Author(s): LYU, K., Institution: WUHAN SPORTS UNIVERSITY, Country: CHINA, Abstract-ID: 272

Background/Purpose​​
Against the backdrop of rural revitalization and the national strategy to strengthen education, special-post physical education (PE) teachers—as key yet under-resourced educators in rural areas—lack a systematic quality assessment framework, hindering the goals of “recruitment, retention, and effective teaching.” This study addresses this gap by constructing a core literacy assessment model grounded in the dual values of strengthening bodies through sports and cultivating characters through sports, aiming to provide a scientific tool for developing high-quality, professional teachers and shifting from “quantity supplementation” to “quality improvement.”
​​
Method
​​The study targeted special-post PE teachers from Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan provinces, including trainees from the “National Sports Administration Training Program for Teachers in Supported Counties.” A mixed-methods approach was adopted: qualitative data from semi-structured interviews (17 transcripts, 84,000 words) were coded to identify core elements, leading to a two-dimensional, seven-factor model (key abilities and essential virtues). Quantitative validation involved exploratory (KMO = 0.872) and confirmatory factor analyses (χ²/df = 1.243) based on 450 valid questionnaires, with indicator weights determined via principal component analysis. The finalized model was applied to assess current literacy levels and characteristics.

Results​
The model assigned weights of 0.65 to body-strengthening key abilities (e.g., communication, pedagogical cognition, reflective innovation, teaching practice) and 0.35 to character-cultivating essential virtues (e.g., professional ethics, educational passion, teaching beliefs). Empirical assessment (n = 511) revealed an overall moderate-to-high literacy level (mean = 3.65), but with structural imbalances: strong performance in teaching beliefs (3.68) and practical skills (3.63), yet weaknesses in reflective innovation (3.58) and educational passion (3.61). Significant group disparities emerged: male teachers outperformed females (p < 0.001); urban teachers surpassed rural counterparts (p < 0.001); literacy peaked at 2 years of experience but declined sharply by year 3 (p < 0.001). Training and professional development activities exhibited “diminishing marginal returns,” with excessive participation reducing efficacy.
​​
Conclusions
​​The model successfully localizes core competencies to rural contexts, and exposes formalization issues of support system (e.g., vague training goals, disconnection from practice). To address these, cultivating educational passion through the ethos of educator spirit is critical, and targeted interventions are needed.