Social-Emotional Learning through Adventure Education in PETE: Strategies for PETE Faculty

Overview & Synopsis

The affective domain can be difficult to teach and define and is underactualized in Physical Education (PE) and Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE). Through the lens of Occupational Socialization Theory (OST), affective domain issues are understood as more significant problems within the PE enterprise, starting with PETE faculty members' training and acculturation into PE of decades-old approaches and conceptions of the subject. Literature indicates that Pre-Service Teachers (PSTs) need more experience participating and teaching affective-based curriculum models and pedagogical content like Adventure Education (AE) during PETE. When PETE and thus secondary PE programs are ruled by the hegemonic norm of multi-sport-based activities, they can miss the mark on cultural competency and teaching and assessing the affective domain. By giving PETE PSTs affective-based experiences as participants and facilitators, PSTs may have more holistic perspectives (learning and teaching through all three domains of learning) and may become more culturally competent teachers. This paper provides four strategies to implement AE within PETE programs and requirements of sequencing. As PETE evolves and improves content and delivery mechanisms to meet learners' needs (PSTs and students in K-12 PE), the propensity for change in the enterprise of PE increases as positive benefits of affective-based teaching ripple through generations of new students acculturated into the field every day.