PETE Comparison Paper

Comparing and evaluating educational programs between countries is important in the educational system of the United States to stay current in policies on a world scale. Korea according to the Pearson Learning Curve is ranked number one compared to other countries. The United States according to the same data was ranked fourteenth. The article reviewed is comparing the system of physical education of the Korea to the U.S. and the relation the system has with the rankings on the world education charts. “The purpose of this study is to compare the Korean and the U.S. PETE systems and examine what kinds of knowledge and skills teacher candidates are expected to have in each system” (Lee; Choi, 2011). PETE is the physical education teacher education. A summative of comparatives and contrasts between the two programs are stated. “Basically, elementary PE specialists are teachers who have

is decentralized and governed by each state department of education. Therefore, variability among states exists in terms of degree requirements, teacher education curricula, and licensure/certification requirements” (Lee; Choi, 2011). The United States is more lax in it’s PETE system and has various forms. Each state is in charge of its own program causing differences between the country as a whole. Students in the program have until Sophomore year of college to decide if that is the major they want to declare in the United States. “The U.S. system does not require any physical education-specific qualification such as skill or fitness competency; rather, it requires general academic competency in reading, math, and writing as basic skills for completing the teacher education program”(Lee; Choi, 2011). The lack of skills test is a major difference between the two countries as the students in the PETE program in the United States have to pass the same tests as other programs with no program specific test of its