E-learning training for physical education teachers: the experience of the Veneto SSIS

A specific initial training to improve teachers’ competencies is one of the major challenges. Veneto SSIS (School of Specialization for Secondary School Teachers) trains teachers for different subjects using two types of courses: traditional in-presence courses and on-line courses. In this paper we present a comparative study of these two methodologies. As regards teaching in-presence, the on-line preparation allows an uninterrupted virtual contact between students and professors and among students by means of e-forum and mailing lists. Through on-line training, students can experiment with a constructive method of cooperative learning, which could be more effective than other traditional learning methodologies. 100 Physical Education student/teachers have been engaged in the last three years in on-line courses, at the end of all courses a questionnaire was administered to assess the efficacy of the teaching/learning process. Some important considerations emerged: 100% of students would carry out other on-line courses; 90% of the students would suggest it to a friend; 60% of teachers said that they had used interaction among colleagues more often than in traditional courses. Data suggest that the on-line methodology can be an effective modality for initial and continuous preparation for Physical Education teachers.