The Meaning of Pedagogical and Research Practice in Physical Education and Sports Degree Programs in the City of Medellín

Objectives. The study aimed to explore the meaning of pedagogical and research practice in physical education teacher training in the city of Medellín, as part of a broader study on the Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) of these professionals regarding research. Materials and Methods. An interpretive approach with a multiple case study design was employed. Semi-structured interviews, validated by experts, were conducted with 18 teachers from the four universities that offer degrees in physical eduation and sports in the city of Medellín. The data was analyzed using Atlas.ti v25 software through open, axial and selective coding. Results. Six key purposes of pedagogical and research practice were identified: training the teacher-researcher, developing critical thinking, combining theory and practice, contextual reading, recognizing professional fields of action, and training in research. Project-based learning was found to be a recurring methodology. Furthermore, a tension was identified between traditional practical training in physical education and the need to develop research skills. Conclusions. Pedagogical and research practice should overcome the dichotomy between theory and practice through active pedagogies, develop skills for contextualized action research, and address various professional fields. The study contributes a framework for redesigning curricula that integrate research as a cross-cutting theme in physical education teacher training.