The first semester at university is a transition eliciting intense emotions in sports science students. Based on a situational approach, we examined the emotional inducers perceived by 333 first-year sports science students (M = 18.4 years; 64% males) during critical incidents experienced after starting university. The inductive qualitative analysis revealed two emotional inducers: (a) "University teaching" (N = 246; 73.9%), including "Assessment proposed by a teacher" and "Teacher's intervention methods"; and (b) "University living conditions" (N = 87; 26.1%; e.g. "Feeling of novelty related to university life"). Chi-square tests revealed significant associations between these inducers and the students' emotional experience (positive vs. negative). These results contribute to a situational understanding of first-year sports science students' emotions, and inform practical implications aimed at optimizing their university experience.
Social justice is now a central yet contested horizon in education. The challenge is not recognizing inequality but translating equity commitments into pedagogical and institutional decisions that change students' experiences. This article offers a contextual analysis of social justice in Physical Education (PE), linking syntheses on leadership and justice-oriented teacher education with scholarship in PE and Health and Physical Education (HPE). It examines recurring tensions (equality vs. equity, care vs. confrontation, inclusion vs. transformation) and organizes contributions across three axes: (1) classroom pedagogies that operationalize social justice; (2) institutional and material conditions that enable or constrain implementation; and (3) teacher education mechanisms that sustain conflict and critical dialogue. We propose a multi-level map spanning classroom, curriculum, school, system, conflict culture, and space, and derive implications for practice, leadership, and teacher education. Advancing social justice in PE requires cross-level coherence and a research agenda centered on student experience and institutional transformation.
The purpose of this study was to describe and explain Japanese physical education (PE) teachers' positioning in teaching and assisting Japanese Language Learners (JLLs) in middle school PE classes. We used a descriptive-qualitative design and conducted semi-structured interviews with six Japanese middle school PE teachers to understand their challenges in teaching JLLs, specifically regarding communication, maintaining a safe learning environment, and integrating JLLs into their classes. Three major interrelated and complex themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) teachers' negotiation of their position between "facilitator" and "teacher" in class (b) teachers' positioning through the use of instructional aids for JLLs, and (c) teachers' dilemmas concerning equity- and equality-based assessment and evaluation for JLLs. The findings suggest that teachers may benefit from supplemental training and instructional materials regarding pedagogical approaches, instructional aids, and assessments that enhance the quality of instruction and strengthen teachers' capacity to meet JLLs' unique needs in PE.
This study examined how participation in a university golf elective shaped students' leisure satisfaction and how these experiences were associated with learning and identity development in higher education sport programs. Using a mixed-methods design, survey data were collected from 469 students across 10 Chinese universities, followed by 20 semi-structured interviews with students and course coordinators. Quantitative findings showed that golf participants reported significantly higher leisure satisfaction than students in badminton and fitness training across all six Leisure Satisfaction Measure dimensions, with all comparisons reaching significance at p < 0.005. Qualitative findings further showed that students experienced golf as reflective, low-pressure, and personally meaningful, with educational meaning, psychological satisfaction, and social value emerging as the most prominent themes. Together, the findings highlight the educational and developmental value of leisure-oriented electives in higher education sport programs.
This scoping review examined the role of teachers' relatedness support (RS) and relatedness thwarting (RT) behaviors in Physical Education (PE) and their impact on students' behavioral, affective, and cognitive outcomes. It addressed three key questions: (1) What is the scope and nature of existing research on RS and RT in PE? (2) What are the consequences of teachers' RS and RT for students? (3) How might improving RS and reducing RT benefit both students and teachers? A search of 6 databases yielded 1,615 records, of which 46 studies were retained, covering qualitative, cross-sectional, longitudinal, and quasi-experimental approaches. Most studies concentrated on secondary education in Europe. RS was positively correlated with outcomes such as intrinsic motivation and engagement, whereas RT was linked to negative effects such as amotivation and disruptive behaviors. Research on RT is limited, while interventions suggest that promoting RS benefits both students and teachers. However, further intervention-focused studies are needed to address both.
Physical education is increasingly expected to support holistic development, yet the humanistic qualities developed through physical education remain conceptually scattered across different fields and have not been systematically synthesized. This systematic review aimed to clarify the concept of humanistic qualities in physical education (HQIPE), its contents, cultivation pathways, influencing factors, and positive outcomes. Following PRISMA guidelines, 7 databases were searched from inception to January 2025. 51 studies were included, covering non-empirical, qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research. The findings suggest that HQIPE should be understood not as a peripheral moral concern but as a multidimensional educational orientation. Five core dimensions were identified: ethics and morality, relationships, aesthetics and culture, personal development, and social responsibilities. These qualities were promoted through intentional curriculum design, teacher modeling, reflective pedagogy, and culturally meaningful movement experiences. The review highlights HQIPE as an important framework for clarifying the broader educational purpose of physical education.
The aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of taking the Inclusive Physical Activity course among undergraduate students enrolled in the Bachelor's Degree in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences. A total of 74 students (42 men and 32 women; aged 21-24 years) participated in a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design, which employed a convergent mixed-methods approach that combined quantitative and qualitative analyses. Quantitative results showed significant improvements across all dimensions of the questionnaire (Methodology, Supports, Community Participation, and Diversity Conception) (r(b) = 0.43 to -0.97, p < 0.004). In addition, increases were observed in the perceived sufficiency of theoretical and practical training (r(b) = -0.92 to -0.93, p < 0.001). These findings were reinforced by qualitative analysis, which revealed that students felt better prepared, acquired tools applicable to their future professional practice, and recognized the relevance of such training experiences for addressing inclusion-supportive contexts.
This study explored physical and mental health among 2,947 university students, using principal component analysis and K-means clustering, identifying 3 profiles: physically vulnerable (28%), mentally vulnerable (26%), and physically and mentally healthy (46%). Physically vulnerable students had lower fitness and a higher body mass index (p < 0.05;ES = 0.21-2.22), while mentally vulnerable students reported higher anxiety, depression, and poorer quality of life (p < 0.05;ES = 0.72-2.30). Physical activity (PA) motivations differed across profiles (p < 0.05;ES = 0.01-0.75). Additionally, women placed greater value on psychological benefits, whereas men focused on physical benefits (p < 0.05;ES = 0.10-0.54). This study highlights the heterogeneity of health and motivations among students, underscoring the importance of tailored interventions to promote PA.
The purpose of this study was to explore Japanese professors' experiences in teaching adapted physical education (APE) courses to undergraduate students. The study used andragogy theory, which addresses the needs of adult learners in their own education. The research design was a descriptive qualitative design using an in-depth, semi-structured interview approach. Participants (n=8) were eight Japanese APE undergraduate professors that taught an APE course for more than a year, who took part in a 60 minute semi-structured interview about their experiences teaching the course. Three major themes emerged from the analysis: (a) Negotiating roles for student-centered learning; (b) Relevance based student engagement; and (c) Constrained pedagogical and professional renewal. Findings indicate that Japanese APE professors should enhance the quality of APE classes, professors should find meaningful and relevant content and instructional strategies to tailor the class to the needs of the students.
This study explores social representations of sustainable practices in Physical Education among 110 undergraduate students in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Using the Free Word Association Technique (FWAT), participants associated five words with the stimulus "Sustainable Practices in Physical Education" and provided justifications. Responses were lemmatized and analyzed via IRAMUTEQ alpha 0.7, enabling Prototypical Analysis and Similarity Tree construction. "Health" emerged as the most frequent term (F = 35), followed by "Recycling" and "Nature," revealing a strong yet narrow conceptualization of sustainability centered on individual and environmental well-being. Socioeconomic and political dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were largely absent. Findings underscore the need to broaden sustainability education in Physical Education curricula. This study thus highlights a strong conceptual connection between health and sustainability within the social representations of these students.
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is rapidly transforming education, making AI literacy a critical competence for teachers across disciplines. Physical education teacher education (PETE) programs must respond to this shift by preparing future teachers to critically engage with AI. Using the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD] (2025) AI literacy framework, this viewpoint paper discusses the conceptual foundations of knowledge, skills, and attitudes and ethics for engaging, creating, managing, and designing with AI in PETE. Opportunities, including aligning with technology standards and expanding pedagogical resources, along with challenges involving disciplinary uncertainty and faculty readiness are addressed. Practical directions call for PETE faculty collaboration and reflection on when and how to integrate AI into existing curriculum, scaffolded AI learning activities, and sustained faculty development across AI literacy dimensions. Empirical data-based research implications consider effective modeling for embedding AI literacy and its longitudinal impact on meaningful AI literacy in teacher preparation.
This rapid review provides an evidence-informed mapping and classification of pedagogical models in Physical Education. Following PRISMA-informed procedures, searches were conducted in Web of Science between 2013 and 2025, identifying 6,144 records, of which 730 met the eligibility criteria. Three operational indicators were used to classify each model: Dissemination and Transfer, Scientific Evidence, and International Consolidation. The results show that Sport Education, Cooperative Learning, and Teaching Games for Understanding are the most established models, supported by extensive empirical evidence across multiple educational levels and countries. Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility, Outdoor Adventure Education, and Service-Learning also show substantial development, although with more uneven international expansion. Health-Based Physical Education shows a developing profile, whereas Self-Made Materials, Attitudinal Style, and the Ludotechnical Model remain locally developed with limited evidence. The proposed taxonomy provides a descriptive framework to inform research and practice in models-based practice.
The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore South Korean physical education (PE) teachers' and female secondary school students' beliefs about the sociocultural factors that influence girls' physical activity (PA) engagement in PE. Data were collected from six PE teachers and 12 female secondary school students through demographic questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and class observations. Using thematic analysis and Theory of Planned Behavior to guide the coding, findings indicated that socially constructed gender norms of femininity and beauty shaped girls' perception of gender appropriateness and self-efficacy in PE. Students identified gendered surveillance in the public class environment as the key barrier, whereas teachers emphasized gender differences in prior sport opportunities that affect girls' skill development, preferences, and willingness to participate. Both groups highlighted the strong influence of social norms and cultural factors in shaping PA beliefs in a society where girls' PA rates are considerably low.
As a doctoral student and physical education teacher educator serving as a long-term substitute physical education teacher, I confronted the realities of a role often overlooked in research. While substitute teaching is typically viewed as temporary work for less experienced educators, including many pre-service teachers (PSTs) seeking classroom experience, it requires adaptability and instructional skill. Using an autoethnographic lens, I reflect on tensions between high expectations and the unpredictability of daily practice. Drawing from journaling and debriefing, I examine how meaningful instruction, classroom management, and relationship-building unfolded in a temporary position. Despite my expertise, I experienced struggles common to PSTs, including feelings of illegitimacy, disconnection, and emotional strain. These parallels suggest that substitute teaching mirrors internships, offering PETE faculty insights into how PSTs negotiate identity and professional growth. Rather than a marginal role, substitute teaching emerges here as a formative space that reshapes identity, cultivates adaptive expertise, and deepens learning through lived experience.
