Compared to traditional professional development programmes, such as face-to-face workshops and seminars, teachers and pre-service teachers may prefer informal professional learning activities. These informal activities are not bound by structured and formal environments and are not limited by time, space, and travel costs (Yang & Liu, 2004). Historically, teachers’ access to those activities has been limited, but social media provide new opportunities for teachers to engage in shared learning, reflect about teaching practice and receive emotional support (Macià & García, 2016).

Using social media to support teachers’ informal learning has garnered increasing research support. This research, however, has predominantly explored Western platforms like Twitter and Facebook and reported Western perspectives. Conversely, China’s distinct social media environment, featuring platforms such as WeChat, Douyin, and Bilibili, remain underexplored, as do Eastern perspectives. Existing Chinese social media research has predominantly focused on WeChat, through online professional learning communities or communities of practice (Qi & Wang, 2018; Xue, Hu, Chi, & Zhang, 2021; Zhou, Nakatsubo, Wu, & Liu, 2022). This leaves a research gap related to the exploration of personal learning environments (PLEs) within the Chinese context and the use of alternative social media platforms.

Lim and Newby (2021, p. 3701) defined PLEs as “the artifacts created by individual learners through the use and integration of Web 2.0 tools for their personal learning experience.” Attwell (2007) suggested that PLEs can be perceived as individuals organizing their informal learning in multiple contexts across a variety of platforms or applications to support their formal learning. Each PLE is unique because its structure can be changed according to user’s needs and preferences (Lim & Newby, 2021). More importantly, the integration of social media based PLEs is a promising pedagogical approach for fostering lifelong learners, reshaping the educational landscape by bridging the gap between formal, non-formal, and informal learning (Dabbagh & Castaneda, 2020).

Furthermore, beginning and more experienced teachers often have different perspectives, attitudes, and experiences when it comes to the process of learning and teaching (Kyndt, Gijbels, & Donche, 2016). When using social media for professional learning, the complexity of the teacher’s work and the many different contexts and classes should all be considered (Carpenter & Harvey, 2020). In the field of Physical Education (PE), where working contexts and teaching practices differ significantly from other disciplines, there has been relatively little written about how PE pre-service teachers use their PLEs for professional learning, especially during their teaching practicum. Longitudinal studies are needed to track the professional learning of pre-service teachers as they transition from their final year of studies into early career teaching (Kyndt et al., 2016). Teaching practicum plays an important role in this transition process, as a part of teacher education training programmes.

Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the social media platforms employed by Chinese PE pre-service teachers for informal professional learning from a PLE perspective, particularly during their teaching practicum. The study aimed to (i) explore the platforms and features used for professional learning; (ii) examine participants' perceptions of using these platforms and (iii) provide recommendations for Chinese institutions and educators who seek to facilitate the development of PLEs which meet the needs and preferences of PE pre-service teachers. Recognizing the unique advantages and disadvantages of different social media platforms is crucial for enhancing pre-service teachers’ professional learning (Carpenter, Morrison, Rosenberg, & Hawthorne, 2023). The findings of this study will provide a deeper understanding of the Chinese PE pre-service teachers’ PLEs and create more learning opportunities aligning with their needs and preferences. Consequently, this study holds the potential to make significant contributions to the broader landscape of PE teacher education in China.

This paper reports data from a larger study that explored the professional learning of Chinese sports training students through social media. There were 26 third-year undergraduates (all males), and one university teacher participated in this study. Given the widespread use of WeChat for communication and resource delivery between students and teachers in China, the university teacher established a WeChat group with the participating students during the initial class session. Within the sports training programme, students had to choose one of three career directions: Elite Sports Coach, Sports Club Coach or Physical Education Teacher. Most students choose Physical Education Teacher direction as teaching is seen as an “iron rice bowl” in China (an expression for job security used by Chinese people). Therefore, these students considered themselves as PE student-teachers/pre-service teachers. During the fourth academic year (semester 7), these students engaged in a ten-week teaching practicum in schools. Qualitative methods were used in this study as it could generate a rich and detailed understanding of each participant’s views (Gratton & Jones, 2010). A variety of data collection techniques were used, including non-participate online observation, focus group and individual interviews. Data were collected over 18 months in three phases. Firstly, the first author joined the WeChat group on 29th June 2020 and spent 18-month as a non-participant observer. During this time, she observed the students' online learning activities and interactions. These observations allowed her to study the students in their native environment and seek to understand “things” from their perspective (Baker, 2006). In the second phase, twenty-three students engaged in one of five online focus groups via Tencent Meeting. Each online focus group contained 4-5 students. Following this, seventeen participants from focus groups took semi-structured individual interviews in the third phase. It is worth noting that focus group interviews were undertaken before the student had work placement/teaching practicum (15th July 2021-20th July 2021), while individual interviews were conducted during/after their work placement/teaching practicum (25th October 2021- 6th January 2022). Much of the data from the focus groups related to how students used the WeChat group, and the individual interviews provided an opportunity to explore the PLEs of different students. Data for this paper came from ten individual interviewees who took PE teaching practicum in schools. The data were analysed thematically. Braun and Clarke (2006) six phases of thematic analysis were utilised to identify and explore patterns.

The findings of this study provided valuable insights into PLEs of Chinese PE pre-service teachers, focusing on the role of WeChat public accounts, Douyin, and Bilibili. Among the participants, WeChat public accounts emerged as the predominant platform for professional learning. Nine out of ten participants used it for professional learning because it is convenient and reliable. However, some participants became less critical on WeChat public accounts due to the perceived legitimacy of information, leading to vulnerability to misinformation. Video contents were highlighted by most participants as the preferred format in this study. Despite concerns about content quality and the potential for overuse, Douyin was recognized by over half of the participants (n=7) as a valuable source of inspiration for teaching practices. The other video platform, Bilibili was highly valued by these participants for meeting their needs and enhancing their capabilities as potential PE teachers, despite its relatively lower user base (n=5). The content available on Bilibili was considered more trustworthy than content on Douyin. This study demonstrated that there was no one-size-fits-all social media platform for fulfilling the diverse professional learning needs of Chinese PE pre-service teachers. Participants adopted a multi-platform approach. WeChat public accounts, Douyin, and Bilibili naturally become integral components of their PLEs, concurrently used to support their professional learning. However, the research highlighted that the students were not equipped to construct effective PLEs tailored to their needs and preferences. This study suggests that Chinese institutions and educators provide support for pre-service teachers in the development of PLEs and improve their essential skills, including searching and evaluating online resources, self-regulated learning skills, and effective resource management skills. Teacher education programmes can consider PLEs methods to address the needs of PE pre-service teachers for continuing professional development, contributing to more effective teacher education strategies in China.

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