4.1 Quantitative Analysis System for PE Teaching
In 2013, Ding Chaopeng from the perspective of behavior analysis in teaching and learning, conducted a quantitative analysis of the teaching scenes of high-quality classes in the context of the new curriculum reform in China. They researched nationwide demonstration lessons and teacher training courses, providing a comprehensive description of teacher and student behaviors in the class[5]. However, the analysis did not specifically focus on PE classes due to the unique characteristics of PE compared to other subjects. The latest achievement in quantitative evaluation research of PE lessons in China is the Class Teaching Behavior Analysis System developed by Liu Chao in 2022. This system evaluates PE classes under the Chinese Health-Related PE lessons model. The coding system in this model emphasizes the evaluation of student learning behaviors based on lesson design but does not capture the actual PA levels of students. [1]
SOFIT is a direct observation method that uses momentary time sampling and interval recording to assess students' PA levels, the class context, and teacher behaviors. The reference standard for evaluation is the Beginning Teacher Performance Standards (BTPS) in the United States. According to BTPS, students' participation rate in PA should not be less than 80%, and the time spent in MVPA should be at least 50% of the total class time. In terms of teaching content, the recommended time allocation includes less than 20% for class management, 20% for fitness practice, 20% for skill practice and games, 10% for knowledge instruction, and the remaining time for free activities. Fairclough used the SOFIT system to retrospectively code recorded videos of high school PE classes and examined the relationship between teacher instructional design and students' MVPA [2]. In China, several studies have also used the SOFIT system to evaluate the effectiveness of class teaching [3, 6].
4.2 Effectiveness of Class Activities
4.2.1 Increasing MVPA Time
MVPA has been shown to improve cardiorespiratory fitness, prevent overweight and obesity, and enhance the cardiovascular, muscular, and skeletal health of adolescents, thereby reducing the risk of chronic non-communicable diseases [7, 8]. The World Health Organization recommends that children and adolescents aged 5–17 engage in at least 60 minutes of MVPA daily. The "Health People 2010" initiative in the United States suggests a standard of "more than 50% of class time spent in MVPA" for PE. The "Guidelines on PA for Children and Adolescents in China" propose that children and adolescents aged 6–17 should accumulate at least 60 minutes of MVPA daily [9].
In this study, students' MVPA time reached 53%. This strongly indicates the implementation of the concept of "50% individual PA density" in the new curriculum has been effectively realized in high-quality classes. However, studies have shown that MVPA time in regular classes still falls short of the 50% threshold. Soyang evaluated 2,106 PE classes in 40 low-income community schools, and the results showed that only 10–20% of the classes met the recommended level of MVPA [10]. In China, Li Xingying reported that in regular elementary school PE classes in Shanghai, MVPA time accounted for approximately 40%. Therefore, during the further advancement of teaching reforms, it is necessary to enhance students' PA levels in regular classes, guided by the demonstration of high-quality classes [3].
Class MVPA is influenced by multiple factors. Research suggests that male teachers, more experienced teachers, and schools in urban areas have significantly higher MVPA time compared to control groups [11]. Skall reported a positive correlation between outdoor PE classes, active class backgrounds, smaller class sizes, shorter class durations, and MVPA[12]. Regression analysis results from Li Xingying's study showed a positive correlation between student MVPA and teachers' positive in-class interventions, and a negative correlation with time spent on knowledge explanation and class management, with significant results. In the high-quality lessons of this study, MVPA time showed a negative correlation with class management time, and a positive correlation with physical exercise, skill practice time, and group PA density, with significant regression analysis results. These findings suggest that teachers should engage in reasonable instructional design to increase class MVPA time, thereby promoting effective physical exercise among students and improving their overall fitness and health levels.
4.2.2 Emphasizing In-Depth Teaching and Practice
The teacher-student relationship has always been a focal point in educational research. The curriculum requires a true shift in PE class instruction, moving from a teacher-centered approach to a student-centered approach. This shift aims to move away from an excessive focus on knowledge and skill transmission and instead cultivate students' core competencies, fostering positive learning motivation, attitudes, and behaviors. However, in actual teaching practice, PE teachers often perceive students as objects of instruction, failing to fully grasp the essence of student-centeredness, which revolves around student learning. They tend to overly emphasize how to better showcase their own teaching behaviors [13]. For instance, a study on regular classes for primary school students in Shanghai revealed that 41% of the class time was allocated to class management and knowledge explanation, while student practice time was significantly insufficient [3].
In the award-winning lessons of this study, students and teachers had already collaborated multiple times in advance. As a result, there was less time dedicated to class management, but a prominent issue was the excessive amount of time spent on knowledge explanation. In the lessons participating in competitions, it was evident that teachers placed more emphasis on how to present the knowledge points clearly and meticulously. They even got entangled in technical details during elementary school classes, occupying a significant amount of class time.
4.2.3 Prominent Scientific Teaching Design
Exercise Density
According to the new curriculum guidelines, the group exercise density per class should not be lower than 75%, individual exercise density should not be lower than 50%, and students' average heart rate should reach 140–160 beats per minute. Additionally, it is recommended that each class incorporates approximately 10 minutes of diverse, compensatory, enjoyable, and integrative practice for fitness.
Exercise density is easily influenced by factors such as the type of PE class, content of teaching materials, student characteristics, sports facilities, and equipment. Careful instructional design can help students achieve higher exercise density. Research has reported that in an elementary school, the "exercise density" during a high jump class was only 7%, with an average heart rate of only 95 beats per minute [14]. This phenomenon also exists in the award-winning lessons of this study, where the group exercise density falls below the required 75% as specified in the curriculum guidelines. This occurs due to teachers excessively focusing on detailed explanations for an extended period and students waiting in line for their turn to practice, resulting in lower exercise density. PE teachers need to employ diversified instructional design, emphasizing in-depth teaching and practice, reducing students' waiting time in PE classes, or incorporating supplementary exercises to keep students "active" during the waiting process.
Practice for Fitness
There are various methods for physical fitness practice, and it requires a relatively high exercise load to achieve training effects [15]. In the lessons of this study, the most obvious shortcomings observed were the lack of diversity in practice for fitness, failure to incorporate compensatory exercise design principles, inadequate time allocated, and individual teachers substituting warm-up activities for physical fitness practice.
Information Technology Means
In the era where information technology empowers education, the new curriculum standards have put forward requirements for the integration of modern information technology in teaching recommendations, learning assessment suggestions, and textbook development. However, the deep integration of information technology and PE instruction still faces significant challenges. On the one hand, it is constrained by traditional teaching concepts and methods. On the other hand, the widespread availability of hardware and software necessary for implementing information technology remains limited.
With the development of intelligent sports, PE instruction is increasingly emphasizing the utilization of modern information technology means. Multimedia, smartphones, sports bracelets, heart rate monitors, intelligent physical testing equipment, and various soft wares will play a significant role in the deep integration of information technology means into PE classes [2]. Teachers have widely recognized the conceptual requirements of applying information technology, but how to effectively incorporate information technology into current PE classes to enhance the liveliness and flexibility of class instruction remains an important challenge for sports educators [16].