Phenomenological Analysis (Lived Experiences) of Physical Education Teachers of Implemented Curriculum Challenges during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study aimed to analyze the lived experiences of physical education teachers of implemented curriculum challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic through qualitative phenomenological analysis. Participants were 32 physical education teachers selected based on a criterion-based purposive sampling method from different provinces of Iran. Unstructured interviews, used as the research tool, continued until reaching theoretical saturation. Each interview lasted between 20 and 70 minutes. The seven-step Colaizzi model was used for collecting and analyzing the data, which yielded eight main themes, 19 sub-themes and 84 concepts. The main themes include learners’ inattention, the extent of abilities and psychological problems; proportion of learning environment and teaching materials to the curriculum objectives; characteristics, role and functions of the family in the implementation and assessment of the curriculum; teachers' abilities and competencies; physical education curriculum content; assessment of academic achievement; policy-making and educational management, and finally technology and communication platforms in virtual classrooms. Holding educational courses based on virtual education for teachers, supporting appropriate hardware and software from communication platforms and modifying and updating the COVID-19 curriculum can be mentioned as the main suggestions extracted from this research.