Learning tasks in physical education: conceptualisation, implementation and effect

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Clemens Töpfer
• Subject Area: General and Domain-Specific Teaching and Learning
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 568353620

The network pursues the overarching goal of developing a theoretical model of learning tasks in physical education as well as expanding empirical research in this field and developing concrete research proposals. The first goal is to develop and publish a theoretical model of learning tasks in physical education. The current state of research shows that there are no comprehensive and systematically developed heuristics on learning tasks in physical education. In this respect, the network aims to develop a theoretical model based on the theoretical and empirical preliminary work of the network participants and thus make a contribution to research in the field of physical education. The model should concretise learning tasks from a competence theory perspective and create a common understanding. It is expected that the model will show how characteristics of learning tasks are related to the actions of physical education teachers and in which contexts they are interrelated, based on teaching-learning models. The model is intended to summarise the potential effects of learning tasks and present determinants that can influence the success of learning processes in physical education. Furthermore, the model should serve as a systematic framework for structuring the current state of knowledge, identifying open research questions and developing future research projects. The concrete result of this part of the network is the preparation of a manuscript for a scientific journal article describing the theoretical model and outlining perspectives for further research. The second goal of the network is the development of research projects on learning tasks in physical education and the preparation of research proposals. The empirical knowledge on this topic is currently fragmented and focused on specific subject areas. In addition, many of the studies to date are exploratory and methodologically not fully developed. The network aims to close these gaps by developing specific research projects based on the previously developed theoretical model. These will focus on interventional study designs and will be concretised in various sub-research groups. Depending on the orientation of the respective research concepts, both qualitative and quantitative methods for process and product evaluation will be used. As a concrete result of the network, the preparation and submission of several funding applications to the German Research Foundation (DFG) is planned. These proposals will be linked thematically and submitted in an application package.

• DFG Programme: Scientific Networks