Digital Competencies of Physical Education Teachers in Blended Learning: Current Status, Training Needs, and Adoption Obstacles in Algeria

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the current digital competencies, training needs, and implementation obstacles among Physical Education teachers in Algeria within blended learning environments, using the European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu) as a theoretical foundation. A descriptive analytical approach was employed with a sample of 120 PE teachers from middle and secondary schools in Algiers, Oran, and Constantine. Data were collected via a 58-item questionnaire, with reliability confirmed using the Spearman-Brown coefficient (0.68). Results revealed critically low levels of current digital competencies (Grand Mean ≈ 1.95), particularly in digital content design (M = 1.48) and electronic assessment (M = 1.09). Conversely, training needs were high to very high (Grand Mean ≈ 3.46), especially in cybersecurity (M = 4.67) and sports applications (M = 4.09). The analysis of obstacles demonstrated that institutional barriers (M = 4.16), including restrictive policies (M = 4.64) and lack of financial support (M = 4.54), and technical barriers, such as infrastructure shortage (M = 4.55), were significantly more severe than personal obstacles (M = 3.36). The study concludes that the low level of digital integration in Algerian PE is a systemic issue, not one of teacher resistance. It recommends national adoption of the DigCompEdu framework, dedicated infrastructure funding, and discipline-specific training programs to enable effective technology integration.