Crossing disciplinary boundaries: exploring the interdisciplinary teaching literacy of Chinese physical education teachers

The latest national curriculum standards for physical education (PE) and health in compulsory education in China mandate the implementation of interdisciplinary teaching (IDT). However, research exploring IDT within the specific context of physical education remains limited, and consequently, it is unclear what specific literacies PE teachers require to effectively implement IDT. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to construct a theoretical model of IDT literacy based on PE teachers’ understandings of IDT. A total of 25 full-time PE teachers (14 males and 11 females) participated in the study. Guided by the principles of constructivist grounded theory, the study employed three focus group interviews, followed by five individual interviews conducted via theoretical sampling to capture diverse perspectives. Data analysis occurred concurrently with data collection, utilizing the constant comparative method throughout the three coding stages: initial, focused, and theoretical coding. Coding stopped when theoretical saturation was achieved. To ensure credibility, triangulation was employed using multiple data sources, alongside member checking and peer debriefing. This model conceptualizes literacy as a dynamic and agentic construction process. It highlights four interrelated competencies: (a) integrating and reconstructing diverse knowledge; (b) contextualizing pedagogical practices; (c) demonstrating an intrinsically motivated teaching disposition; and (d) engaging in agentic self-reflection. This model offers a theoretical framework for PE teachers to develop and evaluate their current literacy level, ultimately aiming to enhance the quality of IDT in PE.