Mathematics on the Move: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Teaching Mathematics Using Physical Education

Physical educators can incorporate mathematics and technology into their curriculum. The challenge is how to do this without sacrificing the core learning central to physical education (PE). The aim of this study was to examine the impact of an intentionally designed interdisciplinary six-week program called Maths on the Move (MOTM), specifically designed to integrate mathematics and PE. The study participants included two middle school PE teachers and two mathematics teachers. Within PE lessons, students wore a human activity monitor (HAM) that recorded step counts and acceleration to allow students to gather their personalized data for use in their mathematics lessons on statistics and probability. While the teachers applied our interdisciplinary approach, the challenges and complexities of interdisciplinary methods were observed. We demonstrated how the integration of PE and mathematics can enrich students’ learning experiences, illustrating MOTM as a versatile integrated approach. Despite the results, a gap between pedagogical content knowledge, teacher connectiveness, and practical application was found. In conclusion, this study underlined the value and possibilities of integrating PE and mathematics through a teacher-centered approach, setting the stage for future research to enhance the effectiveness of interdisciplinary education.