Students’ Skills and Experiences Using Information and Communication Technologies in Remote Physical Education Lessons

Abstract

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are rapidly invading education and leading to transformation in this area. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional educational process was moved to a remote environment, and educators faced many challenges in maintaining the same quality as face-to-face teaching. Physical education (PE) lessons should be marked out as a special case. The aim of this research was to determine the relationship of 8–12th-grade Lithuanian students to information and communication technologies and to reveal students’ experiences of participating in remote PE lessons. A total of 268 students selected by the convenience sampling method filled out a questionnaire consisting of four blocks with 53 closed and 4 open questions divided into topics. The relationships between physical activity during quarantine and its predictors were assessed using linear and hierarchical regression analyses. It was estimated that students’ computer literacy skills were slightly higher than average, and positive attitudes of students towards ICT in the educational process would prevail. In remote PE lessons, students usually exercised independently or together using a video communication program. Students’ expectations for remote PE lessons included the performance of sports, interesting and active challenges, and the opportunity to be independent. Older students and students who spent more time with ICT and had lower computer literacy skills were less physically active and fit. During the quarantine, students’ physical activity and fitness decreased.