Table 3.

General overview of the literature review.

Authors	Objectives	(Pete) N =	Program Recipients	Instrument	Methodology	Results
An [34]	To explore the influences of SL on the understanding of PETE of disability and their learning of how to teach students with disabilities (SWDs).	10	22 children with disabilities	Semi-structured and face-to-face interviews, reflective journals, visual artefacts, and field notes.	Qualitative: case study	Three themes emerged from the thematic analysis: challenging but fulfilling experiences, uncovering the qualities and roles of teachers, and transforming perceptions of disability and teaching. Participants perceived the program as supporting their learning of disability and the teaching of SWDs because it enabled them to learn in real-life settings.
Bruce [35]	To trial a post-critical approach to SL within a PETE context and to consider the extent to which this approach may invite PETES into a radically different encounter with the Other	32	Community contexts radically different cultural	Journal reflections of investigator, and PETE student journals.	Qualitative: through employingMaxwell and Miller [61] categorizing and connecting the data analysis method, it was coded, compared and then generated themes from investigator and student’s journal entries.	Rather than repressing uncertainty and trauma, this SL project was in essence an invitation to experience trauma, violence and difficult situations, in order that PETE students as future teachers may consider something of what it means to be in a position of openness, and ethical responsibility towards the Other.
Capella et al. [36]	(1) To reveal participating students’ personal traits. (2) To assess whether SL can be used to develop social skills and moral values. (3) To assess the suitability of life stories as a tool in SL educational research.	4	Children with functional diversity	Open-ended interviews with structured questions.	Qualitative: biographical methods within biographical records [62].	Social skills and values were acquired. The suitability of life stories as a research tool in this field was verified.
Capella et al. [26]	(1) To verify whether SL promotes students’ critical thinking skills. (2) To ascertain whether SL is useful for developing practical skills and PE content.	4	Children with functional diversity	Open-ended interviews with chronological narration of experiences.	Qualitative: life stories.	SL improved future training, awareness of the value of practical training, and learning about PETE practice (conflict management, adaptability, feedback, and evaluation).
Capella et al. [37]	To examine the effects of a SL project on Social Entrepreneurship Competency (SEC) in PETE students.	32	Coaching Corps	Quantitative: Social Entrepreneurship Competency Scale [63] Qualitative: semi-structured and face-to-face interviews, reflective journals, visual artefacts, and field notes.	Mixed methods study that uses methodological triangulation.	SL promoted SEC in the PE field, representing an educational experience of great value on a personal, social and innovative level. The connection between the different personal, social and innovative aspects that make up the SEC is highlighted, pointing out that they were developed jointly and reciprocally. In addition, it is appreciated that the SL program caused a very similar impact on the members of the experimental group, thus pointing to the homogeneity of its effect.
Capella et al. [38]	To compare the development of teaching competency in pre-service teachers of PE through two different modalities of intervention from the same SL program.	96	Children with motor-functional diversity (n = 150)	Mixed methods with methodological triangulation: the TC/MSBLG-R instrument [64] and life histories.	Mixed: Quantitative: quasi-experimental design of two non-equivalent experimental groups implementing the TC/MSBLG-R instrument [64]. Qualitative analysis: by elaborating life histories of multiple crossed stories. Two groups of PETEs: there were important differences in their dedication in terms of duration and intensity. Group 1: 30 sessions, Group 2: just 9 sessions.	Quantitative results provide significant evidence regarding the academic effect of SL on pre-service teachers while qualitative interpretation complements this view, reflecting how this learning was developed.
Capella et al. [39]	To compare the development of teaching competence through two modalities of intervention from the same SL program.	96	Children with motor-functional diversity (n = 150)	Mixed methods with methodological triangulation: rubric that measures teaching competence when applying motor and expressive games (CDJME) [26] and life histories.	Mixed: pretest-postest and postest-postest. Tests: Cronbach’s alpha, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Mann-Whitney U-test, Wilcoxon’s signed-rank test, and Spearman’s rho. A qualitative analysis was performed on 12 of the interviews using several life histories of multiple crossed stories. Two types of sampling methods were used to select these interviews: quota sampling (four) and chain-referral sampling (eight).	The quantitative results provide significant evidences regarding the promotion of teaching competence among students (p < 0.01), the qualitative interpretation complements this view explaining how this competence was developed. In addition, the data transformation highlights a remarkable presence of each aspect analyzed in the discourse of the interviewees. Finally, we conclude that the implementation of the SL program enhanced teaching competence of university students, at the same time as additional academic learnings were promoted.
Chiva-Bartoll et al. [40]	To analyze the effects of SL on the development of ‘Effective Personality’ in the training of PE students.	108	Children with functional diversity	Effective Personality Test for University Students [65]. Semi-structured interviews. Follow-up journals.	Mixed: interviews and follow-up journals with a multi-phase approach, open coding, and axial coding. Post-test using the Effective Personality Test for University Students [65].	The Effective Personality Test for University Students showed significant differences in favour of the experimental group.
Chiva-Bartoll et al. [29]	To improve an SL program to promote the acquisition of three categories of social skills and attitudes: group awareness, engagement and group organization skills, and communication skills.	149	Children with physical disabilities	Questionnaire [66].	Mixed: Qualitative: interviews and follow-up journals. Quantitative: quasi-experimental design with three non-equivalent groups. Questionnaire [66].	The quantitative study showed that, unlike the control group, both experimental groups improved their social skills and attitudes after the SL program.
Chiva-Bartoll et al. [41]	To analyze: the impact of the program SL had in PETE from an inclusive perspective (technical dimension); learnings about diversity of the children (cultural dimension); interpretation of the social distribution of power (political dimension); their scales of values, personal attitudes, and/or personal life plans (post-structural dimension).	169	116 children with special educational needs	Reflective journals	Qualitative: reflective journals were used as an instrument to gather information from their experiences.	SL had a positive impact on PETEs’ training, helping them to have an inclusive and critical educational experience that allowed them to link theory and practice in a truly operative way. They support the adequacy of proposing critical perspectives both in the research and in the application of SL programs.
Chiva-Bartoll et al. [42]	To analyze the effects of a SL program on the subjective happiness (SH), prosocial behaviour (PB), and professional learning (PL) perceptions of PETE students.	104	Disadvantaged population	Subjective Happiness Scale, the Prosocial and Civic Competence questionnaire, and the Impact of SL during Initial Training of PA and Sports questionnaire (IMAPS-AFD-FI is a validated tool to analyze SL experiences in the context of PE [67].	Quantitative: quasi-experimental design of two non-equivalent groups (experimental and control) with pre-test and post-test measures to compare how the participation in a SL program based on PA promotion affected the SH, PB, and PL of PETE students. In addition, to deepen on the analysis, the correlations among these variables were also analyzed.	SL only had a significant influence on SH when the students compared themselves with their peers. The effect of SL on promoting PB and PL perceived was significant in several of their dimensions and there are a correlation of the perceived PL with the PB than with the SH.
Douglas et al. [43]	To explore the meaning that disability-related simulations had on preservice teachers’ perceptions of individuals with disabilities and to what extent these experiences changed their beliefs and values about teaching students with disabilities in PE.	10	People with disability and diversity	Reflective participant narratives and a semi-structured focus-group interview	Qualitative: data from reflective participant narratives and a semi-structured focus-group interview were collected, transcribed and thematically analyzed to reveal five themes: perceived treatment, mobility challenges, meta-perceptions, changes in perceptions of impairment, and future impact on teaching students with disabilities.	The findings present profiles of preservice teachers’ perceptions of disability and learning outcomes, and highlight the potential impact disability- related simulations can have for preservice teachers to gain empathy for impairment, and the resulting development of more thoughtful approaches to teaching students with disabilities in PE.
Du Toit [44]	To investigate the benefits and challenges experienced by pre-service and in-service teachers in a SL (PETE), in a South African school setting of unqualified PE teachers and a lack of PE equipment.	140	Pre-school and primary school in a low- to middle socio-economic area	Reflections, interviews and questionnaires	Mixed: qualitative data were analyzed using an interpretive approach, while quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.	The results show that pre-service and in-service teachers perceived the program as beneficial to all role players. Unique contributions of this study lie in the experiences of the teachers that the barriers of teacher incompetence and a lack of PE equipment were overcome due to the SL program.
Franco-Solà and Figueras [45]	To assess teaching skills using the Framework for 21st Century Learning. To collect evidence of the effectiveness of SL in the acquisition of competences linked to specific learning and innovation skills, as well as personal and professional development skills.	unknown	Hospital Guttmann: children with low mobility and functional diversity	Rubrics, reflective journals and videos	Qualitative: rubrics with Likert scales, journals and videos.	Applying learning content in real situations makes SL and PE a pedagogically consistent and reciprocally useful dyad. University teaching experiments demonstrate the potential of SL methodology, which activates student learning in all its dimensions: cognitive, emotional, and social. Acquiring knowledge through real-life practice transforms knowledge into competence.
Galvan et al. [46]	To answer: (a) what benefits, if any, did the children and adolescents gain from participating in the SL program? and (b) Did the integration of teaching models in a SL course enhance the knowledge base for teaching among preservice educators?	16	Elementary and middle school participants n = 50	FITNESSGRAM one-mile run test and journal reflections, and focus group interviews.	Mixed-methods: Quantitative: (participants’) data consisted of a pretest–posttest design to determine the effect of a fitness training program on cardiorespiratory endurance. FITNESSGRAM one-mile run test to measure cardiorespiratory endurance. Qualitative: (PETE students) qualitative data preservice teacher’s journal reflections, two focus group interviews.	Findings revealed a significant improvement in cardiorespiratory endurance among students, while qualitative data provide evidence of increases in general pedagogical content, knowledge of curriculum, and knowledge of educational contexts among teachers.
Gil-Gómez et al. [27]	To analyze the contribution of SL: (1) To technical content and methodological strategies. (2) To technical knowledge that SL offers pre-service teachers with respect to teaching children with special educational needs. (3) How SL contributes to their cultural understanding of diversity. (4) How SL produces changes in pre-service teachers’ identities.	346	Children with special educational needs or limited motor development	Individual diaries, focus groups.	Qualitative: Butin’s model structure [68]. Data coding software and groups of experts were used.	SL allowed pre-service teachers to acquire skills that improved teaching competency, especially when working with children with SEN. SL increased cultural understanding of disability, had an impact on the identity of pre-service teachers, and led to changes in their conception of socio-cultural reality, especially in understanding disability.
Giles et al. [47]	To analyze the emotions experienced by undergraduate students enrolled in the SL program.	42	Schools in contexts of social exclusion	Reflective journals from the identification of the critical incidents experienced throughout it [69,70].	Qualitative: analysis model in a categorical approach to the emotions narrated by the participants.	Positive views and emotions prevailed among students. The joy of feeling valued and loved by children, as well as welcomed and respected by teachers, was particularly emphasized. Negative emotions became positive, which helped students to build their professional identity through reflection and self-criticism. However, the fear of failure and of being unable to rise to the occasion remains latent and can sometimes cause anxiety.
Heo et al. [48]	To explore the learning outcomes of undergraduate students who facilitated a sporting event for older adults.	142	Individuals aged 50 and older	Reflective essays.	Qualitative: reflective essays and content analysis including comparisons, contrasts, and categorizations [71].	The students developed relationships with older adults, were less likely to negatively stereotype them, and realized the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle. Self-esteem and a sense of social responsibility may have also been increased.
Lamoneda [49]	(1) To assess whether SL contributed positively to PETE students’ academic learning and general skills. (2) To explore whether sports recreation programs during break times offered good quality services.	50	Primary and secondary education students	Questionnaire about quality in PA programs (ICPAF) [72]. General skills: ad hoc questionnaire.	Mixed: qualitative analysis and a post-intervention assessment (self-assessment, teacher training report, and an analysis of the activity’s contributions to competence development). Quantitative analysis: the ICPAF questionnaire [72] and an ad hoc questionnaire for measuring students’ general skills.	SL was considered to be suitable for this purpose because of its contributions to instructor training and general skills. Limitations in service quality were identified.
Lleixà and Ríos [50]	(1) To determine the impact of SL on inmates; (2) to evaluate student learning.	10	Inmates (N = 8)	Individual diaries, focus groups sessions, semi-structured interviews.	Qualitative: focus groups (11 participants and 8 inmates) and field diaries. Two focus groups; one semi-structured interview with a representative of the prison officers; and students’ field diaries.	The impact of PA on inmates’ socialization was demonstrated by improvements to communication and personal skills. The students gained knowledge, relating especially to the contextualization of learning.
MacPhail and Sohun [10]	To interrogate a course-embedded SL project in PETE	68	Sport partnership organization (Target groups included young people, older adults, minority sports groups, disability groups, disadvantaged communities, sports clubs, walking groups, teenage girls, schools and the unemployed)	Interviews, focus groups, short narrative responses and course-specific survey.	Qualitative: due to the qualitative nature of the data, interviews, focus groups, narrative responses and open-ended questions from the course-specific survey were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Approaching the study inductively, the authors considered the data in detail using an ‘open’ coding system to develop the initial categories [73].	The coding of the data provided rich evidence on the extent to which the relationship among three main elements of SL that is, academic coursework, community service and reflective practice [74], resulted in a meaningful, relevant and worthwhile SL experience for the PETE. Meaningful interaction among the three is necessary for the effective fulfilment of each and this is strongly conveyed in the results that follow under the headings of: (a) relevance (or not) of the course outcomes to the different stakeholders; (b) SL activity in the community; and (c) delivery of the course.
Martínez et al. [51]	(1) To analyze the technical knowledge of ADHD offered by SL. (2) To assess the contributions made by SL to cultural understanding of diversity. (3) To analyze the influence of SL on students’ social participation. (4) To assess changes in students’ identities after the program.	25	Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder	Focus group diaries.	Qualitative: focus group sessions following Butin’s model of categorical content analysis [68]. Written reflections [75] and focus group sessions.	Technical, cultural, and identity-related aspects improved, but there were limitations in terms of social participation. Teaching skills, academic skills, self-efficacy, and problem-solving skills improved. There was a greater understanding of the abilities, interests, and needs of children with ADHD.
Marttinen et al. [11]	To understand the experiences of PETE students a SL program. The research questions that guided this research were: (1) how does an afterschool SL program that utilizes pre-service teachers develop students’ pedagogy? (2) What are the experiences of pre-service teachers teaching in low SES schools through a SL approach?	9	Students at a low SES school.	A total of 11 semi-structured interviews [76] and weekly journal that was completed on Google Docs where each PST was given access to contribute to a running document to give their reflection of the week	Qualitative: case study.	Three themes emerged from the data analysis. Theme 1—developing pedagogies in real-world settings. Theme 2—connecting with students and learning how to manage behavior. Theme 3—teaching in a low SES school: a wake-up call. Pre-service teachers in this study were able to practice their pedagogy in a real-world environment and gain valuable experience in developing classroom and behaviour management skills. This program provides a model for a SL approach where pre-service students can practice and refine their teaching skills through extended involvement in an after-school program that served students in a low SES community.
Santos et al. [52]	To know and analyze the limitations that SL presents in PETES training in the university context	PETES 30 TEACHERS 2	University students with intellectual disabilities (n = 61)	Teacher journal, group interviews and journals PETE students.	Qualitative: Teachers. Teacher’s journal: this is an open-ended instrument for collecting information on the SL experience (initial stage, diagnosis, intervention, and evaluation) and assessing the strengths and weaknesses detected, as well as providing recommendations for improvement. Students. Group interviews in which all members of the working group participated. These were conducted at the end of the project to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the project and the learning process. A portfolio (individual and group journal) compiling the different tasks students carried out, as well as an individual and group journal with students’ experiences analyzing the difficulties encountered and their potential solutions.	Three important points are highlighted: (1) the lack of training and experience of university students in the design, implementation, and evaluation of sports and physical activity projects; (2) the high workload for both teachers and students; and (3) the difficulty of coordinating programs, teachers and students, and students themselves.
Peralta et al. [53]	(1) To explore students’ expectations prior to an SL program with the Aboriginal community. (2) To assess pre-service teachers’ cultural knowledge, skills, and teaching abilities.	55	Native community	Individual interviews, group interviews, literature reviews, journals, the Multicultural Teaching Competency Scale [77].	Mixed: quantitative data. The Multicultural Teaching Competency Scale [77]. Qualitative data from formal interviews, individual and group reflections, and focus group interviews.	Students’ perceptions of their own cultural competence, knowledge, skills, and attitudes improved.
Ruiz et al. [54]	To analyze the effects of an intergenerational SL program from the complementary perspective of the different agents involved (students and older adults).	23	20 older adults	Reflective journals were used for PETE students and semi-structured group interviews for older adults.	Qualitative: PETE: journals followed a semi-structured scheme, in which there were open questions to expose general perceptions and closed ones concerning more specific learnings. Older adults: three semi-structured group interviews whit open questions	The following categories emerged from PETE students: social sensitivity and disconfirmation of negative stereotypes, academic and professional learnings, satisfaction and personal growth, and desire for social justice. From older adults, four complementary categories emerged: disconfirmation of negative stereotypes, improvement of physical function, satisfaction and desire of continuity, and social interaction.
Ward et al. [55]	To explore PETE students experiences of cognitive disequilibrium theory during a SL project.	8	Children from the Pacific islands with a low-middle socioeconomic status	Formal interviews, videos of planning, videos of teaching, videos of reflection sessions.	Qualitative: formal interviews supported by secondary data sources including videos of planning, videos of teaching, videos of reflection sessions, and informal interviews.	The SL programs had potential for training PE teachers, guiding them in their professional work, and providing opportunities for them to teach in diverse, authentic situations.
Webster et al. [56]	(1) To examine PETE students SL experiences of planning and implementing comprehensive PA course assignments at a school. (2) To promote PA before, during, and after school for youth, staff, and parents.	18	Youth, staff, and parents from a school	Interviews, observation sheets, contributions from teachers.	Qualitative: focus group interviews, written reflections, field notes, and artifacts. Constant comparison techniques and triangulation. Inductive analysis, grouping of concepts obtained from the data, and open and axial coding methods.	This study provided insight into the feasibility of the SL program with PE students and revealed promising aspects and potential problems regarding its implementation.
Wilkinson [57]	To explore the experiences of PETE students in a SL project for children with ADHD.	6	Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder	Videotaped individual semi-structured interviews. Participants’ unit plans, lesson plans, and written reflections.	Qualitative: phenomenological reduction, data coding, and subject identification [78].	The SL project motivated students to devote their careers to teaching. Students learned how to merge teaching theory and methods in practice. Working in a multidisciplinary manner and helping the community had an impact on students.
Willard and Crandall [58]	(1) To examine the effects of SL on PE students. (2) To assess whether contact with older adults would result in more positive attitudes towards this population.	27	Older people	Demographic questionnaire, Palmore’s Facts on Aging Quiz (PAQ) [79], Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA).	Quantitative: t-tests and Pearson chi-squared tests. Comparisons between the experimental group and the control groups were made using analysis of variance.	No significant differences between the experimental group and the control groups were found. It was concluded that it would be more enriching to conduct mixed methods research in which qualitative data were also recorded.
Woodruff and Sinelnikov [59]	To examine what the students learning to teach young adults with disabilities consider meaningful when teaching and how perceptions regarding disabilities evolve during a field experience that incorporates SL and critical reflection	50	young adults with disabilities (n = 24)	formal interviews (100), informal interviews, critical incident reports (312), formalized reflections (50), and direct observation (64).	Qualitative: To analyze the qualitative data, we took a grounded theory approach [73] and conducted content analysis of formal and informal interviews, critical incidents, formalized reflections, and field notes from observations.	3 distinct stages of development emerged illustrating students’ progression during SL: anticipation, familiarization, and commitment. The duration of each phase seemed to be unique to each student. Establishing and developing relationships were perceived as the most meaningful experience while communication and effective teaching strategies were most challenging. Critical reflection ensures that students advance from anticipation and familiarization to commitment, which constitutes change, not only in attitude and understanding, but in behaviour.