Psychosocial and pedagogical predictors of learning outcomes in elementary physical education: a systematic literature review

Journal of Educational and Learning Studies September 14, 2026 Volume 9, Number 1 4 authors

Abstract

Physical education (PE) in primary schools plays a central role in developing children’s cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skills; however, learning outcomes vary considerably across schools, teachers, and student populations. This systematic review examined how teacher competence and characteristics interact with student characteristics, particularly learning motivation and self-perception, to influence learning outcomes in primary school PE. The review followed the PRISMA 2020 framework and searched the Scopus database using a TITLE-ABS-KEY strategy for publications from 2020 to 2026. Of 106 records initially identified, 82 articles underwent full-text eligibility assessment, and 35 met the predefined inclusion criteria for thematic synthesis. Ten studies specifically addressing teacher competence, learning motivation, self-perception, and/or PE learning outcomes were examined in greater depth. The synthesis indicated that teacher competence, including instructional implementation, teaching methods, and assessment practices, was consistently associated with greater student engagement and achievement. Intrinsic and self-determined motivation functioned both as an outcome of effective teaching and as a predictor of subsequent learning achievement. Self-perception constructs, particularly self-efficacy and physical self-concept, appeared to mediate the relationship between teaching quality and measurable learning outcomes. This relationship was further influenced by contextual factors, including grade level, gender, socioeconomic background, and school type. Overall, teacher competence may foster positive self-perceptions and motivation, which in turn contribute to improved cognitive, affective, and psychomotor outcomes. Self-Determination Theory and Self-Efficacy Theory emerge as complementary theoretical perspectives for teacher effectiveness frameworks. The findings underscore the importance of strategic teacher professional development and formative assessment in primary school PE. Future research should prioritize longitudinal and cross-cultural designs and integrate performance-based measures with validated psychosocial instruments.

Authors

  1. Rio Upi Ardi

    Universitas Negeri Padang

  2. Aldo Naza Putra

    Universitas Negeri Padang

  3. Arsil Arsil

    Universitas Nagari Padang

  4. Atradinal Atradinal

    Universitas Nagari Padang

Keywords

No keywords available

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