If you've ever caught yourself in a conversation with a colleague and wondered whether you were actually talking to them or to whatever chatbot drafted their last email, you already have a feel for why AI literacy has quietly become a PETE issue. It's easy to file AI under "someone else's problem" — a computer science concern, a K-12 policy question, not something that touches lesson planning or gym space. Dr. Xiaolu Liu, lead author of a new call-to-action piece in Quest titled "Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) Literacy into Physical Education Teacher Education," argues that this framing is already out of date. I talked with her on the podcast about what the paper actually calls on PETE faculty to do, and the case is a compelling one.

If you've ever wondered why some elective PE sections fill up with waitlists while others struggle to attract students, our new study published in the Journal of Teaching in Physical Education has some suggestions:

The study, conducted in a large school district in the southeastern United States, interviewed six teachers and 26 students across four elective PE courses: Weight Training and Conditioning, Personal Fitness, AICE PE (an internationally recognized academic PE course), and Unified PE (which pairs students with and without disabilities). The goal was simple but overdue: almost nothing has been written about why American high schoolers choose elective PE once their required credits are met. What the researchers found offers a practical roadmap for anyone designing or running these programs.

In today’s evolving educational landscape, hands-on experiences are vital for preparing future educators. A recent study—published in Action in Teacher Education—explores how pre-service teachers (PSTs) navigated the challenges and successes of implementing a student-centered curriculum in an after-school program. This innovative research not only sheds light on the transformation of teaching practices but also provides practical insights into the integration of literacy and physical activity through a well-structured yet flexible curriculum. 

If you've ever wondered why the amount of recess or PE your students get seems to depend entirely on which school, district, or state they happen to be in, two new studies from Dr. Chad Killian (University of New Hampshire) and his School Health Map collaborators put hard numbers behind that frustration. I talked with Chad on the podcast about both papers, and the findings should matter to anyone standing in a gym or a statehouse.

In communities where safety concerns and limited access to recreational facilities are everyday challenges, innovative after-school programs can transform the way youth engage in physical activity. A recent study on the REACH after-school program reveals how prioritizing student choice creates a dynamic environment that not only increases participation in physical activity but also fosters positive youth development (PYD). 

In urban schools, novice physical education teachers often face unique challenges that stretch far beyond the gymnasium. However, a recent study titled “Successful Practices of Novice Urban Physical Education Teachers” reveals that amid resource constraints and cultural disparities, intentional strategies and a strong sense of connection can help emerging educators not only survive but thrive. The article, grounded in the cultural relevance cycle framework, sheds light on the experiences of two novice teachers who navigated their early years in urban settings with notable success. 

Navigating the transition from a physical education teacher to a teacher educator in a new country is no small feat. In the article Teaching in a New World: A Novice Teacher Educator’s Pursuit for Change, the authors explore how an international doctoral physical education teacher education (PETE) instructor, Alba, used action research to transform her pedagogical practices during a single semester of teaching. The study not only unveils Alba’s journey of adaptation and professional growth, but it also highlights the challenges she faced, the methods she employed to overcome them, and the pivotal role that reflection and support play in fostering lasting change. 

The GIRL curriculum—“Gaining Insight through Reflective Learning”—represents an innovative approach to tackling longstanding issues around body image among young girls. Developed as an after-school program extension to the REACH initiative, this curriculum provides a structured yet adaptable platform for participants to critically explore media influences, societal norms, and personal perceptions surrounding body image. The comprehensive nature of the program, underscored by the principles of co-creation and reflective learning, offers rich insights into transforming negative body image narratives into opportunities for empowerment. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced traditional teaching methods to come to an abrupt halt, educators—especially those in Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE)—found themselves struggling to adapt. The PETE Collaborative emerged in April 2020 as a grassroots initiative to address these challenges. Conceived as a response to both the rapid transition to online education and the profound sense of isolation experienced by faculty members, the Collaborative provided an urgent virtual space for dialogue, idea sharing, and mutual support. While the initial motivation was clear—help colleagues cope with the uncertainties of remote instruction—the initiative quickly evolved into something far more transformative. 

The recent article, The problematization of the (im)possible subject: an analysis of Health and Physical Education policy from Australia, USA and Wales, invites readers to engage in a deeper dialogue about the ways in which HPE policies construct the very subjects they purport to support. In this comparative study, the authors employ Bacchi’s “What’s the Problem Represented to be?” (WPR) approach to interrogate policy documents from Australia, the USA, and Wales, urging educators and policymakers alike to question the assumptions behind current curricular practices.