Affective-reflective pedagogy in the educational process of teaching theoretical disciplines for PETE students: the Ukrainian case

Background The combination of the less common affective approach with the well-known reflective learning in the process of Physical Education Teachers Education (PETE) seems to be quite an acceptable step, both theoretically and practically, to bring the educational process to a more holistic level of functioning, where the motives, interests, and emotional state of students are seriously considered.Purpose The aim of this article is to present the experience of re-professionalising a teacher of pedagogy to improve the teaching of theoretical disciplines in the PETE programme for Ukrainian students and to outline the idea of affective-reflective pedagogy.Methods This study used a methodological approach – practitioner inquiry, which is aimed at the professional development of teacher and improvement of their own practice, as well as the inclusion of reflections and voices of students, which ultimately allowed for the presentation of the feasibility of the idea of affective-reflective pedagogy because of combination of the affective domain with reflective practices.Results Two themes were developed: (1) rationale for the re-professionalisation of teacher of theoretical disciplines in the PETE programme for Ukrainian students, and (2) evidence of the impact of improved teaching methods for theoretical disciplines on the self-awareness of Ukrainian PETE students as future teachers and their teaching methods. The data obtained during this study from the students indicate that the classes had a strong impact on their affective domain. Some students admitted that the classes allowed them to start living more consciously, learn to truly feel and experience, better understand themselves, experiment with hidden influences, reflect and change, as well as to become more flexible in finding result-oriented compromises.Conclusion The example of affective-reflective teaching of a pedagogy course proves that reliance on the affective domain in a reflective environment can influence students' consciousness, evoke in them an inner desire to be active in class and practice transferring the experience of the affective-reflective approach gained in class to their extracurricular life.Impact Statement Affective-reflective pedagogy is an innovative approach that combines the affective domain with reflective practices to organise a successful educational process for PETE students. Tested with Ukrainian PETE students, affective-reflective pedagogy removes the obstacles that have arisen during the traditional teaching of theoretical disciplines.