A169: Physical Education Teachers' Role Reconstruction in P.E.-Education Integration

The integration of sports and education policies in China has driven the redefinition of the role of physical education (PE) teachers, shifting their responsibilities from traditional instructional tasks to multifaceted competencies that encompass teaching, coaching, and holistic student development. Despite increasing emphasis on cultivating "dual-qualified" educators (possessing both pedagogical expertise and athletic training proficiency), systemic challenges persist, including fragmented training mechanisms for dual-role teachers, insufficient research on the career adaptability of retired athletes transitioning into teaching roles, and the absence of unified standards for evaluating teachers’ integrated in-class and extracurricular competencies. This study systematically reviews these gaps to establish a cohesive framework for PE teacher role reconstruction under the sports-education integration policy, proposing context-sensitive strategies for policy refinement and professional development. This research employs a mixed methods approach, combining a systematic literature review (2017–2025) of peer-reviewed articles from CNKI, Google Scholar, and policy documents (e.g., Measures to Strengthen the Development of Primary and Secondary School PE Teachers in the New Era) with qualitative case analyses of regional pilot programs. Three dimensions are examined: (1) adapting vocational "dual-qualified" frameworks to PE via certification criteria and incentives; (2) barriers to retired athletes’ teaching transitions, assessed through interviews; (3) competency standards aligned with extracurricular and community engagement policies. The study identified three distinct pathways for role reconstruction. First, dual-qualified PE teacher frameworks require discipline-specific adaptations, such as mandating concurrent possession of coaching certifications and teaching credentials, alongside dynamic competency re-evaluation mechanisms. Second, retired athletes face challenges in classroom management and curriculum design, necessitating tiered certification pathways and immersive pedagogical training modules. Third, competency standards must incorporate quantifiable metrics for extracurricular contributions and multi-stakeholder feedback mechanisms to ensure equitable evaluation. Conclusions/Discussion: This study highlights the interdependence of policy coherence, resource allocation, and institutional adaptability in redefining PE teachers’ roles. The dual-qualified framework demands cross-sector collaboration, while retired athlete integration requires hybrid training models that recognize athletic expertise (e.g., expedited certification for elite athletes) while addressing pedagogical gaps through partnerships with teacher-training institutions. Furthermore, competency standards should adopt adaptive metrics to accommodate regional disparities (e.g., urban-rural divides in sports infrastructure) and leverage emerging technologies (e.g., AI-driven simulation platforms for classroom scenario training) to enhance scalability. Future research should explore the longitudinal impacts of role reconstruction on student outcomes and examine the contextual applicability of global initiatives, such as "sport-for-development" programs.