Teaching methods of physical activity workshop in the university training of Italian generalist teachers

Abstract

Purpose: Generalist teachers (GT) need specific and practical training to develop adequate professional skills that will enable
them to teach Physical Education (PE) effectively. The Primary Education Sciences (PES) degree provides both theoretical
and practical training opportunities, but students perceive gaps in training, particularly in the practical application of the
Teaching Methods of Physical Activities (TMPA). The purpose of this study was to deepen the understanding of future teachers'
perceptions regarding their personal and educational experiences in PE and also their motor skills, and to investigate if there
is a correspondence between perceptions and awareness derived from specific motor testing.
Methods: A survey was conducted on 266 students of PES, using two ad hoc questionnaires, aimed at the objectives of the
study, during three workshop sessions that also included motor testing to provide knowledge on performance related to
some motor skills. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square and Spearman's correlation were used.
Results: The analysis of the questionnaires revealed that the school played a secondary role in personal and educational
experiences in PE compared to informal contexts. The Chi-square analysis revealed six relationships (P< .05) between
physical activity and BMI, perceptions of graduates in Exercise and Sport Sciences, teaching methods, training adequacy for
PE, and accurate self-assessment of motor skills, supported by strong statistical correlations. Those who perceive themselves
as adequate in physical assessment also have a perception highly/totally consistent whit the reality of their skills. There is
correspondence between perception and awareness of one's motor skills in an average of 92.37% of cases.
Conclusions: The relationships emerged regarding the students' personal and educational experiences confirm the
importance of direct experience not only for perception but also for awareness of being adequately trained to teach PE. The
TMPA workshop in the university training of GT offers the opportunity to approach physical activity as an experience that is
not only executive and exercise-based, but above all elaborative and heuristic.