Abstract

• The purpose of the study was to examine the factors affecting student teachers‟ attitudes toward learning physical education. A mixed research method was applied. 184 student teachers from eight Education Degree Colleges participated in the quantitative study. In the qualitative study, twenty-four student teachers and four physical education teachers from three Education Degree Colleges participated. Interview questions were developed based on the results of the quantitative study. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t test, one-way ANOVA, and multiple comparison analyses were used to analyze the data. The quantitative results indicated that student teachers‟ personal factors and teacher-related factors highly affected and school-related factors moderately affected student teachers‟ attitudes toward learning physical education. Volleyball players‟ perceptions of school-related factors were higher than football players (t = -2.30, p < .05). Significant differences were found in student teachers‟ perceptions of school-related factors (p < .001), and teacher-related factors (p < .001) in terms of their education degree colleges. In qualitative results, there were inadequate qualified and experienced physical education teachers, facilities, and sports equipment. The results of the study recommended that sufficient skilled and experienced physical education teachers, facilities, and sports equipment improve student teachers‟ attitudes toward learning physical education.