LaPed is an operative research unit of the Department of Education, Social Sciences, and Humanities (DECSH), which contributes directly to the consolidation of the scientific area of ​​ Pedagogy and Intervention Methodologies in Motor Activities.

LaPed relies on paradigmatic bases and on methodological guidelines internationally recognized, originated in the FMH in the Master in Education Sciences - Methodology of Physical Education, currently integrating the research and education/training produced in the framework of the Master in Education Sciences, the different areas of specialization, the Master in Physical Education Teaching (PET), and in the areas of specialization of the Doctoral program in Education Sciences - Teacher Training, Didactics of Physical Education and Sport, and Curriculum Theory and Evaluation.

LaPed’s research perspective translates the extension of paradigmatic and methodological references, started in the 80’s of the XXth century, in the Education Branch, favoring a comprehensive and integrated view of the object of Education Sciences or Pedagogy, namely: the study of education situations in the multiplicity of contexts in which they occur.

• General Coordination: Marcos Onofre
• Administrative Commission: Marcos Onofre (coordinator), Carlos Januário, and João Costa.
• Pedagogical Commission: Ana Naia (coordinator), Ana Quitério, and Filomena Araújo.
• Scientific Commission António Rodrigues (coordeinator), Maria Martins, and João Martins.

In LaPED, research is articulated with the three specialization areas of the doctoral program (Didactics of PE and Sports; Training of Trainers; Curriculum Theory and Evaluation), currently integrating 4 research lines with specific concerns.

1. The study of Teacher Education and Physical Education Teaching.

Coordination: Marcos Onofre

1. Teacher Education: Success in PETE – Physical Education Teacher Education:
   • Supervision in the pedagogical internship in the initial education/training of PE teachers.
   • Success in PE teachers’ continuing professional development. Knowledge, self-efficacy, and teaching quality.
   • Practicum in Initial PE and Sport Teacher Education: qualification determinants.
   • Professional development through practice communities.
2. Physical Education Teaching:
   • Ecological study of classroom management.
   • The impact of teaching in the students’ learning opportunities and their perceptions.
   • School, Physical Education, and the promotion of active and healthy lifestyles.
2. The study of Curriculum and evaluation.

Coordination: Carlos Januário

1. Supervision in the pedagogical internship in the initial education/training of PE teachers.
2. Success in PE teachers’ continuing professional development. Knowledge, self-efficacy, and teaching quality.
3. Practicum in Initial PE and Sport Teacher Education: qualification determinants.
4. Professional development through practice communities.


3. The study of educational contexts.

Coordination: António Rodrigues

1. Students and youngsters’ school culture
2. School organizational culture


4. The study of entrepreneurship in the Sports and Physical education professionals.

Coordination: Ana Naia

1. Entrepreneurship in the curricula of the Sports Science Degrees (Physical Education, Sports Coaching, and Exercise and Health)

Full Researchers

• Ana Naia
• Ana Quitério
• António Rodrigues
• Carlos Januário
• Filomena Araújo
• Marcos Onofre (Coordinator)
• Maria Martins
• João Martins
• João Costa

• António Pedro Duarte (Portugal, FCT Ph.D. student)
• Cláudio Guerreiro (Portugal)
• Lara Pinto (Portugal, FCT Ph.D. student)
• Cibelle Martins (Brazil)
• Geraldo Wellington (Brazil, FCT Ph.D. student)
• Isabel Gerardo (Portugal)

Projects in the study area of PETE and PET

1. Perception of the constraints experienced by physical education teachers regarding overweight and obese students: An international survey Entities: LaPED, Université de Liége, Unversity of Birmingham and others (Brazil, Slovakia, South Africa, Romania, Spain, India, Luxembourg) LaPED team: Marcos Onofre (coord.), João Costa, Ana Quitério, and Maria Martins
2. Educación y Deporte La formación inicial en Educación Física y la promoción de un estilo de vida activa y saludable en contexto escolar Entities: LaPED and REAFES (Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Universidade Norte do Paraná; Universidad de Playa Ancha de Ciencias de la Educación; Universidad del Tolima; Universidad A Coruña, Universidad de Murcia, Universidad Pablo de Olavide de Sevilla; Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Universidad de Guadalajara, Universidad de Sonora, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango; Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades). LaPED team: Marcos Onofre (coord.), João Martins, João Costa, Maria Martins. and Ana Quitério
3. Professional Development of Teacher Educators through Communities of Practice Entities: LaPED & UIDEF/Institute of Education LaPED team: Marcos Onofre (coord.), João Costa, Maria Martins, António Rodrigues, Carlos Januário, João Martins, Ana Quitério, Ana Naia, and Lara Pinto
4. Effective CPD in PETE, teachers' teaching self-efficacy, teachers’ knowledge and their teaching quality Entities: LaPED LaPED team: Marcos Onofre (coord.), and António Pedro Duarte
5. Training experiences, Physical Education PST teaching self-efficacy and their teaching quality along the practicum Entities: LaPED & FCT LaPED team: Marcos Onofre (coord.), and Lara Pinto
6. Basic Motor Competencies in Physical Education Entities: LaPED, University of Potsdam, Germany; University of Basel, Switzerland, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland; University of Luxembourg LaPED team: Marcos Onofre (coord.), and Lara Pinto
7. PE-CPD provision: an international comparison Entities: University of Birmingham, Université de Liege, University College Cork, Universidade Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Technical University of Opole. LaPED team: Marcos Onofre (coord.), Maria Martins, and João Costa
8. Study of the relationship between the Initial PETE and the promotion of a healthy and active lifestyle in school context Entities: LaPED LaPED team: João Martins, and Ana Quitério

Projects in the area of Study of the Curriculum and Evaluation

• The teacher’s thoughts
• Planning decisions
• Curricular differentiation
• Evaluation practices in teaching-learning
• LaPED team: Carlos Januário, Filomena Araújo, and Ana Quitério

Projects in the area of Study of Educational

• Students and youngsters’ culture
• School organizational culture
• LaPED team: António Rodrigues, and João Costa

Projects in the area of Study of entrepreneurship in the sports professionals

• Analysis of entrepreneurial routes
• Entrepreneurial intentions
• Entrepreneurial skills
• LaPED team: Ana Naia

Completed and on release:

1. Classroom Ecology Management and Students Social Agenda: characteristics of the PE teachers’ collective work on the PE curricular development Entities: LaPED & FCT Equipa LaPED: Marcos Onofre (coord.) e João Costa
2. Classroom Ecology Management and Students Social Agenda: teaching self-efficacy, teachers’ knowledge and their teaching quality Entidades: LaPED & FCT Equipa LaPED: Marcos Onofre (coord.) e Maria Martins
3. Physical Education and Lifestyles: Why are adolescentes physically (in)active? Entities: LaPED & FCT LaPED team: Francisco Carreiro da Costa, and João Martins

Community outreach projects

LaPED’s community outreach projects view the promotion and leveraging of the conditions that bring quality to the PE teaching and learning experiences of Physical Education. These projects are developed in partnership or on LaPED’s own initiative.

Coordination of the European Physical Education Observatory (EPEO), in collaboration with EUPEA (European Physical Education Association), and SPEF (Sociedade Portuguesa de Educação Física)

Support to the internships network schools, within research activities, training, and external evaluation.

Regulation