Relationship between physical education and sports teachers ' reflective thinking tendencies and reflecting abilities

The aim of this study is to search the relationship between the physical education teachers' reflective thinking tendencies and reflecting abilities using the relevant scales. In this study, the general screening model has been applied to the sample group by the simple random sampling method. The sample of the research is composed of 256 voluntary physical education and sports teachers randomly selected from 460 physical education and sports teachers in Sakarya. The 'YANDE', "Reflective Thinking Tendency Scale for Teachers and Teachers Candidates " Scale, improved by Semerci (2007) and the Groningen Reflection Ability Scale which is developed by Aukes and his friends (2007) and later adapted to Turkish by Elaldı (2013) has been used as a data collection tool in order to determine the participants reflective thinking tendencies and reflecting abilities. When we look at the arithmetic average and standard deviation values of the subscales of reflective thinking tendencies of Physical Education and Sports Teachers who are the subject of our research, it is seen that the highest arithmetic mean is in the "Predictive and Inside" sub-dimension and the lowest arithmetic mean is in the "Questioning and Effective Instruction" sub-dimension. According to the findings obtained, any statistically significant difference hasn't been found by the end of the t-test applied to compare the point average of the 'reflecting abilities' of the physical education and sports teachers according to gender variable (p>0.05). On the other hand, a significant difference has been found by the end of the t-test applied to compare the point average of 'open-mindedness' from the themes of reflective thinking tendencies of the physical education and sports teachers with reference to gender variable [T(254)= -2,14; p<0.05]. Any statistically significant difference hasn't been found in the other 6 themes (p>0.05). Any statistically significant difference hasn't been found by the end of the t-test applied to compare the point averages of the 'reflecting abilities' with the educational status variable of the physical education and sports teachers in the research group (p>0.05). Any statistically significant relationship hasn't been found by the end of the correlation test in reference to the comparison of the 'reflecting abilities' and YANDE sub-themes with the age variable of the physical education and sports teachers in the research group (p>0.05). Besides, Any statistically significant difference hasn't been found by the end of the ANOVA Test applied to compare the professional seniority with the reflecting abilities (p>0.05). In conclusion, a statistically meaningful and positive correlation has been ascertained when the Reflective Thinking Tendencies and Reflecting Abilities Correlation Test of the research group is examined [r =0,164; p<0.05]. It can be said that as teachers' reflective thinking tendencies increase, their reflecting ability levels increase as well. Keywords: Physical Education and Sports Teacher, Sport, Reflective Thinking, Reflecting Ability