It's the journey, not the arrival that matters – Teachers' perceptions of their practice after participating in a continuing professional development program in physically active learning

Continuing professional development (CPD) programs have been suggested as a way of supporting teachers' use of physically active learning (PAL) to enhance pupils' learning. Drawing on Dewey's theory of ‘education as growth’ (1916), this qualitative study explored teachers' perceptions of their practice after participating in a CPD program in PAL. Findings from eleven semi-structured interviews analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis illustrated that the teachers viewed their participation as beneficial by diversifying their teaching practice, stimulating their professional reflectiveness, and encouraging collaborative learning. These findings indicate that using and reflecting on PAL may support teacher learning in the longer term. •CPD programs can support teachers' use of PAL.•CPD programs may generate ripple benefits beyond the use of PAL.•CPD programs can foster teachers' lifelong learning and professional growth.