2020 Research

2020 Articles

Teacher practices, time for physical activity, and the school day: A preliminary analysis

• ABSTRACT: Existing data describe the positive relationships across children’s play/physical activity, mental wellness, physical health, and intellectual success (Carter, 2016; Crnic & Kondo, 2019; English 2019; Tomporowski, Davis, Miller, & Naglieri, 2007). This current mixed-method study identifies ways in which classroom teachers describe implementing physical activity and play opportunities during a typical school day. Classroom teachers (N = 511), pre-k through sixth grades, completed surveys identifying the types of play and physical activities (recess, games, movement) they implemented during the day, the time allowed for each type of experience, use of software to support the movement, and training associated with physical activity and play. Data describe teachers’ pervasive use of GoNoodle as an activity break during the school day. These findings support previous research demonstrating a concern for children’s outdoor recess time. Implications describe how teachers’ lack of adequate training may undermine children’s developmentally appropriate physical activities and play experiences. Authors discuss the potential of these data in planning for children’s long-term physical and mental health and wellbeing.
• CITATION: Brown, M., Burriss, K. G., Snead, D., & Burriss, L. L. (2020). Teacher practices, time for physical activity, and the school day: A preliminary analysis. International Journal of the Whole Child, 5(1), 39–52. https://libjournals.mtsu.edu/index.php/ijwc/article/view/1710

Effects of sharing data with teachers on student physical activity and sedentary behavior in the classroom

• BACKGROUND: Data-driven decision making is an accepted best practice in education, but teachers seldom reflect on data to drive their physical activity (PA) integration efforts. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of a data-sharing intervention with classroom teachers on teacher-directed movement integration and students’ PA and sedentary behavior.
• METHODS: Teacher-directed movement behaviors from 8 classroom teachers in 1 primary school were systematically observed during four 1-hour class periods before (pre) and after (post) an intervention in which teachers individually discussed student movement data with a trained interviewer. Teachers’ K-2 students (N = 132) wore accelerometers for 10 school days both preintervention and postintervention.
• RESULTS: Multilevel mixed effects regression indicated a nonsignificant increase in teacher-directed movement from preintervention to postintervention (+7.42%, P = .48). Students’ classroom time spent in moderate to vigorous PA increased (males: +2.41 min, P < .001; females: +0.84 min, P = .04) and sedentary time decreased (males: -9.90 min, P < .001; females: -7.98 min, P < .001) postintervention. Interview data inductively analyzed revealed teachers’ perspectives, including their surprise at low student PA during the school day.
• CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that sharing data with classroom teachers can improve student PA and decrease sedentary behavior at school.
• CITATION: Hodgin, K. L., von Klinggraeff, L., Dauenhauer, B., McMullen, J. M., Kuhn, A. P., Stoepker, P., & Carson, R. L. (2020). Effects of sharing data with teachers on student physical activity and sedentary behavior in the classroom. Journal of Physical Activity & Health, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2018-0711

Effects of a 16-week online classroom physical activity integration course on student-level outcomes

• BACKGROUND: Teachers can help students meet physical activity (PA) recommendations by integrating PA into the classroom. Few studies have evaluated student PA after teacher-received professional development.
• PURPOSE: This study measured student PA outcomes from an online, 16-week course for teachers on classroom PA integration. Course-enrolled (“intervention”) teachers were asked to integrate 30 minutes of daily PA into their classrooms and collaborate with teachers in their school, referred to as “PA Partners.”
• METHODS: Eighty-two students from the classrooms of seven teachers (3 intervention, 4 PA Partners) wore accelerometers during school at the beginning and end of the 16-week course. Multilevel mixed effect models were used to examine PA pre to post.
• RESULTS: At the beginning of the course, students with intervention teachers spent a larger percentage of time in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) than students of PA Partners. MVPA did not change across the duration of the course for intervention students, but MVPA for students of PA Partners increased significantly (boys: 3.3%; girls: 1.6%; p < .01).
• DISCUSSION: Findings suggest the course had ancillary impacts on non-enrolled PA Partners.
• TRANSLATION TO HEATLH EDUCATION PRACTICE: Health educators should encourage interpersonal-level resources from the social ecological model when training teachers to integrate classroom PA.
• CITATION: Klinggraeff, L. E. von, Hodgin, K. L., Dauenhauer, B., & Carson, R. L. (2020). Effects of a 16-week online classroom physical activity integration course on student-level outcomes. American Journal of Health Education, 51(5), 318–327. https://doi.org/10.1080/19325037.2020.1795752
• Article brief: https://www.shapeamerica.org/uploads/pdfs/2020/prodev/research/Unlock-Research_10-2020.pdf

Factors influencing the provision of classroom-based physical activity to students in the early years of primary school: A survey of educators

• ABSTRACT: Evidence suggests that multiple factors affect implementation of school-based physical activity interventions. This survey study examined the factors that influence the provision of classroom-based physical activity to students in the early years of primary school in Australia. A social ecological approach guided questionnaire design and analysis. A 45-item online questionnaire was administered to Australian classroom teachers and assistant, deputy and school principals working with students in Prep/Kindergarten to Year 2. Descriptive analysis determined response frequencies and content analysis was used to identify common themes in open-ended responses. The survey response rate was 22%; 34 of the 75 participants answered at least 93% of the survey questions. Barriers to providing classroom-based physical activity include: insufficient time, limited training opportunities, limited resources, educator attitudes to physical activity, and confidence. Proposed strategies to overcome barriers include the provision of training and resources to improve educator knowledge of the benefits of classroom-based physical activity for children’s health and learning, and to improve their confidence in delivering classroom-based physical activity. Creating a supportive school culture towards physical activity through implementation of whole-of-school physical activity policies is recommended. Overall, the results of this study suggest that multiple strategies, targeted at the individual (i.e., educator) and organisational (i.e., school) levels, may be necessary to enable Australian schools to overcome perceived barriers to providing physical activity opportunities to students in the early years of school during class time. Findings from this research elucidate how Australian schools may be best supported to implement classroom-based physical activity programs, as part of a whole-of-school approach to physical activity promotion.
• CITATION: Macdonald, K., Milne, N., Pope, R., & Orr, R. (2020). Factors influencing the provision of classroom-based physical activity to students in the early years of primary school: A survey of educators. Early Childhood Education Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-020-01076-y

Impact of the “Thinking while Moving in English” intervention on primary school children’s physical activity and academic outcomes: A cluster randomized controlled trial

• BACKGROUND: The majority of children internationally are not sufficiently active. Integrating physical activity into academic lesson time may not only help increase children’s activity levels but also improve learning. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a classroom-based physical activity intervention on primary school students’ physical activity levels and academic outcomes (i.e., on-task behavior, literacy and executive function skills).
• METHODS: This cluster randomized controlled trial included students ( N = 283) from nine primary schools located in New South Wales, Australia. Schools were allocated to a control (n = 5 schools) or Thinking while Moving in English (TWM-E) (n = 4 schools) conditions. Teachers received professional learning (i.e. one day workshop), resources (e.g. drill ladders, lettered bean bags), and mentoring from the research team. Teachers in the TWM-E condition delivered three 40-min physically active English lessons per week for six weeks, whereas the control condition continued with the usual lessons. For both conditions, assessments occurred at baseline and post-test (six weeks). Children wore accelerometers on their wrists (Axivity) for one week during school time to measure their intensity of physical activity intensity (primary outcome). On-task behavior was assessed using a momentary time sampling procedure and expressed as a percentage of lesson time. Standardized tests were used to assess literacy skills (i.e., spelling, grammar and punctuation) and executive functioning (i.e, inhibition and task shifting).
• RESULTS: No significant group differences were observed for physical activity outcomes, spelling or executive functions. Compared to the control group, the TWM-E group displayed improved on-task behavior (adjusted mean difference = 18.1% of lesson time, 95% CI [10.12 to 26.02], p < .001, d = 0.53), and improved grammar and punctuation scores (adjusted mean difference = 3.0, 95% CI [ 0.7 to 5.4], p = 0.018, d = 0.16).
• CONCLUSIONS: Despite minimal effect on overall physical activity levels, active lessons have important benefits for students’ on-task behavior and literacy.
• CITATION: This is a non peer-reviewed preprint by Mavilidi et al., posted 2020. http://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-18509/v1

Stakeholders’ perceptions of implementation of a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program: A review

• ABSTRACT: The Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) is a whole-school model for increasing opportunities throughout the school day for access to physical activity (PA). Opportunities for PA during the school day are an important part of the field of kinesiology and critical to individuals’ developing patterns of lifetime PA. Guided by Guskey’s theory of teacher change, this scoping literature review summarizes findings from 29 studies that collected data concerning the perceptions of stakeholders in a CSPAP. Teachers’ lifelong learning process is the focus, including K-12 classroom and physical education teachers and students, as well as current preservice classroom and physical education teacher education students and education faculty at teacher-preparation institutions. Positive perceptions of CSPAP programs were reported by all stakeholder groups. Although studies often include barriers to implementation, the stakeholders generally shared strategies to overcoming these and focused on benefits to the school setting that the researchers explained in their discussions.
• CITATION: Mulhearn, S. C., Kulinna, P. H., & Webster, C. (2020). Stakeholders’ perceptions of implementation of a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program: A review. Kinesiology Review, 9(2), 159–169. https://doi.org/10.1123/kr.2019-0045

Effectiveness of active learning that combines physical activity and math in school children: A systematic review

• BACKGROUND: Despite increased interest in combining learning and physical activity (PA), the academic and PA benefits of active learning are uncertain.
• METHODS: A systematic search of 5 databases for studies combining learning math with PA in primary/elementary schools was conducted. Academic benefit was evaluated by pre‐post intervention math scores compared to a control group. Effect sizes (ES) were extracted/calculated when possible. Due to study heterogeneity, meta‐analysis was not conducted.
• RESULTS: Six randomized controlled trials and 5 quasi‐experimental studies evaluating 4082 participants (53% girls; mean age 7.5‐11.1 years) were eligible. Math scores were significantly better in the intervention group in 6 of 11 studies on at least 1 test (ES: 0.42‐4.7; p ≤ .03). Other math tests either were not all statistically significant (2 studies) or the benefit varied across grades (1 study). No studies reported a decline in math scores. Of studies measuring PA with accelerometers, 4 of 5 reported significantly greater PA in the intervention group during the intervention (p < .05) or across the school day (p < .01).
• CONCLUSIONS: Undertaking PA while learning was largely equivocal for math scores but showed promising results for increasing daily PA, without detrimental effects on math performance. The need for more rigorous studies with comprehensive assessment of academic performance and PA is highlighted.
• CITATION: Vetter, M, Orr, R, O’Dwyer, N, O’Connor, H. (2020) Effectiveness of active learning that combines physical activity and math in schoolchildren: a systematic review. Journal of School Health. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12878

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SECTION 2: Other Relevant Research

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A citizen science study of short physical activity breaks at school: improvements in cognition and wellbeing with self-paced activity

• BACKGROUND: School-based physical activity and running programmes, such as The Daily Mile™, are increasing in popularity globally. The aim of this research was to examine the acute impact of such classroom physical activity breaks on cognition and affective wellbeing.
• METHODS: A total of 5463 school pupils from 332 schools took part in a citizen science project with a repeated measures design. They completed tasks of cognition (inhibition, verbal, and visuo-spatial working memory) and the Children’s Feeling Scale and Felt Arousal Scale before and after three different outdoor activities: a classroom break of 15 min of self-paced activity, a near maximal exhaustion activity (the bleep test), and a no-exercise control group where pupils sat or stood outside. Wellbeing and fitness were examined as mediators of the relationship between outdoor activity and cognition.
• RESULTS: Fifteen minutes of self-paced outdoor activity was beneficial for pupils’ cognition and wellbeing in comparison to both other activities (Cohen’s d effect sizes ranging from 0.04 to 0.22; small). The relationship with cognition was not mediated by participants’ fitness level and was only partially mediated by wellbeing. Change scores for alertness were higher after the bleep test compared to the control activity but similar for all other outcomes.
• CONCLUSIONS: Taking a break from the classroom to complete 15 min of self-paced physical activity should be considered a worthwhile activity by class teachers, school management, and policymakers. Additionally, more intense physical activity should not be considered to be detrimental.
• CITATION: Booth, J. N., Chesham, R. A., Brooks, N. E., Gorely, T., & Moran, C. N. (2020). A citizen science study of short physical activity breaks at school: Improvements in cognition and wellbeing with self-paced activity. BMC Medicine, 18(1), 62. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-020-01539-4

Daily school physical activity improves academic performance

• ABSTRACT: Physical activity (PA) may improve brain development, cognition, concentration and academic performance. In this prospective controlled intervention study, we increased the level of PA in 338 children aged 6–8 years at study start, from the Swedish standard of 60 min per week to 200 min per week (40 min daily). The intervention continued in all nine compulsory school years until the students graduated between 2007–2012. All other 689,881 Swedish children who graduated the same years were included as a control group. We registered at graduation eligibility rate for upper secondary school and the final grade score (from 0 to 320 grade points). We also registered the same end points in the 295 students in the index school and in all other 471,926 Swedish students who graduated in 2003–2006, that is, those who graduated before the intervention study started. Before the intervention, academic performance was similar among children in the index school as for all other Swedish boys and girls. With the intervention, the eligibility rate increased for boys in the index school by 7.3 percentage points and the mean grade scores by 13.3 points. This should be compared with a decrease of 0.8 percentage points in eligibility rate and an increase by 2.7 points in grade score in other Swedish boys. No changes were seen for intervention girls, neither in eligibility rates or grade scores. By introducing daily school-based PA in compulsory school, more boys would probably reach the eligibility rate for higher education.
• CITATION: Fritz, J., Cöster, M. E., Rosengren, B. E., Karlsson, C., & Karlsson, M. K. (2020). Daily school physical activity improves academic performance. Sports, 8(6), 83. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports8060083

A systematic review of integrative practices in physical education (2009–2018)

• ABSTRACT: The purpose of this systematic literature review was to provide a holistic analysis of the empirical research surrounding the integration of other content areas (e.g., math, science) into physical education class settings for the years 2009–2018. The systematic analysis took a three-phased approach: (a) extensive search, (b) researcher negotiations of coding classifications, and (c) analyzing results. Forty-five studies were established, showing technology integrated most frequently throughout the literature. There was a steady increase in publishing trends for 2010–2017, except in 2018. Additional findings reveal that most studies in this review did not utilize knowledge assessments or physical activity tracker measures. These measures are essential when integrating outside content into physical education to provide evidence of outcomes for both fields.
• CITATION: Griffo, J. M., Hodges-Kulinna, P., Marttinen, R. H. J., & Battistella, S. (2020). A systematic review of integrative practices in physical education (2009–2018). International Journal of Educational Research, 104, 101689. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2020.101689

Baseline cognitive performance moderates the effects of physical activity on executive functions in children

• ABSTRACT: Findings regarding the effects of regular physical activity on cognition in children have been inconsistent due to a number of demographic factors and experimental considerations. The present study was designed to examine baseline cognitive performance and executive function demands, as possible factors underlying the lack of consensus in the literature, by investigating the moderating role of those factors on the effects of physical activity on cognition. We reanalyzed data from three randomized controlled trials, in which the effects of regular physical activity intervention on cognition were examined using executive function tasks that included at least two task conditions requiring variable executive function demands, with a cumulative total of 292 participants (9–13 years). The results indicate that cognitive improvements resulting from physical activity intervention were greater in children with lower baseline cognitive performance. The main analysis revealed that beneficial effects of physical activity intervention on cognitive performance were generally observed across executive function conditions. However, secondary analyses indicated that these general effects were moderated by baseline performance, with disproportionately greater effects for task conditions with higher executive function demands. These findings suggest that baseline cognitive performance is an individual difference variable that moderates the beneficial effects of physical activity on executive functions.
• CITATION: Ishihara, T., Drollette, E. S., Ludyga, S., Hillman, C. H., & Kamijo, K. (2020). Baseline cognitive performance moderates the effects of physical activity on executive functions in children. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 9(7), 2071. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9072071