The opinions of physical education and sports teacher candidates toward teaching styles

In this study, the teaching styles that prospective physical education teachers prefer to use in their future professional lives and their perceptions of these teaching styles were examined in depth. These candidates were well-informed about teaching styles through both theoretical and practical courses. The study included eight junior physical education teacher candidates from the physical education and sports teaching undergraduate program at a state university, during the fall semester of the 2023-2024 academic year. A qualitative research design, specifically a "case study" model, was used in the research. Data were collected through focus group discussions. The data from the analysis of the focus group discussions were categorized under four headings: usage preferences, learning perception, enjoyment perception, and motivation perception. Descriptive analysis method was used for data analysis. It was found that the most preferred teaching styles by the physical education teacher candidates were participation, practice, reciprocal, and command styles, while the least preferred styles were problem-solving with a single correct answer and self-check styles. The candidates considered the practice, problem-solving with different solutions, participation, and command styles to be more effective in facilitating learning, while they found the learner-designed individual program and problem-solving with a single correct answer styles to be less effective. Regarding the enjoyment of classes, the candidates found the problem-solving with different solutions, participation, and reciprocal styles to be more effective, and self-check, practice, and problem-solving with a single correct answer styles to be less enjoyable. In terms of motivation, the candidates found the guided discovery, reciprocal, problem-solving with different solutions, learner-designed individual program, and participation styles to be more effective, while problem-solving with a single correct answer was deemed the least effective style.