Boundless Classrooms and Touchless Bodies: Teaching Physical Education Online

Abstract

This qualitative study explored the PE teachers’ experiences in teaching online during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines. Using the phenomenological approach, it investigated the pedagogical practices, the educational theories that guided the participants, and their reflections and insights on teaching PE online. In order to describe the PE teachers’ pedagogical practices and perspectives regarding online teaching, the following research questions guided the study: (1) What are the daily instructional practices of the participating online PE teachers?; (2) What educational theories guided these participants in teaching online?; and (3) What are the perspectives and reflections of the participants in teaching PE online? Data collection methods for this case study included 1) interviews with online PE teachers, 2) virtual classroom observations and field notes, and 3) text messaging and e-mail communications between the researcher and the participants. Content and thematic analyses were used to interpret the results of the study. Results showed that teachers provided demonstration classes and allowed students to be creative in submitting their outputs. They practiced differentiated instruction, challenged the creativity of students and developed innovative ways of teaching PE online. They implicitly ascribed to Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory and Bandura’s Social Learning Theory. The results of this study supported the premise that online college PE can be taught online and is workable this time of pandemic.