Using the Principles from Community of Practice: Developing Sustainable Professional Development Programmes in Physical Education
Abstract
1. Introduction
1.1. Recent Developments in PE-CPD
1.2. Communities of Practice and PE-CPD
1.3. Strategies for Effective CPD and CoPs
1.4. Connecting Communities of Practice to PE-CPD
1.5. Purpose
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Setting and Participants
2.2. Research Design: Professional Development Programme
2.3. Data Collection
2.4. Data Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Theme 1: Context and Knowledge of Effective CPD and the Principles of CoP
3.1.1. Current Thoughts and Understanding of Professional Development (Pre-Intervention)
“It would be that we give opportunities for staff to be reflective about motivation, so that can inform their planning, so that they can plan engaging lessons, where the students will be more motivated, understanding what the triggers for motivation are, so that then outcomes can improve, and the students can make more progress”.(NAHT)
3.1.2. Knowledge of the Principles of CoP in Education
David: ‘Have you ever heard of a community of practice?’Adele: ‘What do you mean by ‘community of practice? Is that our research groups?’Kate: ‘No’PE Sophie: ‘No’,All: ‘No’(NASLT and NAFGPE)
3.2. Theme 2: Creating and Sustaining Professional Development Opportunities Incorporating CoP Principles
3.2.1. Establishing the Professional Development
“Next week, will be to (a) personalise it for you three as individuals, because you might have different goals within this professional learning; Archie yours might be more of a departmental focus, yours might be lesson-focused on multiple goals. Then we’ll start to think about setting up the CPD using principles of CoP–how do you three best works?”(WCoP Dave)
“I think giving them their two or three weeks of teaching now until the one-week holiday will give them that time and space to embed some of these principles, before we look at what’s next, and what’s right for them as individuals, but also as a department”.
“I’ve just been to the first session to build the community of practice and I’m getting a little bit nervous of this, I’m not properly sure how the staff really view it yet, the timings, we’ve decided to go via WhatsApp. I’m worried will people post. What will be the level of engagement? How often do they want me to engage? We’ve established some guidelines–I’m mindful that this works for them, not seen as onerous, a chore, because as soon as it is, then I’ve lost them”.(David)
3.2.2. Theoretically Informed PDP
“I was nervous, but it’s given me confidence that these principles are worth reflecting on. The role of the teacher, as the more capable other, can have a significant impact on a young person’s environment and life. The interactions we have are vital, and it’s understanding that motivation isn’t a light switch—it works overtime. Being an empowering teacher in one lesson might light that candle later, transferring motivation to another moment”.(David)
“I’ve been having weekly informal discussions with them individually about this motivational climate empowering PE concept. I can gauge if they’re embracing the theory and acknowledge that it’s going on”.(PLCI)
3.2.3. Accountable, Sustainable, and Collaborative
“What we don’t want is for the work we’ve done in the last three workshops to become a snapshot or one of those short-lived interventions. As you often say, Archie, we do things that last for a few weeks and then suddenly disappear”.(WCoP, Anthony)
“I think having an area where Anthony and I can share practices with Sophie and she can share practice with us, I don’t think we do share enough. I don’t transfer to you at times, the stuff that I’ve done with rugby or football…it just doesn’t happen, you know?”.(WcoP, Archie)
“The pictures you’ve been putting in are great. If it’s a picture, I’ll probably look at it on my way to work or even in bed. The infographics are quick to look at, and I can take what I need from them. The pictures are the best part, especially in the morning, because they make me think, ‘I’m going to try this today’ or reflect on it”.(PLCI, Anthony)
“Anthony, for instance, is loving the infographics, and that gives him a little snapshot, have a quick reflection and then pull out a few of the ideas and use them in his practice. Then Sarah…thinks this term assessments over the last two weeks have had an impact…but given the chance to explain and provide that rationale gave her a boost in terms of knowing that she can post when she feels comfortable. She’s going to mirror some of the strategies applied by the boys last term and see the effect it has on the girls”.(David)
“Anthony loves the infographics, which give him a quick snapshot to reflect on and use in his practice. Sarah found assessments impactful and appreciated the rationale provided, boosting her confidence to post when comfortable. She plans to mirror strategies applied by the boys last term to see their effect on the girls”.(David)
3.3. Theme 3: Impact of the Professional Development Programme
3.3.1. Use of Technology
“This concept of using social media, WhatsApp enabling ease of communication, the dashboard was brilliant, we can pick up our phone, we can see an image, we can highlight the research–, know that this concept is the journey and actually the pressure doesn’t sit with ‘Oh, I’ve got to do it this day, this lesson, this year group.’ It was nice having flexibility”.(PLCI)
“Because it is in your phone which is so accessible, it’s on you most of the time, it’s just been there, so you’ve always felt the need. When it’s on email, you are so busy in school, you have a list of things to do, email becomes irrelevant, so I think when it’s on your phone, even if I’m walking in from the car park to the school, I have a look at what you’ve sent on a Sunday, it’s refocused me, and has had an impact. So I think it’s been really positive”.(PPDPPE)
“There is a need for accessible tools, as current dashboards are clunky and require multiple clicks to implement ideas. WhatsApp allows individualised approaches, enabling staff to dip in and out as needed—whether during PPA time on a Friday or on a Sunday afternoon when they have headspace. The Community of Practice supports flexibility and adaptability for each member”.(PPDPPE)
3.3.2. Benefits of the PDP
“I found this has more longevity. About workshops, I’ve been to quite a few, the stuff is really good, but it just sorts of stops. You think about it for a week or so, then you don’t kind of carry it on, having the WhatsApp group, it might not buzz all the time, but if someone puts something on, it refreshes your memory, you’re more likely to carry on”.(PPDPIPE, Sophie)
“Just because we were talking about it, you were sending information which I’d look at on a Monday, you think OK, I’ve got my 5 lessons now, what am I going to do based on the material, which was sent in the community of practice, you refreshed what I was looking at. I’d look at my 5 lessons for the day…OK, I’m going to make sure I do this, people who went to the workshops, they write the notes but sometimes it doesn’t ever get put into planning”.(PPDPIPE, Anthony)
“We looked at how we were going to be sharing best practice; to then upskilling ourselves….to then connecting with you at university level, where we suggested whether we could receive more of the research and theory behind what we do and why we do it…So the community of practice (PDP) allowed us to dip in and out without the constraints of regularly attending meetings. It was very thought-provoking”.(PPDPIPE, Archie)
“We normally do research groups in school, but this kept it fresh. People posted daily, weekly, or when reminded, which helped me stay focused and think outside the box. I’d see what Archie was doing and relate it to my lessons, sparking professional conversations during lunch breaks. It was far more engaging than a one-off session and started meaningful discussions”.(PPDPIPE, Anthony)
“I have enjoyed the process. I’ve been teaching a few years now and it’s funny that when you first qualify you get quite a lot of funding to go on courses. Then you don’t get anything really, you left to your own devices, you get stuck in a bit of a rut. It’s been nice to talk about it, I have tweaked a few things and Archie, and I realised as well that we don’t communicate enough good things that we’re doing in our lessons. The boys do it naturally because they teach together”.(PLCI, Sophie)
“I’ve been teaching for 10 years, it’s just made me have a look at my teaching, if anything you get stuck in a groove, you do the same things day in, day out. Thinking why I’m doing things and is that the right way to do it, because I’ve always done it that way?”.(PPDPIPE Sophie)
3.3.3. A Way Forward to Enhance Future PDP Offerings
“I would probably just say that if we were doing something more on a whole-staff level, they would have had to come back, something that they’ve trialled, the impact they saw. Or just a longer-based project in a way. The difference with the PE department and being part of that community of practice is that they have had some external pressure on them, they know there’s going to be a follow-up”.(PPDPISLT, Adele)
“We haven’t currently got an opportunity where staff are able to feedback on things that they are trialling…You know, we could be missing a trick here, people are continuing and getting some good research and we’re completely unaware of it”.(PPDPISLT)
3.3.4. One Year on: Follow-Up Interview
“Archie and I will message ideas, things that we think might work in lessons, online lessons. In terms of the involvement in the project. Especially the motivation, and that sense of belonging, especially in online lessons, make them still want to belong and be part of the kind of community”.(OYFU)
“We’ve modelled workouts of the week. We’ve had challenges that students and families do together. We’ve had a weekly wellbeing, check-in. We’ve tried to look at various aspects of what would motivate an individual, tailor towards everybody”.(OYFU)
4. Discussion
4.1. Understanding the Current Knowledge Context
4.2. Creating and Sustaining Professional Development Opportunities Incorporating CoP Principles
4.3. Impact of Professional Development Programme
- What theoretical knowledge do they have?
- What prior experience running a CoP or PDP do they have?
- What are their digital skills like?
- What experience in building relationships do they have?
- What understanding of the context they will be facilitating do they have?
4.4. Limitations and Future Directions
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Strategies for Implementing a CoP | Professional Development Programmes & Physical Literacy | Recommendations for Implementing CoP in Education | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Gather a core group to launch the process | In depth needs assessment | Give members voice and choice in how they learn |
2 | Articulate the goals and values of the CoP | Create a supportive environment | Collaboratively develop a set of guiding principles with members that set the tone for the Community |
3 | Start with a specific task or project–make it problem orientated | Embed the content alongside the PE Departments current roles and find space to allow them to reflect on the learning process | Provide substantial support for the community |
4 | Make it worthwhile for members and the institution | Focus on teachers’ growth and nurture them as learners and bridge the theory-practice gap | Create opportunities for social learning |
5 | Promote sustainability | Create a collaborative environment | Use technology to support and connect |
6 | Communicate success | Emphasis on sustainability and avoid one-off training opportunities | Build a sense of community |
7 | Evaluate the CoP | Do not rely on resource material as resource driven professional development programmes do not adequately provide teachers with in-depth knowledge | Co-develop the purpose of the community with the members |
Participants | Role | Experience and Context |
---|---|---|
Stanley | Headteacher | 5 years as head of the school |
Trevor | Interim Headteacher | Trevor took over as headteacher Christmas 2019 |
Adele | SLT responsible for staff development | Recently appointed |
Katie | SLT responsible for teaching and learning | 3rd year in the role |
Archie | Overall Head of PE | 7th Year as head of department |
Anthony | PE Teacher and YR 7 Year Tutor | 5th year teaching |
Sophie | Head of Girls PE | 15 years teaching currently part-time |
David | Researcher and Boundary Spanner | 10 plus years teaching experience working in higher education |
July 2019 Needs Assessment | September Workshop Delivery | October-January Principles of CoP | February 2020 Post Project Interviews | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Interview Headteacher | Inset–Whole School | In person meetings every 3–4 weeks | Interview Headteacher |
2 | Interview Senior Leadership | Half Day Workshop 1 during Inset | Interactions with staff within the intervention via WhatsApp group | Interview Senior Leadership |
3 | Focus Group PE Staff (4) | Mid-September Workshop 2 and Review | Interviews, conversations and interactions with staff via individual and group meetings | Interview PE Staff |
4 | End of September Workshop 3 and Review | Include top- up workshop material | * ONE YEAR FOLLOW UP | |
5 | Principles of CoP intervention established | New aims developed each cycle for individuals and department | Disrupted due to COVID-19 but WhatsApp interviews recorded |
Strategies Used | Application to This Study | |
---|---|---|
A | In depth needs assessment | Qualitative needs assessment of the Headteacher, SLT, and PE Department |
B | Gather a core group to launch the process | Staff members of the PE Department with whole school support |
C | Start with a specific task or project embedded with theory and applied to practice: | Understanding and implementation of motivation and empowering motivational strategies |
D | Co-develop the purpose of the community with the members, giving them voice and choice with how they learn | Create individual and departmental goals shared and created by the participants. |
E | Create sustainable support structures, opportunities to collaborate and increase social learning | Establish 3–4-week touch points to review, reflect and shape the next cycle |
F | Use technology to support and connect | Use the participants to come up with a way of online sharing that would engage and help sustain the group, i.e., WhatsApp |
G | Make it worthwhile for members and the institution | Evidence the learning and development throughout, build and share strategies including success and failure. Work it into their schedule–make it work for them |
H | Communicate success and evaluate the project | Post-intervention interviews to assess the impact of the approach and one year follow up to ensure sustained approach |
Data Source (Codes) | Description | Purpose | |
---|---|---|---|
1. | Researcher Reflections/Boundary Spanner (BS) | Informal voice memos recorded by the researcher that took place during the time over the course of the project (Total Number 12) | To gather personal insights into how the project developed and the key learnings throughout the timeline. |
2. | Needs Assessment Interviews: Headteacher and SLT (NAIHT and NAISLT) | Headteacher and SLT interviews establishing the context and current understanding of professional development and CoPs. | To understand the school and staffs’ current understanding of professional development, CoPs and the theory/concepts behind the workshops. |
3. | Needs Assessment Focus Group: PE Department (NAFGPE) | PE Department Focus Group establishing the context and current professional development and CoPs. | |
4. | Workshops to establish CoP: PE Department (WCoP) | Within and towards the end of the Workshops a CoP was developed with boundaries organised by the group. | To gather information on the creation of the PDP with principles of CoP. |
5. | Social Media discussions via WhatsApp (SMWA) | Conversations, strategies, voice notes collected having used WhatsApp as a collaborative tool and discussion board throughout the period (Over 130 interactions) | To provide evidence on how the CoP was being sustained and developed and support the teachers |
6. | Professional Learning Meetings Interviews with PE Department (PLMI) | Each visit to the school the researcher interviewed the teachers involved in the CoP (Total number 6) | To provide evidence on how the CoP was being sustained and developed |
7. | Post Professional Development Programme Interviews: Headteacher and SLT (PPDPHT and PPDPSLT) | Post project interviews were conducted with the new acting headteacher and SLT on the impact of the CPD. | To understand the impact of the PDP and CoP from the SLT and Headteachers perspective |
8 | Post Professional Development Programme Interviews: PE Department (PPDPPE) | Post project interviews were conducted with the PE Department on the impact of the CPD. | To understand the impact of the PDP and CoP from the PE departments perspective |
9 | One-Year Follow-Up Interviews (OYFUI) | Interviews with all participants to see the sustainability of the project | To assess the sustainability and longer-term impact of the PDP |
Workshop 1 (Early September 19) | Workshop 2 (Mid September 19) | Workshop 3 (End of September 19) |
---|---|---|
Introduction to the training Philosophy and setting of initial individual and departmental goals Understanding the quality and quantity of motivation Collaborative discussion using applied examples | Introduce the ABC’s Autonomy Belonging and Competence Introduce the CLIMATE Acronym Co-operative contribution Learning emphasised Intrinsic focus Mastery orientated Authority with autonomy Taking other’s perspectives Evaluation | Recap the theoretical concepts within the workshop Collaborative discussion on theory to practice Introduce the concept of a PDP using principles of CoP outlining the potential benefits and creating the boundaries and placing the author as the ‘boundary spanner’ |
Theoretical Underpinning–Duda’s Integrated Framework (Duda, 2013) Integrates the motivation related dimensions of the motivational climate from Achievement Goal Theory (Ames, 1992) and Self Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000). Empowering climates are highly task involving (AGT), autonomy supportive and socially supportive (SDT). Disempowering climates are controlling (SDT) and marked by ego involving behaviours (AGT) |
Core Codes | Subthemes | Higher Order Themes |
---|---|---|
Tick box | Current thoughts on professional development | Theme 1: Context and knowledge of effective CPD and CoP |
Training needed | ||
Reflective | ||
Learning and engaging | ||
Specific | ||
Lack of Time | ||
Lack of knowledge | Current knowledge of CoP | |
No knowledge | ||
Clear Boundaries | Establishing the professional development | Theme 2: Creating and sustaining a professional development using the principles of CoP |
Personalised/Voice | ||
Immediate | ||
Flexible/Accessible | ||
Meaningful | ||
Sustained | Theory informed | |
Increased Planning | ||
Generates Ideas | ||
Prompt timely and organised | ||
Impact | ||
Sharing strategies | Accountable/Collaborative | |
Cross gender | ||
Wider Impact | ||
Sharing knowledge | ||
Flexible and Ease of information | Use of Technology | Theme 3: Impact of the professional development using the principles of CoP |
Bigger impact | ||
Immediate | ||
Practice | Benefits | |
Increased understanding | ||
Effective/Improved | ||
Excitement and Passion | ||
Reflection | ||
Longevity | ||
Collaborative/Bouncing | ||
Increased evidence | Way Forward | |
Greater follow up/Wider Impact | ||
Manage change | ||
Dissemination event | ||
Culture of Research | ||
Increased time | ||
COVID-19 Well-Being | One Year On | |
Increased belonging | ||
Focus on theory |
Core Codes | Subthemes | Higher Order Themes |
---|---|---|
Build relationships | Challenges | Overarching theme: Role of the Boundary Spanner |
Self-awareness | ||
Alternative solutions | ||
Reflections | ||
Digitally capable | ||
Staff relationships | Understanding context | |
Managing relationships | ||
Power Dynamic | ||
Staff context | ||
Individulised approach |
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© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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Milton, D.; Bryant, A.; Appleton, P.R.; Duda, J.L. Using the Principles from Community of Practice: Developing Sustainable Professional Development Programmes in Physical Education. Educ. Sci. 2025, 15, 713. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060713
Milton D, Bryant A, Appleton PR, Duda JL. Using the Principles from Community of Practice: Developing Sustainable Professional Development Programmes in Physical Education. Education Sciences. 2025; 15(6):713. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060713
Chicago/Turabian StyleMilton, Daniel, Anna Bryant, Paul R. Appleton, and Joan L. Duda. 2025. "Using the Principles from Community of Practice: Developing Sustainable Professional Development Programmes in Physical Education" Education Sciences 15, no. 6: 713. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060713
APA StyleMilton, D., Bryant, A., Appleton, P. R., & Duda, J. L. (2025). Using the Principles from Community of Practice: Developing Sustainable Professional Development Programmes in Physical Education. Education Sciences, 15(6), 713. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060713