University and School: beliefs about the theoretical-practical transfer of future Physical Education teachers

INTRODUCTION: The distance between the formative scenarios of the university and the school and the disconnection between theory and practice have been a concern in the quality of the initial teacher training and previous research. This study aims to analyze this problem in the case of final year students of the Degree of Primary Education Teachers belonging to Mention in Physical Education (PE) of the Complutense University of Madrid. METHOD: A content analysis was applied to the Practicum III reports of future Physical Education teachers, using inductive and deductive procedures with Atlas.ti RESULTS: The students' speeches confirmed the disconnect between theory and practice related to their degree studies in general. The students value the Practicum in a positive way to compensate for this lack and, in their reflections, they offer some lines of action to link the university with the practice centers. Specifically, the level of theoretical-practical transfer of the subjects specific to the Mention in PE was mostly assessed satisfactorily. DISCUSSION: The prevailing technical rationale behind these speeches is discussed and the need to complement this paradigm with the critical approach is warned, making visible the value of theory and reflection in teaching practice, as well as promoting active methodologies in university teaching closer to the realities of schools.