Learning a new curricular approach: Mechanisms of knowledge acquisition in preservice teachers

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine how eight preservice teachers acquired knowledge of a movement approach to elementary physical education that was highly discrepant from traditional sport-oriented content and instruction. Prior to student teaching, the preservice teachers' knowledge of deeper content objectives was weak and a mid-range aspect of the movement approach was salient. The preservice teachers used knowledge acquisition mechanisms to oversimplify content which resulted in similar problems with understanding the relations among aspects of the approach. In early field experiences they attended to aspects of the approach that were most relevant to their capabilities as novice teachers.

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