Scaffolding Preservice Teachers’ Use of Models-Based Practice in Physical Education: A Participatory Action Research

Purpose : This study examined how two facilitators—a cooperating teacher and a participant observer—scaffolded the implementation of models-based practice by four preservice teachers (PSTs) throughout a full school year during a shared school placement, focusing on problem-solving scaffolding and PSTs’ teaching practices. Methods : A participatory action research design was adopted, incorporating lesson observations, pre-/postlesson reflections, informal interviews, reflective diaries, and focus groups interviews, analyzed abductively. Results : Initially, the facilitators guided problem identification and solution development to help PSTs overcome emerging challenges from practice but gradually empowered them to diagnose issues and devise pedagogical solutions independently. By the end of the placement, PSTs showed fuller ownership of their professional learning, linking past experiences to current teaching, sharing knowledge, and collaborating on solutions—demonstrating enhanced professional learning self-regulation. Conclusion : PSTs are more likely to adopt models-based practice when cooperating teachers embrace and model these pedagogies, receive on-the-spot scaffolding, or when strong collaboration exists between university educators and school-based facilitators.