Effective implementation of the Sport Education Model in physical education: A meta-analysis of participant and intervention characteristics

Despite substantial evidence supporting the positive effects of the Sport Education Model (SEM) on students’ physical abilities, mental health, and social skills, significant knowledge gaps persist regarding the moderating variables that influence its effectiveness. This study investigates the facilitative effects of SEM on students’ physical education learning and examines the Participant and Intervention Characteristics that modulate its impact. Following the PICOS framework, two researchers independently conducted a comprehensive literature search across Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and EBSCOhost (CINAHL with Full Text and SPORTDiscus with Full Text) databases. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions, and a meta-analysis was performed on the selected studies. A total of 15 studies involving 2,890 participants were included in this meta-analysis. The results indicate that SEM significantly improves students’ physical education learning outcomes (Effect size = 0.590, 95% CI: 0.284–0.897, P < 0.001). Subgroup analyses revealed that SEM intervention was particularly effective for secondary school students (Effect size = 1.055, 95% CI: 0.361–1.759, P = 0.003), those in small class sizes (Effect size = 1.058, 95% CI: 0.314–1.802, P = 0.005), and students without prior SEM experience (Effect size = 0.604, 95% CI: 0.136–1.072, P = 0.011), and the most effective SEM intervention plan comprises 2 sessions per week (Effect size = 1.820, 95% CI: 0.486–3.154, P = 0.008), with each session lasting at least 60 minutes (Effect size = 1.002, 95% CI: 0.437–1.568, P = 0.001) and a total of no more than 18 sessions (Effect size = 0.654, 95% CI: 0.297–1.010, P = 0.001). SEM effectively enhances students’ physical education learning and positively influences their cognitive and non-cognitive abilities. The most effective intervention includes two weekly lessons of at least 60 minutes each, totaling no more than 18 lessons, targeting secondary students without prior SEM experience in small class sizes. This study offers practical recommendations for SEM implementation and theoretical support for the high-quality development of school sports.