The effects of individual dispositions and workplace factors on the lives and careers of physical education teachers: twelve years on from graduation

Development and initial validation of the Teaching Multiple School Subjects Role Conflict Scale (TMSS-RCS)

“…Teachers who are enacting dual role positions within the school context where they are responsible for teaching two (or more) subjects ranked at different levels on the hierarchy, may experience feelings of being pulled in two directions. For example, members of the school community may expect different behaviors and physical or intellectual investments from one role to the other (Iannucci and MacPhail, 2017). Therefore, these drastically different role-related behavioral expectations (Turner, 2001) may lead to experiences of role conflict (Richards and Templin, 2012; van Rens et al, 2016).…”

“…While a significant amount of work has been done on the teacher-coach conflict (see Konukman et al, 2010), only one qualitative study (see Iannucci and MacPhail, 2018) has begun to identify and understand the dual role conflict experienced by teachers of multiple subjects, specifically PE and another school subject(s). In a study conducted by Iannucci and MacPhail (2017) it was suggested that when teachers are responsible for teaching multiple school subjects they can experience a push-pull dynamic between the two roles. Further, this dynamic might influence career trajectory decisions, such as the one to leave PE teaching.…”

“…While there is evidence to suggest a balance can be found when concurrently enacting dual roles (Iannucci and MacPhail, 2017; Woods and Lynn, 2014), there is also evidence which suggests it can be problematic (Iannucci and MacPhail, 2018; Richards et al, 2014a). When challenges arise, individuals tend to manage interrole conflict by prioritizing roles (Iannucci and MacPhail, 2018; Richards et al, 2013).…”

“…It has recently been suggested that teachers’ professional lives may also be affected by another dual role position within the school context that warrants further investigation. That is, being a teacher of multiple school subjects (Iannucci and MacPhail, 2017, 2018), and more specifically when the different subjects have subject specific roles and responsibilities that are different or contrasting to the extent that it becomes difficult for one person to fill both sets of expectations.…”

‘I am finding my path’: A case study of Swedish novice physical education teachers’ experiences when managing the realities and challenges of their first years in the profession

“…All teachers can be isolated in multiple ways (Lortie, 1975), but American and British studies have stressed that the gym's location may additionally cause PE teachers’ physical isolation (Gaudreault et al, 2018; Stran and Curtner-Smith, 2009). With a gym located at the end of a school building or even in a separate location, factors such as lack of contact time may further constrain the possibilities for PE teachers to create meaningful relations with pupils and other teachers (Iannucci and MacPhail, 2019). Missing daily, informal interactions with other colleagues can diminish opportunities for professional dialogue and thereby increase PE teachers’ intellectual isolation (Stroot and Ko, 2006).…”