Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs Preparation in Physical Education Teacher Education Programs

Purpose: Given the emphasis on the important role of physical education within Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs (CSPAPs), the purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) prepares teacher candidates for CSPAP roles. Methods: A total of 144 PETE program completed the online survey about curriculum and learning experiences on CSPAP. Descriptive statistics and frequency analyses were used, and open-ended questions were summarized to extract common answers. Results: Of the 144 PETE programs, 107 (74.3%) included no CSPAP learning experiences. The prevalent type of learning experience was incorporating CSPAP components in the existing courses, while field experiences were not frequently used. PETE personnel expressed the utility of field experiences as an ideal CSPAP preparation. Conclusion: Few PETE programs offer CSPAP-related learning experiences. When it was present, the prevalent way to teach CSPAP implementation was infusing CSPAP concepts into current courses.