Contributions of Service-Learning to more inclusive and less gender-biased Physical Education: the views of Spanish Physical Education Teacher Education students

There continue to be gender biases and masculinization within Physical Education (PE). Therefore, PE teacher training should challenge current curricular practices and promote transformative pedagogical approaches. We advocate service-learning (SL) which shares its essential principles and research outcomes with feminist pedagogy. This study aims to discover whether generic SL projects, aimed at meeting the needs of at-risk populations, might promote a non-gender-biased conception of PE in Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) students/trainees. A qualitative hermeneutic-phenomenological method was used to explore the trainees' personal experiences. Participants included 292 PETE trainees from Universities belonging to the Spanish Service-Learning Research Network in Physical Activity and Sport for Social Inclusion. PETE trainees experienced SL programmes aimed at promoting social inclusion of vulnerable populations through physical activity. A total of 292 reflection journals, 12 semi-structured interviews and 13 focus-groups were conducted. The findings were organized into four categories: 'Equal footing', 'Overcoming masculinized views of PE', 'Beyond the class walls', and 'It seems that PE has evolved'. In conclusion, these findings show that SL might lead PETE trainees to see PE in a less gender-biased way and that a well-designed curriculum will be inclusive, empowering students who do not fit into the hegemonic expectations of masculinity.