity exists

• 96% of PETE programs have teacher licensure programs

• Funding continues to be favorable for doctoral students

Conclusion: Doctoral programs in PETE are slowly declining in number.

How the Supply is Affecting PETE Position Searches

• Search chairs for positions listed in Chronicle of Higher Education during AY 2007-08 were contacted via email and asked to complete online survey

• 34 (61%) of 56 search chairs responded to online survey

• At least 48 PETE faculty positions confirmed

• Positions created by faculty taking positions elsewhere (53%, n=18), faculty retirements (n=11, 32%), new positions created either due to increased enrollment (n=7, 21%) or program addition (n=5, 15%)

• Strategies to attract applicants included listings in major publications (e.g., Chronicle of Higher Education, AKA, etc.) (n=34, 100%), contacting colleagues at other institutions (n=25, 74%), direct contact with prospective applicants (n=19, 56%), mailings to other Kinesiology departments (n=18, 53%), contacting institutions conferring doctoral degrees (n=16, 47%), listings in publications targeting minority or diverse populations (n=16, 47%)

• Applicant pools were rated “poor” by 22 search chairs (65%), “good” by 7 (21%), “unacceptable by 3 (9%), and “very good” by 2 (6%)

• Criteria deemed “very important” in the selection of the first choice candidate for an on-campus interview were fit within the department (65%), collegiality (56%), area of specialization (50%), college teaching experience (44%), K-12 teaching experience, ability to teach a variety of courses, and quality of presentations (41%)

• 19 search chairs reported that positions were filled by the first choice (56%) and three by the second choice (9%) while 13 reported their positions went unfilled (38%)

• Factors identified as “significantly important” or “important” in failed searches were lack of qualified applicants (n=12, 92%); for seven chairs 54%), the fact that candidates took positions elsewhere was also an important factor

• All chairs of failed searches indicated that their positions were not threatened and that they would conduct a new search in the near future

• The strategies selected by chairs of failed searches to cover teaching loads included hiring adjunct or part-time faculty (100%), shifting the teaching load to current faculty (38%), and increasing enrollment caps in classes (23%)

Woods, M.L., Goc Karp, G., & Judd, M.R. (2009). Chair’s perceptions of PETE candidates.

Challenges in Hiring Qualified PETE Faculty

• Same study as referenced above; follow-up interview with eight of the search chairs

• Search chairs cited various reasons for low supply of PETE candidates: cost/benefit of gaining a doctorate degree, doctorate in PETE not as valued as in exercise science, fear of conducting research, lack of passion for PETE, and isolated/insulated nature of PETE as public health specialists take over with obesity epidemic

• Ideas the chairs provided for recruiting more candidates into PETE doctoral programs were:

o Make doctoral institutions visible via grant and scholarly activities, publications

o Talk to Pedagogy colleagues across the country

o Increase TA-ships

o Recruit from masters programs

o Offer fellowships

o Develop network pipeline so institutions can match interests, career aspirations, and timelines

o Develop interest and curiosity in research at the U-G level

o Recruit within two years of teaching; before teachers become too secure financially

o Recruit doctorate candidates from local area – likely to stay in the area

• Search chairs also provided suggestions for improving doctoral programs:

o Increase opportunities to teach pedagogy-related courses and K-12 PE – higher ed. certificate program

o Increase breadth of interdisciplinary work, opportunities to work collaborative across campus

o Ensure candidates have research focus and future plan

o Ensure candidates produce scholarly products other than from dissertation, thereby establishing a record of productivity

What is Influencing the Supply of PETE Faculty

Career status and aspirations of P.E. teachers:

Data from - Judd, M.R., Goc Karp, G., & Woods, M.L. (2009). Teacher’s perceptions about pursuing advanced degrees and careers.

• Teachers completed an online survey (n=387) via AAHPERD website

• Physical Education Teachers Survey Highlights:

o 70% Female

o 74% Caucasian

o 65% 40 years of age and older

o 53% Sixteen years or more Teaching Physical Education:

o 59% currently teaching elementary.

o 50% indicated teaching PE at current grade level in 5 t0 10 years.

o 58.1%: Currently pursuing an advanced degree.

o 62%: Currently qualified with Master’s degree to teach at the college level

o 28% of respondents wanted to share experiences as a reason to teach at the college level.

o 55.8% indicated they enjoy their current employment as a reason for not teaching at the college level.

o 45.3% indicated someone had encouraged them to teach at the college level.

o 41% indicated it was either a professor or advisor

o Top two suggestions from PE Teachers to encourage individuals to pursue a doctorate:

▪ 64 % financial assistance or TA’ positions

▪ 54% indicated accepting previous experience

Other factors influencing the shortage of PETE faculty

• Workload of PETE faculty

o Accreditation work takes away from publishing

o Service /Outreach component – not meritorious or promotable

o Supervision load

o T & P difficulties

o PETE research not as scientific as other discipline areas

Strategies for Increasing the Supply of PETE Candidates and Professors

• Improve recruitment strategies:

o Recruit at pre-service level

o Contact former graduates teaching in PK-12 settings

o Host doctoral information sessions state, district and national conventions

o Enlist help PETE professionals at non doctoral granting institutions

o Gain referrals from supervisors for potential doctoral students

o Develop effective recruitment literature

o Take both full time and part time students

o Arrange PK-12 teaching experiences for Doc student without teaching experience

o Ohio State University – lab school for foreign students to gain PK-12 teaching experience

o Shorten residency requirements

o Shorten doc programs

• Alternative hiring strategies and other solutions

o Hire non-PETE Doctoral graduates

o Adapted physical educators

o Other kinesiology graduates

o Hire ABD candidates

o Hire local teachers with Master’s degree, NBPTS certification

o Hire retired teachers and professors

o Increase number of adjunct faculty

Contact Information: Marianne L. Woods, ml-woods2@wiu.edu, 309-298-2384 (W), 309-259-0117 (C)

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