Professional development in physical education: Introducing the Sport Education Model to teachers in Taiwan

The purpose of this study was to examine how a physical education teacher in Taiwan might benefit from a professional development initiative that began onsite and was then continued through a long-distance, Web-based platform. The program was based on principles of effective professional development and followed the recommended three-phase approach. A male physical education teacher taught a Sport Education season of volleyball to 11th-grade students in northwestern Taiwan. Seven different data sources were collected and analyzed using the standard interpretive methods and guided by the model of teacher change. The virtual omnipresence of the professional development team allowed for a successful iteration of a Sport Education season and resulted in a new vision about teaching and learning for a physical education teacher. These findings suggest the viability of innovative approaches for professional development albeit situational constraints.