Experiential Learning in a Canadian Physical Education Class: A Comparative Perspective from Pre-Service PE Teachers in Canada and China

Overview & Synopsis

This article focuses on a comparative analysis of traditional Physical Education games and experiential learning on the part of teacher candidates enrolled in an Ontario Faculty of Education and one in Southwest China. Funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) partnership grant for research on Reciprocal Learning between Canada and China, the researchers conducted a qualitative study interviewing ten teacher candidates from the reciprocal Faculties of Education. Emergent themes included risk-taking and resilience, willingness to implement foreign practices, division of sport-related skills, and daily physical activity (DPA). Findings suggest that DPA is overlooked in Canadian classrooms; Chinese teachers are more likely to implement foreign practices, and skills development in traditional PE games is disparate between Canada and China.