This study investigates the impact of a pedagogical intervention that integrates subject didactics and disciplinary content on teacher students perceived knowledge in teaching theoretical aspects of physical education at the upper secondary school level. A convergent mixed-methods design was used to collect quantitative data (pre/post surveys) and qualitative data (interviews and observations) concurrently. According to the results, students in the intervention group reported significant increases in perceived knowledge across several areas, with the largest improvement observed in planning and conducting theoretical lessons in physical education at upper secondary school. Effect sizes for perceived knowledge scores support this finding. The intervention group also reported higher perceived qualifications for teaching at the upper secondary level, practical lessons in physical education, and understanding the link between disciplinary and professional subjects. The control group showed no significant changes in 11 of the 12 recorded measures. Qualitative data contextualized these perceptions, highlighting learning by doing and relating theory to practice as key learning drivers. Findings should be interpreted as changes in perception, not demonstrated competence. This study indicates a need to integrate subject knowledge and teaching practice more effectively, ensuring that theory and pedagogy are connected rather than taught in isolation. By bridging these silos and fostering coherence between subject content and pedagogical practice, teacher education can better prepare future educators for the complex demands of teaching theoretical subjects. Teacher education programs may also employ active learning strategies to enhance perceived relevance and confidence. However, competence claims require corroboration through performance-based evidence.
Sørensen et al. (Wed,) studied this question.