Teaching Physical Education Online in Schools: Challenges and Recommendations from the Preservice PEMAC Teachers in Fiji

Abstract

Teacher preparation programs in institutions of higher learning serve as an incubator for the professional development of teachers and leaders in the education sector. It is imperative for these programs to deliver high-quality instruction, even when circumstances are extraordinary. To this end, during the COVID-19 pandemic, teacher preparation programs worldwide were forced to move programs online with little preparation. This study aimed to learn about barriers to teaching online physical education (PE) in Fiji using an Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach. Data were collected from preservice PE, Music, and Arts (PEMAC) teachers enrolled in the second or third year of the PEMAC teacher preparation program in Fiji. Five focus group discussions were conducted with a total of twenty participants (14 males and 6 females). Sixty percent of the participants did not think the digital infrastructure for teaching online PE was adequate. Seventy percent thought online PE could potentially make an impact. Four superordinate themes were identified as a result of the IPA including: (a) the development of pedagogical skills; (b) program design; (c) instructional delivery; and (d) advocacy, branding & marketing for PE. The findings imply that greater investment in digital infrastructure is needed and also suggest that preservice teachers can benefit from professional development aiming to build teacher confidence and competency for teaching online PE effectively in Fiji.