Enhancing Team Sport Performance through the Sport Education Model in School Contexts: A Theoretical Analysis Using Constructivism and Ecological Dynamics

Abstract

Team sport performance is integral to school-based physical education (PE), significantly influencing students' engagement, motivation, and holistic development. Despite widespread recognition of the Sport Education Model (SE) as an effective pedagogical framework, theoretical explanations for how SE specifically enhances team sport performance remain underexplored. This paper offers an in-depth theoretical analysis, explicitly integrating Constructivist Learning Theory and Ecological Dynamics to examine how SE fosters improved tactical understanding, adaptive perceptual-motor behaviors, and strategic decision-making in school contexts. Constructivism emphasizes socially mediated knowledge construction through peer interactions, scaffolding, and reflective dialogues—central elements of SE. Complementarily, Ecological Dynamics highlights how authentic gameplay and dynamic task constraints within SE promote students' adaptive skills and tactical flexibility. By synthesizing these theories, the analysis clarifies mechanisms by which SE systematically improves collective athletic performance. Practical implications emphasize structured reflection, peer-coaching roles, and adaptive game design in PE curricula. Finally, this paper identifies avenues for future empirical research to validate these theoretical insights, aiming to optimize SE implementation and enhance evidence-based policy development in school-based PE.