Transforming Physical Education and Sport Sciences Education in the Age of Smartification: A Narrative–Analytical Review of Technologies, Applications, Opportunities, and Challenges

Abstract

The expansion of smart technologies has transformed teaching and learning paradigms in physical education and sport sciences, paving the way for interactive, data-driven, and personalized instruction. Objective: This study aimed to examine the role of smart technologies in transforming physical education instruction and to identify the associated opportunities and challenges. Methodology: A narrative–analytical review approach was adopted, examining studies published between 2020 and 2026 in the domains of artificial intelligence (AI), wearable technologies, the Internet of Things (IoT), virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), gamification, and large language models (LLMs). Findings / Results: The findings revealed that smart technologies enhance learning quality, motivation, and athletic performance by enabling personalized learning, instant feedback, intelligent assessment, and performance data analytics. Nevertheless, data privacy and security, high implementation costs, the digital divide, algorithmic accuracy, and teacher readiness represent the most prominent challenges. Conclusion & Implications: Smart education achieves optimal effectiveness only when integrated with teacher competence, appropriate technological infrastructure, and ethical considerations. The purposeful implementation of these technologies can foster a dynamic, personalized, and data-driven ecosystem for physical education.