This study systematically analyzed pre-service elementary teachers’ past experiences in physical education classes and comprehensively explored the impact of these experiences on their current perceptions of the value of physical education and the p...
This study systematically analyzed pre-service elementary teachers’ past experiences in physical education classes and comprehensively explored the impact of these experiences on their current perceptions of the value of physical education and the practices of future physical education teachers. To this purpose, qualitative data were collected from 58 pre-service elementary teachers at J National University of Education using open questionnaires and in-depth interviews to identify specific experiences and content from their physical education classes during their school years. Eight participants were selected based on purposeful sampling and the criterion sampling method of Goetz & LeCompte (1984). participants were selected based on their deep understanding of the study’s purpose and process and their ability to provide diverse experiences. The collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis and inductive categorization to categorize the pre-service elementary teachers’ key experiences in physical education and identify patterns of perception. The results revealed that pre-service elementary teachers’ experiences in physical education can be categorized into affective, participatory, achievement, and social dimensions. Furthermore, based on the impact of past physical education classes on physical education curriculum implementation, they were categorized into three roles: “spreaders of passion and joy,” “preventers of class exclusion,” and “professional physical education class designers.” Based on the results of this study, practical efforts are suggested for pre-service elementary teacher training, including improving the pre-service elementary teacher education curriculum and developing effective teaching methods.