Possibilities and limitations of the adoption of active methodologies in school physical education

Abstract

School Physical Education, as a compulsory curricular component, plays an essential role in student development by integrating physical, cognitive, affective, and social aspects. Given the ongoing changes in education, there is a clear need to rethink teaching practices through active methodologies, which place students at the center of the learning process through action, reflection, and collaboration. This theoretical essay and literature review aims to analyze the impacts and practical possibilities of active learning in Physical Education classes. The study was based on 24 theoretical and scientific sources, including foundational books, peer-reviewed journal articles, a master's thesis, and official educational documents, particularly the Brazilian National Education Guidelines Law (LDB nº 9.394/1996). The analysis indicates that learning becomes truly meaningful when students actively engage in the process, connecting movement culture with their prior knowledge and personal experiences. Strategies such as TBL, PjBL, PBL, Constructivist Spiral, Flipped Classroom, and Maguerez's Arch enrich the teacher's pedagogical toolkit beyond repetitive drills. Ultimately, active methodologies represent valuable teaching alternatives, but they do not serve as an isolated magic solution for all educational challenges, requiring deliberate planning and ongoing teacher development