Background/Purpose: Physical education teacher education (PETE) programs have fallen behind in preparing technology-proficient graduates to assume teaching positions in this digital age. Physical educators do not perceive they are prepared to use technology in their teaching. In order to address this concern, greater intentionality is needed in identifying technologies that impact teaching and learning while affording a high degree of contextual feasibility. The purpose of this study was to generate an expert consensus regarding the instructional technologies that pre-service physical educators need to learn during their professional preparation.
Method: The study employed a two-round, modified Delphi process involving the repeated circulation of a questionnaire to a panel of experts with a record of peer-reviewed publication in the area of technology and physical education. Panel members rated an initial list of technologies arranged in the following categories: professionalism/advocacy, lesson planning/instruction, and assessment/evaluation. At the conclusion of the group decision-making process, a sample of panelists participated in semi-structured interviews for the purpose of results verification.
Analysis/Results: Expert consensus determined 16 out of the initial 60 technologies were essential in preparing physical educators. Participant interviews were used to verify results, to generate recommendations for incorporating the identified instructional technologies in PETE, and to identify possible barriers regarding the implementation of these recommendations.
Conclusions: Faced with contextual constraints such as limited curricular space and restricted discretionary funding, PETE faculty need to focus on the use of instructional technologies that provide the greatest potential for impact on the quality of instruction in K-12 schools.