THE ROLE EXPECTATIONS FOR THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION SUPERVISOR

The purpose of this study was to examine the role expectations for the physical education supervisor as perceived by the status groups of physical education supervisors, physical education teachers, and school principals. A second purpose of this study was to determine divergent or congruent role expectations held for the physical education supervisors by the status group demographic variables of instructional levels, academic training, and ethnic heritage.;The sampled population consisted of 500 potential respondents. There were 25 physical education supervisors, 175 principals, and 300 physical education teachers. The sampled population was stratified so as to provide representation from elementary, junior/middle high, and senior high instructional levels.;The instrument utilized in this study consisted of a 59-item questionnaire designed to identify the respondents' expectations for the physical education supervisors. The respondents were asked to respond to each item using a five choice Likert scale. The data was gathered by a mail survey which consisted of an initial mailing and two follow-up contacts. The respondents returned 392 usable questionnaires out of 500 which represented a total return of 78.4%. The responses from the 392 respondents were analyzed using a two-way and a one-way post hoc analysis of variance technique.;The following conclusions were drawn regarding the role expectations for the physical education supervisors as indicated by an analysis of the data. (1) There is a potential for role conflict between the physical education supervisors and physical education teachers. The physical education supervisors were more supportive of the items describing the role of the physical education supervisors than were the physical education teachers. (2) A potential for role conflict exists between physical education supervisors and principals. The expectations of the physical education supervisors were generally more strongly supportive of the items describing the physical education supervisor's role than were the responses of the principals. (3) Physical education teachers and principals do not hold congruent role expectations for the physical education supervisor. In general, principals were more supportive of the items describing the physical education supervisor's role than were physical education teachers. (4) There was a lack of congruence between the expectations of the three instructional levels and the physical education supervisor for the role of the physical education supervisor. (5) There were divergent role expectations for the physical education supervisor as viewed by the different combinations of training levels. (6) The respondents' ethnic heritage did not appear to significantly influence the role expectations for the physical education supervisor.;The respondents were drawn from public school districts in the states of Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin who met the requirements of a 20,000 student population and employed a full time physical education supervisor. Nine school districts from the three states participated in the study.