Benefits of Active Start
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Abstract for thesis re: Active Start
author: Cheryl Kathleen Isaac
Relationships Between Morning Physical Activity and Student Engagement In An Elementary School Setting
The problem under investigation in this mixed- methods study is the relationship, if it exists, between a morning physical activity intervention and subsequent student engagement in academic activities in an elementary school. Student engagement was examined as previous research has established a close relationship to academic achievement. The physical activity intervention was a fifteen-minute period of hall walking and gym running for the entire school population at 9:05 in the morning. The participants included 4 randomly selected elementary students in each of seven classrooms. Teachers and an educational assistant recorded the students’ levels of engagement at the same time period every day for eight days without the morning physical activity followed by ten days with the physical activity intervention. The mean scores for the two condition times were analyzed using a one-tailed paired t-test, resulting in findings of statistical significance. Observations from the teachers and educational assistant were also examined to provide a more detailed understanding of the specific student responses to the two conditions. This qualitative data analysis demonstrated an increase in observed engaged behaviors after the activity condition including improved student mood, memory, focus, and on task behaviors. A positive side effect as noted by staff and educational assistants, was the value of social engagement opportunities provided by the intervention and its positive effect on classroom and school climate. This study has the potential to contribute to new understandings of the fundamental question about the optimal academic learning states of children relative to physical activity.
The problem under investigation in this mixed- methods study is the relationship, if it exists, between a morning physical activity intervention and subsequent student engagement in academic activities in an elementary school. Student engagement was examined as previous research has established a close relationship to academic achievement. The physical activity intervention was a fifteen-minute period of hall walking and gym running for the entire school population at 9:05 in the morning. The participants included 4 randomly selected elementary students in each of seven classrooms. Teachers and an educational assistant recorded the students’ levels of engagement at the same time period every day for eight days without the morning physical activity followed by ten days with the physical activity intervention. The mean scores for the two condition times were analyzed using a one-tailed paired t-test, resulting in findings of statistical significance. Observations from the teachers and educational assistant were also examined to provide a more detailed understanding of the specific student responses to the two conditions. This qualitative data analysis demonstrated an increase in observed engaged behaviors after the activity condition including improved student mood, memory, focus, and on task behaviors. A positive side effect as noted by staff and educational assistants, was the value of social engagement opportunities provided by the intervention and its positive effect on classroom and school climate. This study has the potential to contribute to new understandings of the fundamental question about the optimal academic learning states of children relative to physical activity.