ABSTRACT
Compared to previous generations, young people today are more likely to have digitised habits, actions and behaviours and differ in how they process information, express themselves, interact and manage and organise their daily activities. In this context, there is a need to consider how best Physical Education (PE) might be re-structured and re-organised and how PE teachers might be prepared differently to meet the new needs of young people in a digital age. One way to structure thinking about a different approach to PE in a digital age is to focus on learning attributes. Such a focus reminds us that learning is situated in the prevailing context of circumstances, activities and culture, and is a process of creating connections, networks and relationships. Taking into account how young people learn through digital technologies, proposed learning attributes for PE in a digital age emphasise: personalisation, asynchronous and synchronous learning, peer- and family-based learning contexts, and mass engagement in learning. To adopt such an approach and better prepare teachers to operate effectively in a digital age, initial and continuing professional development in PE could shift the primary emphasis from preparing to teach the curriculum to preparing to work creatively and collaboratively with young people.
