The effect of an instructional desing for conceptual physical education on health-related physical fitness knowledge and physical activity behaviors in secondary school students

The Effect of an Instructional Desing for Conceptual Physical Education on Health-Related Physical Fitness Knowledge and Physical Activity Behaviors in Secondary School Students The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a conceptual physical education program developed in accordance with the ADDIE instructional design model on middle school students' health-related physical fitness knowledge, physical activity competence, physical activity attitudes, physical activity levels, exercise motivation, exercise intentions, and basic psychological needs in exercise. Additionally, the study aims to determine students' views regarding this instructional design. A mixed-method research approach was employed in the study. A pre-test/post-test control group experimental design was used for the quantitative component, while a case study design was adopted for the qualitative component. The study group consisted of 51 sixth-grade students enrolled at Şehit Ömer Sarı Primary School in Isparta. The study was conducted during the fall semester of the 2024–2025 academic year within the Physical Education and Sports course. Students were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. While the experimental group received instruction through the conceptual physical education program developed according to the ADDIE model, the control group followed the existing curriculum. Data analysis was conducted using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Descriptive statistics, Independent Samples t-Test, Paired Samples t-Test, Chi-Square Test, McNemar-Bowker Test, and One-Way Repeated Measures MANOVA were used for the analysis of quantitative data. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. According to the findings, significant improvements were observed in the experimental group in terms of health-related physical fitness knowledge, physical activity competence, exercise motivation, exercise intentions, and the basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. However, no significant change was found in their physical activity attitudes. In interviews with the students, it was stated that the knowledge gained during the lessons increased their awareness of healthy living, enabled them to acquire knowledge and skills, and helped them develop physical activity and healthy eating habits in their daily lives. Moreover, the student-centered approach and the use of diverse activities/materials were reported to enhance student participation and interest in learning, as well as to encourage students to take a more active role in the learning process. In conclusion, the conceptual physical education program developed in line with the ADDIE instructional design model had multifaceted positive effects on students' knowledge, skills, and behavior. It was found to be effective in promoting healthy lifestyle awareness and physical activity habits. These results highlight the importance of implementing instructional design processes in physical education and sports courses.