Sara’s story: a narrative inquiry into the third space of physical education teacher education and school PE

The tension between different views of what should be prioritised in teacher preparation can be understood as the distance between the first space of scientific ‘know-why’ and the second space of practical ‘knowhow’. The aim of this study is to explore how the gap between these spaces is bridged by a teacher educator, more specifically an Adjunct Lecturer, operating within a third space [Zeichner, K. (2010). Rethinkingthe connections between campus courses and field experiences incollege-and university-based teacher education. Journal of Teacher Education, 61(1-2), 89–99]. Through a narrative inquiry into the third space of physical education teacher education (PETE) and school physical education (PE), the purpose is to retell the story of the Adjunct Lecturer’s experiences of what knowledge is developed and transferred between different educational settings for the benefit of student learning. Using Clandinin and Connelly's (2000) narrative inquiry space, the data was generated through interviews, focusing on the participant’s teaching experiences over time in different educational settings. The findings are presented in the form of a story based on Sara’s experiences of bringing the craft to PETE, transforming PE practice, supporting school placements, and promoting assessment literacy. Sara’s story is then conceptualised in terms of [Bernstein, B. (1999). Verticaland horizontal discourse: an essay, British Journal of Sociology ofEducation, 20, 157–173] vertical and horizontal discourses and Zeichner’s third space, while relating the micro-level narrative to the macro level. In the discussion, the various forms of knowledge, developed and transferred in the third space of PETE and school PE, correspond to practical ‘know-how’, scientific ‘know-why’, supervision and cooperation skills, and a tacitly acquired ‘gaze’. In the conclusion, it is argued that student teachers are receptive to the messages delivered inthe third space, which is why there is a need for those responsible for PETE to consider how third spaces are generated. Within these spaces, Adjunct Lecturers can help weave together practice and theory, which will facilitate student teachers to put into practice what they have learned during teacher education.