Mr. Global Interest in Physical Education Curriculum: A Google Trends Analysis from 2015 to 2025
A Big Data Approach to Mapping Worldwide Engagement in PE Learning
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/PPS.2025.23.64183Keywords
Global Interest, Physical Education Curriculum, Google TrendsAbstract
Objective: This study examines global interest in physical education (PE) curricula from 2015 to 2025, analyzing how public engagement has evolved in response to health crises, technological advancements, and policy shifts. The research aims to identify key trends and disparities in PE priorities across regions, providing insights for future curricular development and policy reform. Methods: Using Google Trends data, the study analyzes search volumes for "physical education curriculum" and "PE activities," normalized on a 0–100 scale. Temporal, geographical, and related-query analyses were conducted to assess fluctuations, regional interest patterns, and conceptual associations. Data were collected on June 10, 2025, covering a decade of search behavior. Results: The findings reveal distinct trends: (1) a sharp 2020 surge in "PE activities" searches during COVID-19 school closures, contrasting with steady policy-focused interest in curricula; (2) regional divides, with low-income nations prioritizing curricular frameworks and high-income countries focusing on implementation; and (3) conceptual gaps between formal policy language ("health curriculum") and practical terms ("PE games"). Japan emerged as a model for integrating both approaches. Conclusion: The analysis emphasizes the increasing importance of PE in comprehensive schooling, while also highlighting the disparity in resource allocation and focus that still exists. It demands flexible, inclusive paradigms that not only reduce theory-practice gaps but also extend them across regional disparities, utilizing digital engagement to inform evidence-based reforms in accordance with global health purposes.
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