The influence of workplace professional development on physical and health education teachers’ effectiveness and student physical literacy

Q: What is the main purpose of the study?

To examine whether workplace professional development improves physical and health education teachers’ instructional effectiveness and whether that improvement increases students’ physical literacy during the IB MYP transition.

Q: How was the study conducted?

The study collected data from three physical and health education teachers and 128 MYP Year 1 students selected from a total population of 391 students across MYP Years 1–4.

Q: What were the key findings about student physical literacy?

Quantitative analysis indicated a statistically significant improvement in students’ physical literacy after one academic year, including higher physical fitness, increased self-confidence, and stronger understanding of healthy lifestyle practices.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Elsa

This study examines how workplace professional development enhances instructional effectiveness of physical and health education teachers and how this improvement influences student physical literacy, especially during the transition to the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP). Data from three teachers and 128 MYP Year 1 students show statistically significant gains after one academic year, with improved physical fitness, confidence, and healthy lifestyle understanding. Findings support context-specific, comprehensive development and recommend collaborative school culture and ongoing educator growth.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Literature Review

Methodology

Results and Discussion

Discussion and Conclusion

References

Contribution of this paper to the literature

Asian Journal of Education and Training Vol. 11, No. 4, 144-156, 2025 ISSN(E) 2519-5387 DOI: 10.20448/edu. v11i4.7504 © 2025 by the authors; licensee Asian Online Journal Publishing Group The influence of workplace professional development on physical and health education teachers’ effectiveness and student physical literacy Oluwaseyi Olubunmi Sodiya 1 􀀣 Turkan Nabiyeva2 1Faculty of Natural Science, Arts and Technology of Higher Education, Khazar University Baku, Azerbaijan. Email: [oluwaseyi.sodiya@khazar.org](oluwaseyi.sodiya@khazar.org) 2Khazar University Dunya School, Baku, Azerbaijan. Email: [t.nabiyeva@dunyaschool.az](t.nabiyeva@dunyaschool.az) (􀀣 Corresponding Author) Abstract This study examines the role of workplace professional development in enhancing the instructional effectiveness of physical and health education teachers and its subsequent impact on student physical literacy, particularly during the transition to the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP) . The research aimed to assess how targeted professional learning initiatives influence teaching performance and foster physical literacy among students. Data were collected from a sample of three physical and health education teachers and 128 MYP Year 1 students, selected from a total population of 391 students across MYP Years 1–4. Quantitative analysis revealed a statistically significant improvement in students’ physical literacy after one academic year, with notable differences between Unit 1 and Unit 2 test scores (M = -3.625, SD = 3.76473, t(127) = -10.894, p < .000) . Improvements included increased physical fitness, enhanced self confidence, and a deeper understanding of healthy lifestyle practices. The findings provide evidence that comprehensive, context-specific professional development can significantly improve teaching quality and positively influence student outcomes in physical education. The study recommends fostering a collaborative school culture that supports ongoing communication and professional growth tailored to educators’ needs. The results of this current study will contribute a useful framework for fair and scalable professional development, giving teachers, school leaders, and policymakers who want to improve teaching quality in difficult situations useful information. Keywords: International baccalaureate, Physical education, Physical literacy, Professional development, Student outcomes, Teacher effectiveness. Citation | Sodiya, O. O., & Nabiyeva, T. (2025) . The influence of workplace professional development on physical and health education teachers’ effectiveness and student physical literacy. Asian Journal of Education and Training, 11(4), 144–156. 10.20448/edu.v11i4.7504 History: Received: 5 August 2025 Revised: 25 September 2025 Accepted: 1 October 2025 Published: 6 October 2025 Licensed: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License Publisher: Asian Online Journal Publishing Group Funding: This study received no specific financial support. Institutional Review Board Statement: The Ethical Committee of the Coordination Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Scientific Research/Khazar University, Azerbaijan has granted approval for this study on 15 February 2023 (Ref. No. 116.) . Transparency: The authors confirm that the manuscript is an honest, accurate, and transparent account of the study; that no vital features of the study have been omitted; and that any discrepancies from the study as planned have been explained. This study followed all ethical practices during writing. Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Authors’Contributions: Both authors contributed equally to the conception and design of the study. Both authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. Contents 1. Introduction .....................................

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the study?

To examine whether workplace professional development improves physical and health education teachers’ instructional effectiveness and whether that improvement increases students’ physical literacy during the IB MYP transition.

How was the study conducted?

The study collected data from three physical and health education teachers and 128 MYP Year 1 students selected from a total population of 391 students across MYP Years 1–4.

What were the key findings about student physical literacy?

Quantitative analysis indicated a statistically significant improvement in students’ physical literacy after one academic year, including higher physical fitness, increased self-confidence, and stronger understanding of healthy lifestyle practices.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Elsa