Digital technology and pedagogy in Physical Education teaching: Flipped learning as a strategy to optimise physical activity time

Digital technology (DigiTech) is not commonplace in education (Selwyn, 2017) or physical education (PE) (Gard, 2014). This may be because little consideration has been given to what PE teachers’ think, say and do regarding... [ view full abstract ]

Digital technology (DigiTech) is not commonplace in education (Selwyn, 2017) or physical education (PE) (Gard, 2014). This may be because little consideration has been given to what PE teachers’ think, say and do regarding DigiTech (Casey et al., 2017). This study aimed to explore how and why UK PE teachers’ use DigiTech. For this presentation, we focus specifically on the teachers’ use of DigiTech to optimise students’ physical activity time.

Four UK PE teachers, who were self-identified users of DigiTech, were selected for this study. Their experiences and views were explored through a case study approach. Data were generated from (a) interviews with PE teachers, headteachers, senior leaders and IT network managers, (b) lesson observations, (c) document analysis and, (d) field notes. Data were analysed using a grounded theory approach.  

Teachers used DigiTech in different ways to optimise students’ physical activity time. These included, showing videos in the changing rooms, using videos or quizzes in rest periods or, most commonly, flipped learning. Flipped learning enabled students to enhance their knowledge outside of school so that they could be more active in class. The use of DigiTech facilitated teachers in supporting students’ initial learning; assessing students’ understanding and; optimising students’ physical activity time in the lesson.

The results indicate that when used in conjunction with DigiTech, flipped learning has the potential to support PE teachers to optimise students often limited physical activity time (Østerlie 2016; Roth 2014) and, thus, use DigiTech pedagogically. This is particularly pertinent given the limited time allocated in the curriculum to PE (some of which is inevitable lost in the changing rooms) and the perceived need for students to be physically active in lessons (Cale et al. 2016).