Using Photovoice to Determine Preservice Teachers’ Preparedness to Teach

Jody L. Langdon, Georgia Southern University
Ashley D. Walker, Georgia Southern University
Gavin T. Colquitt, Georgia Southern University
Tony Pritchard, Georgia Southern University

Abstract

One of the major goals of any physical education teacher education (PETE) program is to adequately prepare preservice teachers to provide quality physical education instruction. Assessment is vital for the success of any program and should be completed on a regular basis. Borrowing from a successful tool in community health practice, the use of community-based participatory research (CBPR) could be a viable option for assessing preservice teachers' perceptions of the program. One assessment methodology commonly used in CBPR is Photovoice, a technique that uses photography to promote dialogue among community members to instigate change. Photovoice has been used in a variety of settings but has not yet been applied to PETE programs. This article introduces Photovoice as a technique for better understanding the preservice teachers' level of preparedness in teaching, as well as their perceptions of the PETE program.