The effect of physical active academic lessons on classroom behavior and the role of physical load

Poelarends, H.G.J.W. (2013) The effect of physical active academic lessons on classroom behavior and the role of physical load. thesis, Human Movement Sciences.

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: After evaluations of physical active academic (P AA) lessons, it appeared that these lessons have, next to physical benefits, also academic benefits. Although several studies highlighted these benefits, less is known about the optimal physical load of these lessons to obtain the positive effects. The first aim of the study was to investigate the short term effects of P AA lessons on classroom behavior. The second aim was to investigate the influence of the physical load of P AA lessons on classroom behavior. METHOD: On-task behavior of 82 elementary schoolchildren from four different schools was observed during four post-intervention lessons and four postregular lessons over two periods of a week. Heart rate monitoring was conducted in a subgroup of 69 children. This data were converted into trainings load scores by using a zone-based method for the calculation of the physical load. The physical load scores of the children during all lessons were divided into quartiles. RESULTS: Compared to ontask behavior during post-regular lessons, the on-task behavior was significant higher during the third and fourth post-interventions lesson (79.6% versus 87.6% and 83.4% versus 87.9%, respectively). Different physical loads did not result in significant different percentages of on-task behavior during a post-intervention lesson. During the P AA lessons, the children were active at a moderate to vigorous intensity in, on average, 88.7 percent of the time. CONCLUSION: P AA lessons contributed to improved on-task behavior in subsequent lessons, regardless the physical load of the P AA lessons in the present study. Therefore, these lessons seem to be particularly suitable for improving academic engagement and increasing physical activity levels in schoolchildren, without losing time intended for academic learning. Keywords: Physical active academic lessons, physical load, classroom behavior, time on task, academic engagement, elementary schoolchildren.

Item Type:	Thesis (Thesis)
Supervisor name:	Supervisors: and Hartman, Dr. E. and Mullender-Wijnsma, Drs. M.J.
Faculty:	Medical Sciences
Date Deposited:	25 Jun 2020 10:54
Last Modified:	25 Jun 2020 10:54
URI:	https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/1524

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