A plea for mixed methods approaches in research on teaching in physical education

Abstract

Research on teaching in Physical Education (RT-PE) comprises a great deal of complex phenomena. These can be understood at a more profound level by using mixed methods research approaches (MMR). Hence, the aim of this paper is to analyze potentials and limitations of mixed methods research in RT-PE, also trying to generate an additional value for MMR. First, it approaches research streams and methods in RT-PE. Second, the key elements of mixed methods research are analyzed to integrate this approach into RT-PE. Third, several mixed methods studies, organized along different levels of complexity, are presented to illustrate the added value of MMR for different epistemological interests of RT-PE. Finally, dealing with quality issues of mixed methods designs brings about a more general view of the issue at hand.