2021 Research

Welcome to the Research of 2021!* Given the breadth of the research over the years, research articles have been categorized by year of publication, separated in two sections: (1) Classroom-specific Research and (2) Other Relevant Research, and then organized alphabetically by author’s last name  *More articles to come…stay tuned!

SECTION 1: Classroom-specific Research

Language learning with physical activity: The case of learning Italian in tourism

  • ABSTRACT: The aim of the paper is to present how movement improves language learning in the case of rehearsing regular and irregular Italian verbs. In the paper we address the importance of language learning in the frame of Language for Special Purposes (LSP), providing an overview of it and continuing to the frame of Language for Tourism (LfT) and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in relation to movement and physical activity where examples of good practice are presented. As seen from the examples of good practice, the introduction of movement into the school curricula in connection to language learning stops too soon in elementary school and does not continue onwards. The survey is composed of an experiment where students from the University of Maribor rehearse regular and irregular Italian verbs performing a physical activity and a control group of students rehearsing the verbs without the introduction of physical activity, language testing and a questionnaire. The main objective of the paper is to show through the experiment, the language testing and the questionnaire that movement improves understanding and memorising Italian verbs and, consequently, language learning. As it is seen from the results of the language testing, we can conclude that the experimental groups achieved better results in conjugating the verbs, both regular and irregular, and were also more successful in providing correct forms of the regular and irregular verbs compared to the control group. From the questionnaire it is visible that movement improves language learning and memorising verbs. The respondents answered that movement improved topic focus (97%) and should be introduced also in subjects other than languages (57%).
  • CITATION: Kompara Lukančič, M. (2021). Language learning with physical activity: The case of learning Italian in tourism. Training, Language and Culture, 5(3), 10-28. https://doi.org/10.22363/2521-442X-2021-5-3-10-28

Classroom-based physical activity and math performance: Integrated physical activity or not?

  • AIM: This 8-week intervention examined the effect of two different types of classroom-based physical activity on math performance in elementary school children.
  • METHODS: Students in 4th and 5th grade (N = 560; 32 classes, 9-11 years old) from six schools were assigned to integrated physical activity (Move for Thought [M4T], n = 221), activity break (AB; n = 134) and a control group (n = 205; usual instruction) for eight weeks. Students completed a standardised math test before and after the intervention. Programme fidelity was measured with a teacher daily log, recording the duration and frequency of the physical activity sessions. Linear mixed models were used for the analyses. Grade and gender were explored as moderators.
  • RESULTS: Move for Thought group outperformed AB (p < 0.001, d = 0.44) and control groups (p = 0.013, d = 0.38). However, subgroup analyses showed that these effects were evident only in Grade 4. No gender differences were found. Intervention fidelity showed that the classroom-based physical activities (M4T and AB) were used about every other day, with higher implementation among 4th graders.
  • CONCLUSION: This study indicated that integrating physical activity with mathematics has stronger effects on mathematics than activity breaks and traditional instruction.
  • CITATION: Mavilidi, M.F. & Vazou, S. (2021). Classroom-based physical activity and math performance: Integrated physical activity or not? Acta Paediatrica, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.15860 

The Walking Classroom: Measuring the impact of physical activity on student cognitive performance and mood

  • BACKGROUND: The Walking Classroom is an education program that provides students with an opportunity to accumulate physical activity without losing instructional time.
  • METHOD: This research tests Kuczala’s application of kinesthetic learning theory through measuring knowledge retention, postactivity information processing, and mood in students who engage in a short bout of physical activity while listening to Walking Classroom podcasts about language arts, science, and history, and those who remain seated during a podcast, compared with baseline levels. Students from 9 high-poverty fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms (n = 319) in a North Carolina county comprised the sample.
  • RESULTS: Utilizing multivariate analysis of covariance, the results demonstrate significantly higher levels of learning while walking compared with learning while sitting. Measures of mood utilizing the 10-item version of the Positive and Negative Affect Scale also demonstrated a significant effect in predicted directions.
  • CONCLUSION: The results support that coupling physical activity with instruction leads to increased performance and mood for elementary school students.
  • CITATION: Weight, E. A., Harry, M., & Erwin, H. (2021). The Walking Classroom: Measuring the impact of physical activity on student cognitive performance and mood. Journal of Physical Activity & Health, 18(7), 818–825. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2020-0263

SECTION 2: Other Relevant Research

The effects of light physical activity on learning in adolescents: A systematic review

  • ABSTRACT: The effects of light physical activity (LPA) interventions on adolescents’ learning were reviewed. Learning was operationalized as academic performance and academic- performance-related cognitive functions. Using PubMed, Web of Science, ERIC, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, and Cochrane Library, only English-language studies published until 19-07-2021 were included. Of the resulting 49, 34 studies posed a low risk of bias, covering: executive functions (inhibition, updating, and shifting), memory, and academic performance. The quality of evidence of each outcome was very low, mainly due to inconsistencies in results between studies. Nonetheless, most studies found positive (n = 15) or null (n = 14) effects of LPA interventions on adolescents’ learning. Negative effects of LPA interventions were only found from studies with on-task procedures (n = 5). Only two studies utilized longitudinal LPA interventions, of which one reported positive effects, and the other reported null effects. Future studies should explore the role of potential moderators, e.g. timing of LPA interventions with regard to the learning and testing phases. Overall, while introducing [light physical activity] in the classroom may be effective at breaking up prolonged sedentary behavior, more high-quality research is needed to establish its positive effect on learning.
  • CITATION: Chim, H.Q., Gijselaers, H.J.M., de Groot, R.H.M., Van Gerven, P.W.M., oude Egbrink, M.G.A, & Savelberg, H.H.C.M. (2021). The effects of light physical activity on learning in adolescents: A systematic review. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/1750984X.2021.2001837

Factors that influence participation in physical activity in school-aged children and adolescents: A systematic review from the Social Ecological Model perspective

  • ABSTRACT: High prevalence of physical inactivity and obesity in children and adolescents has become a global problem. This systematic review aimed to examine the existing literature regarding the factors that influence participation in physical activity (PA) in children and adolescents with reference to the social ecological model (SEM) proposed by McLeroy et al. (1988). The SEM provides a framework under which the influencing factors are categorized into five levels: intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, community, and public policy. A systematic search of relevant literature published before July 2020 was conducted through Ebsco, ProQuest, PubMed Central, Scopus, and Web of Science. A total of fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria. The selected articles were all of high quality as assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (2018). The results indicated that gender, age, ethnicity, and self-concept were the most common influencing factors at the intrapersonal level. At the interpersonal and organization levels, supports from friends, parents, and teachers were positive predictors of students’ PA participation. Accessibility of facilities and safe neighborhoods was a crucial factor that influenced children and adolescents’ participation in PA at the community level. Future studies on the effective types of policies or practices that could successfully promote facilities’ accessibility and improve neighborhood safety are required. The outcomes of this systematic review are expected to inform practice and support the development and implementation of sound policies for the promotion of PA participation in children or adolescents from a comprehensive social ecological viewpoint.
  • CITATION: Hu, D., Zhou, S., Crowley-McHattan, Z. J., & Liu, Z. (2021). Factors that influence participation in physical activity in school-aged children and adolescents: A systematic review from the Social Ecological Model perspective. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063147

The impact of moderate physical activity and student interaction on retention at a community college

  • OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of a voluntary walking program that combined moderate physical activity and student interaction on student retention at a community college.
  • METHODS: A sample of 69 students at a suburban community college voluntarily joined a walking program and logged the number of minutes they walked and the number of people they spoke to each day. Using a Chi-Squared Test of Independence, the study sample was compared to a matched sample of nonparticipating students.
  • RESULTS: There was a significant difference in these groups relative to retention. A Fisher’s Exact Test was used to consider (a) the difference between participants who walked at least 150 minutes per week Reference (1) and those who did not relative to retention and (b) the difference between participants who interacted while walking and those who did not relative to retention. These tests showed no significant differences.
  • CONCLUSIONS: Participation in the walking program was significantly associated with retention, but amount of moderate activity or interaction was not.
  • CITATION: Prial, A., Zhu, X., Bol, L., & Williams, M. R. (2021). The impact of moderate physical activity and student interaction on retention at a community college. Journal of American College Health, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2021.1881103

The Fueling Learning through Exercise study cluster RCT: Impact on children’s moderate-to-vigorous Physical activity

  • INTRODUCTION: Most children do not meet the recommendations for school-time and daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, with significant demographic disparities and declines over the elementary school years. Investigators examined the impact of Fueling Learning through Exercise study school-based physical activity programs on school-time and total daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among lower-income school children.
  • DESIGN: Urban elementary schools (N=18) were cluster randomized to 100 Mile Club, Just Move, or control. Data collection and analyses occurred from 2015 to 2019 among third- and fourth-grade school children (N=1,008) across 2 academic years.
  • MEASURES: Student’s moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was measured by 7-day accelerometry (Actigraph GT3X+) at baseline (before intervention), midpoint (6 months), and endpoint (18 months). Mixed-effects linear regression models examined program impact on school-time and daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, adjusting for clustering, demographics, weight status, free/reduced-price lunch eligibility, school physical activity environment, wear time, and weather. Program reach by sex, weight status, race/ethnicity, and baseline activity levels was explored.
  • RESULTS: Of the 979 participants analyzed (aged 8.7 [SD=0.7] years, 44% male, 60% non-White, 40% overweight/obese, 55% eligible for free/reduced-price lunch), 8.4% (18.2 [SD=7.9] minutes per day) and 19.8% (45.6 [SD=19.4] minutes per day) fulfilled the 30-minute school-time and 60-minute daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity recommendations at baseline, respectively. Overall, daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity decreased from baseline to 18 months (p<0.001, −5.3 minutes, 95% CI= −8.2, −2.4) with no effect of programming. However, for school-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, intervention schools maintained school-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity across the 2 academic years, whereas school-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity decreased in control schools (p=0.004, −2.3 minutes, 95% CI= −4.3, −0.4). Program reach on school-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity appeared equitable by sex and weight status but was different by race/ethnicity (p<0.001).
  • CONCLUSIONS: Two different school-based physical activity programs were effective in preventing the decline in school-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity that is typical across the elementary years, with similar reach by sex and weight status. Multiple opportunities for physical activity during school are needed to promote meeting school-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity recommendations among diverse children.
  • CITATION: Sacheck, J. M., Wright, C. M., Amin, S. A., Anzman-Frasca, S., Chomitz, V. M., Chui, K. K., Duquesnay, P. J., Nelson, M. E., & Economos, C. D. (in press). The Fueling Learning through Exercise study cluster RCT: Impact on children’s moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2021.01.002
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