(i) Within the scope of opinions on the course, teachers emphasized that sports and physical activity lessons make a significant contribution to student development, that the weekly hours allocated to

The gap

Consensus across the literature

Supporting evidence — 5 representative gaps

• Music-supported aerobic exercise and sports participation motivation: An application based on self-determination theory in primary school children (2026) · doi

  Future studies should investigate the impact of different age groups and longer-term physical activity programs to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of this relationship. In addition to research implications, the present findings offer several practical recommendations for teachers and school practitioners. Teachers are encouraged to incorporate short, structured physical activity breaks into the school day. Even brief interventions appear to produce modest but positive effects on achievement-oriented motivation. Such activities may include aerobic exercises, movement-based games, or motor skill– focused tasks integrated into classroom routines. Given the significant improvement observed in the Achievement sub- dimension, teachers should prioritize activities that emphasize goal setting, personal progress, and skill mastery rather than 6 Kargı et al. Journal of ROL Sport Sciences 8 (2026) 2207 focusing exclusively on competition. Providing constructive feedback and acknowledging individual improvement may strengthen students’ intrinsic motivation and reinforce achievement-oriented behaviors. Since gender differences were observed in the competition sub-dimension, teachers should remain attentive to varying motivational orientations among boys and girls. Implementing a balanced structure that includes both cooperative and competitive formats may help address diverse motivational preferences and promote inclusive participation. Differences across grade levels further highlight the importance of developmentally appropriate programming. Older students may respond more positively to achievement-focused and performance-oriented tasks, whereas younger students may benefit more from play- based, exploratory movement experiences that foster enjoyment and engagement. Finally, given that short-term interventions demonstrated limited effects in certain motivational domains, teachers and school administrators are encouraged to implement sustained and systematically structured physical activity programs. Long-term integration of physical activity within the school curriculum may be necessary to produce broader and more stable improvements in motivation and social development.

  Keywords: teachers physical activity school achievement term oriented motivation students motivational programs encouraged short structured interventions
• Opinions of Physical Education and Sports Teachers Working in Special Education Schools About Their Lessons (2026) · doi

  (i) Within the scope of opinions on the course, teachers emphasized that sports and physical activity lessons make a significant contribution to student development, that the weekly hours allocated to these lessons are insufficient, that they face challenges in implementing the curriculum, and that they employ various teaching methods and techniques to keep students active during the lessons.

  Keywords: lessons within scope opinions course teachers emphasized sports physical activity make significant contribution student development
• “The ‘double sinawali’ of learning and striking the stick with purpose”: Exploring the relationship between individual interest and study engagement in the indigenous martial art of Arnis (2026) · doi

  Organizational Psychology, 94(2), 427–457. https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12338 Sun, H., & Chen, A. (2010). An examination of sixth graders’self-determined motivation and learning in physical education. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 29(3), 262– 277. https://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.29.3.262 for Tagare, R. L., Jr., Orfrecio, M. E., Sumera, E. S., Mancera, M. A., Calixtro, M. A., Janito, C. R., Lopez, H. G. D., & Dagoc, P. P. (2025). Suggestions for a better tertiary physical education experience: Insights from students at a rural state university. International

  Keywords: physical education https organizational psychology joop chen examination sixth graders self determined motivation learning journal
• LEARNING FROM CHILDREN, LISTENING TO CHILDREN: TEACHERS’ VOICES IN MEANINGFUL PHYSICAL EDUCATION (2026) · doi

  In line with the findings of this study, various suggestions can be developed to increase meaningful experiences in physical education classes. First of all, it is recommended to include more game-based activities and creative practices in the course content in order to increase students' motivation and participation. In addition, systematic implementation of parkour, station and skill exercises to develop students' basic movement skills can strengthen their motor competence perceptions and increase their commitment to the course. Teachers' planning their lessons by taking into account students' individual differences and linking learning processes with students' life contexts will also contribute to the development of a sense of personal meaningfulness. In addition, expanding group work and peer-assisted activities that encourage social interaction and collaboration can foster long-term engagement by strengthening students' sense of belonging. Teachers' adopting a reflective approach in planning, implementation and evaluation processes; sharing lesson objectives with students and critically evaluating their own practices will improve the quality of meaningful physical education pedagogy. However, as revealed in the research, the inadequacy of the physical environment, lack of equipment, crowded classrooms and time constraints make it difficult for teachers to implement. Therefore, it is important that school administrators and policy makers provide stronger support to teachers in terms of infrastructure, materials, in-service training and guidance. Finally, in future research, it is suggested that the "delight" dimension of meaningful physical education, which is less frequently mentioned by students, should be examined in depth; and that MPE practices in different age groups, genders and school types should be evaluated comparatively. Thus, it will be possible to address the meaningful physical education approach from a broader perspective in both theoretical and practical dimension 169 Spormetre The Journal of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, 24(1), 2026, 152-171 REFERENCES Bailey, R. (2006). Physical education and sport in schools: A review of benefits and outcomes. Review of Educational Research, 76(3), 397–433. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2006.00132.x Beni, S., Chróinín, D. N., Fletcher, T. (2021). ‘It’s how PE should be!’: Classroom teachers’ experiences of implementing Meaningful Physical Education. European Physical Education Review, 27(3), 666-683. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X20984188 Beni, S., Fletcher, T., & Ní Chróinín, D. (2017). Meaningful experiences in physical education and youth sport: A review of the literature. Quest, 69(3), 291–312. https://doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2016.1224192 Beni, S., Ní Chróinín, D., & Fletcher, T. (2019). A focus on the how of meaningful physical education in primary schools. Sport, Education and Society, 24(6), 624–637. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2019.1612349 Cañabate, D., Bubnys, R., Hernández, E., & Colomer, J. (2024, January). A rubric for pre-service teachers to evaluate meaningful physical education. In Frontiers in Education (Vol. 8, p. 1324349). Frontiers Media SA. Cañabate, D., Bubnys, R., Nogué, L., Martínez-Mínguez, L., Nieva, C., & Colomer, J. (2021). Cooperative learning to reduce inequalities: instructional approaches and dimensions. Sustainability, 13(18), 10234. https://doi.org/10.3390/su131810234 Cañabate, D., Serra, T., Bubnys, R., & Colomer, J. (2021). Enhancing education for sustainable development in 10234. through education physical https://doi.org/10.3390/su131810234 Sustainability, cooperative learning. 13(18), Cankuvvet, Z., Demirtaş, H., & Doğanay, A. (2015). Nitel araştırmalarda geçerlik ve güvenirlik. Eğitimde Nitel Araştırmalar Dergisi, 3(2), 61–84 Casey, A., & Goodyear, V. A. (2015). Can cooperative learning achieve the four learning outcomes of physical education? A review of literature. Quest, 67(1), 56–72. https://doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2014.984733 Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications. Creswell, J. W. (2021). Karma Yöntem Araştırmalarına Giriş. (3.Baskı) (Sözbilir, M. Çev.) Pegem Yayıncılık. Curtner-Smith, M. D. (1999). The more things change the more they stay the same: Factors influencing teachers’ interpretations and delivery of national curriculum physical education. Sport, Education and Society, 4(1), 75–97. https://doi.org/10.1080/1357332990040106 Dyson, B., Griffin, L. L., & Hastie, P. A. (2004). Sport education, tactical games, and cooperative learning:

  Keywords: education physical meaningful https students teachers learning sport review cooperative increase experiences practices beni fletcher
• Editorial: The role of physical education in adolescent life satisfaction and well-being (2026) · doi

  Despite the advances provided by the studies included in this special issue, important challenges remain for future research. First, the predominance of cross-sectional designs limits our understanding of the causal relationships between Physical Education, physical activity and well-being. Longitudinal studies will be essential trajectories to better characterise across development. these Second, the findings highlight the need to deepen research on the mediating mechanisms responsible for the observed benefits. Variables such as Physical Literacy, autonomous motivation, social competence, social support, flow experiences and sense for of meaning emerge as particularly promising areas further investigation. Finally, the results underscore the importance of reducing inequalities related to gender, socioeconomic context and access inclusive to participation opportunities. Creating more educational environments that actively promote participation should be a priority for researchers, educators and policy-makers. The studies gathered in this Research Topic consistently demonstrate that Physical Education and physical activity play a meaningful role in promoting life satisfaction and well-being among adolescents and young adults. However, the principal contribution of this collection is to show that these benefits do not arise solely from physical practice per se, but emerge from a complex interaction of motivational, psychological, social and contextual mechanisms. Physical Education appears as a privileged context for fostering Physical Literacy, autonomous motivation and behavioural intentions conducive to adopting active lifestyles. At the same time, physical activity contributes to mental health by strengthening interpersonal relationships, social support, positive experiences and the construction of personal meaning. In sum, the findings of this collection reinforce the need to understand Physical Education and physical activity as instruments of holistic human development. When supported by favourable family, school and social contexts, they can make a substantial contribution to shaping healthier, more resilient, motivated and life-satisfied young people.

  Keywords: physical social education activity relationships well development need mechanisms benefits literacy autonomous motivation support experiences