Integrating Boxing into Physical Education Curricula: A Pedagogical Framework for Holistic Student Development
Abstract
This study examines the pedagogical integration of boxing within physical education (PE) curricula for pre-service teachers, addressing a critical gap in evidence-based frameworks for combat sports in teacher education. Through a quasi-experimental design involving 120 undergraduate PE majors (60 in the experimental group, 60 in the control group), we assessed the impact of a 12-week boxing module on physical fitness, psychological resilience, and teaching competency. Results demonstrated statistically significant improvements in the experimental group across all measured domains (p < 0.01), with large effect sizes (Cohen’s d = 0.85 for muscular endurance, d = 0.72 for stress management, d = 0.68 for lesson planning skills). Qualitative analysis revealed enhanced student engagement, confidence, and transferable pedagogical insights. These findings validate boxing as a transformative component of PE curricula, offering a scalable model for integrating skill-based combat sports to foster holistic development. Implications for curriculum design, teacher training, and future research are discussed.
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References
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