Refusal in physical education—teachers’ strategies and utilization of digital media

TL;DR

This study explores how physical education teachers manage student refusal in class and how they use digital tools to address the issue.

Contribution

The study provides the first international empirical basis linking a dimensional framework to strategies for managing physical education refusal.

Findings

Teachers primarily use classroom-based strategies to manage physical education refusal.

Digital media, especially software solutions, are preferred by teachers to address refusal in PE.

A preliminary model is proposed for future research on digitally based PE lessons.

Abstract

Physical education refusal (PER) is a subject-specific form of classroom disruption within physical education (PE). PE teachers are tasked with managing PER effectively to improve learning outcomes and protect their well-being. Teacher interventions occur across institutional, classroom, and relationship dimensions. However, existing research has not yet adequately addressed the increasing role of digitalization.

Therefore, this interview study explores the potential of digital media by investigating PE teachers' strategies for dealing with PER (RQ1) and their use of digital media in this process (RQ2).

Findings show, for the first time internationally, an empirical basis for connecting the dimensional framework to reported strategies, hereby confirming and enhancing existing research. Teachers tend to use strategies that are based in the classroom dimension where they seem to have the best possible influence. In terms of use of digital media, teachers prefer software solutions to deal with PER, supplemented, if possible and sensible, by hardware and methodical structuring.

Combining these findings into a preliminary model, this study lays the foundation for future research in dealing with PER in digitally based PE lessons.

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