A Meta-Synthesis of the Research Framework for Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health (MAPEH) Across Grade Levels: Implications for Teachers and Educational Leaders

Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health (MAPEH) holds a distinctive role in basic education as an integrated learning area that promotes whole-child development through movement, creative expression, cultural identity, social-emotional learning, and health literacy. However, ongoing challenges like curricular fragmentation, teacher misassignment, unequal resource distribution, and rapid curricular changes have hindered its full educational potential. This study used a qualitative meta-synthesis research design to compile findings from Scopus-indexed journals, peer-reviewed studies, and policy-relevant educational research published between 2020 and 2026. Guided by Self-Determination Theory, Physical Literacy Theory, the Sociocultural Theory of Learning, and Whole-Child/SEL frameworks, the study examined the literature on curriculum alignment, pedagogy, technology integration, cultural responsiveness, teacher competence, and educational leadership. Results emphasize the developmental coherence of MAPEH across grade levels: from sensory integration in early childhood, to play-to-structure transitions in middle grades, identity formation in adolescence, and ethical reflection and learner autonomy in senior high school. The meta-synthesis confirms that MAPEH is most effective when viewed as a unified, interdisciplinary learning system supported by skilled teachers and strategic leadership. The study concludes by proposing an Integrated MAPEH Research Framework and providing research-informed recommendations for teachers, school leaders, policymakers, and researchers to enhance their work.