A Study on Pathways for Enhancing the Teaching Competencies of Physical Education Teacher Candidates Through Artificial Intelligence
Keywords:
Artificial Intelligence, Physical Education Teacher Education Students, Teacher Education Students, Teaching CompetenceAbstract
The digital transformation of education, accelerated by artificial intelligence (AI), has profoundly reshaped pedagogical practices across disciplines. However, pre-service physical education (PE) teacher training programs face persistent structural challenges, including limited authentic teaching practice opportunities, overly subjective and untimely evaluation systems, and a lack of individualized mentoring, all of which hinder the cultivation of adaptive and reflective practitioners. Despite growing interest in educational technology, there remains a notable gap in both theoretical frameworks and practical pathways specifically tailored to integrate AI into PE teacher preparation. To address this gap, this study employs a comprehensive literature review and theoretical synthesis to construct a dual-dimensional competency framework for PE pre-service teachers, comprising "professional pedagogical competence" and "digital teaching competence." Based on this framework, the study identifies and elaborates four AI-enabled instructional pathways: (1) AI-assisted instructional design and resource generation, (2) virtual simulation for motor skill demonstration and movement analysis, (3) intelligent classroom interaction systems for real-time feedback, and (4) multidimensional, data-driven teaching assessment. These pathways collectively facilitate a paradigm shift from traditional experience-driven teaching to evidence-based, data-informed instructional decision-making. Furthermore, the research critically examines persistent barriers to implementation, including curriculum misalignment with digital competencies, insufficient digital literacy among teacher educators, and the absence of sustainable mechanisms for long-term AI integration. In response, the study proposes actionable strategies such as reforming PE curricula to embed AI literacy, establishing university-industry collaborative training platforms, enhancing faculty digital professional development, and optimizing assessment frameworks to incorporate AI-generated analytics. This research contributes both theoretically and practically by offering an original competency model and a systemic implementation roadmap for integrating AI into pre-service PE education. The findings are intended to inform policy-making, guide curriculum innovation, and support the sustainable, high-quality development of school physical education in the digital age
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