Analysis of physical education teaching field knowledge test in terms of selected variables

The aim of this study is to determine the Physical Education Teaching Field Knowledge Test of pre-service teachers in terms of selected variables. This research was conducted according to the convergent parallel design model, which is one of the mixed research models, in examining the relationship between the Physical Education Teaching Field Knowledge Test and selected variables. The study group in the research consisted of a total of 184 senior students (73 females, 111 male) studying at Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Department of Physical Education and Sports Teaching in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 academic years. The Physical Education Teaching Field Knowledge Test questionnaire was used as a quantitative data collection tool to determine the opinions of prospective physical education teachers about the exam. During the collection of qualitative data, the process was carried out according to the interview technique in determining the perceptions of the research towards TFKT and the document analysis technique in other qualitative sub-problems. In analyzing the Physical Education Teaching Field Knowledge Test in terms of selected variables, data were analyzed according to descriptive statistics. In the analysis of the qualitative data; the data consisting of the interview form and additional questions were defined according to the codes, themes were formed by combining the codes and the findings were interpreted in the last stage. In the analysis of the other sub-problems, the question rates of PEST Department Students' Field Knowledge Test, PEST Undergraduate Program course hours, PEST department course content descriptions and TFKT question content descriptions were accepted as codes; these codes were placed in the predetermined categories and then themes and interpreted in the last stage. The 2021 Public Personnel Selection Examination (PPSE) Guidelines for Group A and Teaching were used to analyze the distribution of TFKT questions according to subheadings. In the calculation of the course hours of the PEST Undergraduate Program course hours in the TFKT, the course names and the percentages of the course hours in the program were calculated as percentages. In the calculation of the ratio of PEST Undergraduate Program Course Hours in terms of course hours in TFKT, the Higher Education Institution Physical Education and Sports Teaching Undergraduate Program was used and Microsoft Office Excel 2019 was used in the analysis. In the stage of determining the level of compatibility between PEST Undergraduate Program course content definitions and TFKT question content definitions, codes were created through keywords from PEST Undergraduate Program course content definitions and TFKT question content definitions. In the second stage, the codes generated were interpreted by placing them under the previously identified themes of 16 courses from field knowledge and 3 courses from field education, and then the themes under the titles of Field Knowledge Test 16 and 3 courses from field education were interpreted by placing the codes related to the categories of the Field Knowledge Test in these categories. In the descriptive analysis phase, MAXQDA 2020 package program was used as a qualitative data analysis program. In the study of "Analysis of Physical Education TFKT in terms of Selected Variables", which constitutes the research problem, quantitative data and qualitative data were analyzed separately and the data obtained were combined in accordance with the convergent parallel mixed design structure and data analysis stages. It has been determined that the relationship between the number of questions in the 2022 TFKT and the question distribution ratio in the 2022 TFKT guideline of the Physical Education and Sports Curricula, PEST, Physical Education and Sports Learning and Teaching Approaches courses in the Field Education test is compatible. In the findings of the quantitative dimension, the reason for the expectations that TFKT should be held before PEST, that Teaching Field Knowledge Test is a necessary exam in selecting a qualified teacher and that the content of the exam will change in the future, in the light of the findings obtained from the exam content category of the qualitative dimension; It can be associated with the thoughts that the guidance of the lecturers and the preparation process of the teacher candidates are negatively affected due to the newness of the exam, as well as the difference in the degree of difficulty of some courses in TFKT due to the lack of clarity of the questions, and that the question content changes from source to source. In the quantitative dimension of the study, the importance of instructors' informing about TFKT, including TFKT questions in the lessons and providing guidance to pre-service teachers who experience test anxiety was emphasized. When the qualitative dimension was analyzed, in the category of insufficient content, the participants thought that informing the instructors about the structure of the exam, which courses it covers, the number and duration of questions would contribute positively to their exam success, but it was concluded that only certain instructors were working for this guidance, while other instructors provided support in the form of information, resources and additional courses for exam concerns in case of demand. When the quantitative dimension was examined, it was concluded that in addition to the fact that TFKT is not a fully adequate exam to measure the content knowledge of pre-service teachers, both undergraduate education and pre-service teachers consider themselves partially adequate for the exam and therefore they need tutoring, and resource books. When the reason for this situation is examined in the qualitative dimension, it can be thought that the participants associate the inadequacy of TFKT in measuring field knowledge with the fact that it is a theoretical exam, the exam contains canceled or incorrect questions, the exam is not compatible with the course content, the inadequacy of the undergraduate education they received with the inflation of the grades, the courses taken in the first years of their education are not repeated, and the number of elective courses is not made compatible with TFKT by increasing the number of elective courses, and the prospective teachers need to receive supplementary education for TFKT preparation during and after undergraduate education. It has been determined that the question contents of the Physical Education TFKT and the Physical Education Teaching Undergraduate program course contents are compatible, the question distribution of the field knowledge and field education exam titles specified in the 2022 Physical Education TFKT guide and the distribution rates of the courses in the Physical Education TFKT within the Physical Education Teaching Undergraduate program are compatible. In line with this information, it can be said that the Student Selection and Placement Center took into account the question content and distribution between the Physical Education TFKT and the Physical Education teaching undergraduate program. Keywords: Physical Education Teaching Field Test, Physical Education Teaching, Undergraduate program, Teaching Qualification, Teacher Appointment Process.