Virtual Physical Education During COVID-19: Exploring Future Directions for Equitable Online Learning Tools.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Education
• Kinesiology

Background:

• COVID-19 pandemic school closures limited physical activity opportunities for US youth.
• These closures exacerbated existing health disparities.
• Physical education is crucial for youth physical activity, but virtual learning challenges are understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore physical education teachers' views on online tool design features.
• To promote physical activity equity among youth during school closures.
• To apply a diversity, equity, and inclusion framework.

Main Methods:

• A survey was developed based on literature and focus groups.
• 60 physical education teachers from randomly selected US schools participated.
• Teachers rated the significance of online tool design features using ANOVAs.

Main Results:

• Significant differences emerged in teachers' ratings of usability, accessibility, equitability, and assessment features.
• These differences varied by teacher gender, school level, and geographic location.
• Teacher perceptions highlight specific needs for online physical education tools.

Conclusions:

• Tailored virtual physical education tools are essential for promoting physical activity equity.
• Future research should focus on design features prioritized by teachers.
• Addressing diverse student needs is critical for equitable physical education.