Evaluating the Impact of Content Knowledge Instruction on Preservice Teacher Content Knowledge of Volleyball and Basketball

Purpose : The aim of this study was to investigate a Physical Education Teacher Education course’s impact on preservice teachers’ content knowledge in volleyball and basketball. Methods : Eight participants from a Midwestern university were assessed over a semester across four domains, both before and after completing the content course: Common Content Knowledge-Movement, Common Content Knowledge-Performance, Specialized Content Knowledge-Content Development, and Specialized Content Knowledge-Error Analysis. Results : Significant improvements were found from pretests to posttests across all domains, with large effect sizes for most. Despite these gains, posttest scores indicated moderate proficiency, suggesting further refinement is needed to ensure preservice teachers’ teaching competence in K–12 settings. The study also found strong correlations between participants’ prior playing and teaching experiences and their pretest scores, particularly in common content knowledge domains. Discussion/Conclusion : These findings underscore the importance of targeted content knowledge training in Physical Education Teacher Education programs and the integration of evidence-based practices to enhance preservice teachers’ preparedness for teaching.