ObLoMoV (Obesity and Low Motility Victims): combining physical activity and theatre to tackle inactivity in preteens

Motivating youth to be physically active has become a real priority in educational systems. Earlier research demonstrates that several young people are not ready to involve themselves in activities that require to do physical efforts (i.e. endurance activities) particularly when they are not fit or skilled. It can contribute to an escalating global epidemic of overweight and obesity (“globesity”). High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has shown to be a very effective way to fight against obesity. It should bring more chances to be accepted by inactive and overweight youths than endurance based physical activities. On the other hand, using theatre approaches is considered as an original pedagogical method that could facilitate youth's involvement in physical activities. Inspired by the Ivan A. Gončarov's novel, Oblomov, an Erasmus+ project called ObLoMoV (Obesity and Low Motility Victims) has been devised. Using “physical short shocks” and “theatre short stories”, it aims to prepare educators to implement an innovative Oblomov model designed to convert inactive preteens into active and healthy ones. A symposium presenting the current development of that project is proposed. It is divided in four parts: (1) Explanation of the Oblomov model with principles of HIIT training and theatre input; (2) Description of the Greek implementation with first results of the teacher education and implementation on the field; (3) Description of the Finnish implementation with the subjects and the contexts where the Oblomov model can be adapted, and finally, (4) Description of the Belgian implementation with the content of the unit and the presentation of the in-service module proposed to the educators recruited for the project.Erasmus+ 'ObLoMoV: Obesity and Low Motility Victims – “physical short shocks” and “theatre short stories” to convert inactive victims into HEPA social actors

Liikuntakasvatuksen merkitys varhaiskasvatusta ohjaavissa opetussuunnitelmissa

In the research, it was examined how the legally binding curricula, The Finnish National Core Curriculum for Early Childhood Education and Care (OPH, 2022), and The Finnish National Core Curriculum for Pre-Primary Education (OPH, 2016), deal with the goals required by the Early Childhood Education Act (580/2018) and defined by physical education. The data analysis was based on curriculum theory and the content analysis and interpretation of the meaning connections with the keywords. It was mapped how often, in which context and with what meanings the terms associated with a child's physical well-being in previous studies (digital, physical activity, physical inactivity, sitting, body, coordination, movement, exercise, physical education, nature, media, motor skills, sedentary behaviour, passivity, outdoor play, sports) appeared in the curricula. The study also determined how the curricula corresponded to the goals of physical education, educating children to move, and educating children through movement. The keywords most regularly mentioned in the curricula were: movement (39 times), exercise (28 times), and media (21 times). According to the content analysis, the meaning connections of the keywords could be categorized into four categories: health and well-being, development, learning and cooperation. In addition, The Finnish National Core Curriculum for Early Childhood Education and Care also identified the meaningful connections between play and culture. Both curricula corresponded to the main goals of physical education. Research knowledge of the study can be used to develop curricula guiding early childhood education and care in supporting children's early formation of a physically active lifestyle.Tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan, miten varhaiskasvatusta oikeudellisesti velvoittavissa Varhaiskasvatussuunnitelman perusteissa (Opetushallitus [OPH], 2022) ja Esiopetuksen opetussuunnitelman perusteissa (OPH, 2016) käsitellään Varhaiskasvatuslain (580/2018) edellyttämiä ja liikuntakasvatuksen määrittelemiä tavoitteita. Aineiston analyysi perustui opetussuunnitelmateoriaan ja asiasanojen merkitysyhteyksien sisällönanalyysiin ja tulkintaan. Tutkimuksessa kartoitettiin, kuinka usein, missä kontekstissa ja minkälaisissa merkityksissä lapsen fyysiseen hyvinvointiin liitetyt termit (digitaalinen, fyysinen aktiivisuus, fyysinen inaktiivisuus, istuminen, keho, koordinaatio, liikkuminen, liikunta, liikuntakasvatus, luonto, media, motoriikka, paikallaanolo, passiivisuus, ulkoilu, urheilu) esiintyivät opetussuunnitelmissa. Lisäksi tutkimuksessa selvitettiin, kuinka opetussuunnitelmat vastasivat liikuntakasvatuksen tavoitteisiin, kasvattaa liikuntaan ja kasvattaa liikunnan avulla. Useimmin opetussuunnitelmissa mainittiin asiasanat: liikkuminen (39 krt), liikunta (28 krt), ja media (21 krt). Sisällönanalyysin mukaan asiasanojen merkitysyhteydet voitiin kategorisoida neljään luokkaan: terveys ja hyvinvointi, kehitys, oppiminen ja yhteistyö. Lisäksi Varhaiskasvatussuunnitelman perusteissa tunnistettiin leikin ja kulttuurin merkitysyhteydet. Tutkimus osoittaa, että molemmat opetussuunnitelmat vastasivat liikuntakasvatuksen keskeisiin tavoitteisiin. Tutkimustietoa voidaan hyödyntää varhaiskasvatusta ohjaavien opetussuunnitelmien kehittämiseen lasten fyysisesti aktiivisen elämäntavan varhaisen muodostumisen tukemisessa ja ohjaamisessa

What makes John move? Outdoor play physical environmental factors changing a child’s activity from sedentary to physically active: longitudinal mixed-method case study

Children’s low physical activity levels call for an investigation of what can promote activity for excessively sedentary children. The purpose of this longitudinal mixed-method case study in an early childhood education (ECE) environment was to observe one sedentary child’s free outdoor playtime in four seasons and determine the physical environmental factors changing his activity from sedentary to physically active. Systematic observation of video material and quantitative analysis were used to identify the most sedentary individual of the one ECE group. The child was named “John”. Qualitative analysis of John’s video material showed that during the four seasons he spent an average of 25% of the playtime doing sedentary activity and 75% of the playtime doing physically active activity during 60-minute free outdoor play sessions. There were a total of 71 physical environmental factors related to John’s change in outdoor activity in the various seasons: man-made objects, such as play equipment, observed 28 times (39%); natural materials, such as water, sand and snow, observed 25 times (35%); and free spaces in the yard observed 18 times (26%). The number of factors was highest in the summer and lowest in the spring. Seasonal changes and conditions unique to Scandinavia may make outdoor play environment in ECE physically activating

Reliability Assessment of Scores from Video-Recorded TGMD-3 Performances

This study examined the intrarater and interrater reliability of the Test of Gross Motor Development—3rd Edition (TGMD-3). Participants were 60 Finnish children aged between 3 and 9 years, divided into three separate samples of 20. Two samples of 20 were used to examine the intrarater reliability of two different assessors, and the third sample of 20 was used to establish interrater reliability. Children’s TGMD-3 performances were video-recorded and later assessed using an intraclass correlation coefficient, a kappa statistic, and a percent agreement calculation. The intrarater reliability of the locomotor subtest, ball skills subtest, and gross motor total score ranged from 0.69 to 0.77, and percent agreement ranged from 87 to 91%. The interrater reliability of the locomotor subtest, ball skills subtest, and gross motor total score ranged from 0.56 to 0.64. Percent agreement of 83% was observed for locomotor skills, ball skills, and total skills, respectively. Hop, horizontal jump, and two-hand strike assessments showed the most difference between the assessors. These results show acceptable reliability for the TGMD-3 to analyze children’s gross motor skills.</p

The effectiveness of the HIPPA intervention in the sociocultural environment of ECEC physical activity

Studies have shown that, on average, children’s physical activity (PA) levels in early childhood education and care (ECEC) environments are low, thus opening up the possibility of interventions. We examined the effect of the teacher-implemented one-year long ‘home-and-childcare-based intervention to promote physical activity’ (HIPPA) study on children’s PA in ECEC settings in Finland. Participating four-year-old children (N = 128) were cluster-randomised into two groups, intervention (seven childcare centres) and control (seven childcare centres), in autumn 2011. The children were observed directly during their ECEC times. Multilevel linear analysis was used to test the PA differences between the intervention conditions. Post-intervention results showed that the HIPPA intervention increased the children’s PA. To enhance the real-life effectiveness of the present multicomponent intervention, we examined methods based on the intervention’s success and found areas of development for future studies. Overall, promoting active play by ECEC personnel offers an effective way to enhance children’s PA. Furthermore, to ensure the sustainability of the intervention effects, specific changes in practice have been identified that should be transferred into the policies intended for ECEC settings

Finnish Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions of Perceived Competence in Early Childhood Physical Education

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) teachers have a central role in supporting young children’s physical activity (PA) and overall development in the early years. However, the value of early childhood education teacher training (ECETT) programmes is not widely understood. This study aimed to investigate pre-service teachers’ perceptions of perceived competence when (1) supporting a child’s PA, (2) teaching PE, and (3) observing and assessing a child’s motor skills and PA. These self-evaluations were compared with a range of individual, educational, and behavioural characteristics. Final-year Bachelor degree pre-service teachers (n = 274; 54%) from seven universities in Finland participated in the self-report questionnaire. The results of the linear regression models showed that the relevant PE studies and previous experiences of pre-service teachers predicted higher perceived competence of supporting a child’s PA, teaching PE, and observing and assessing a child’s motor skills and PA. Thus, the study findings demonstrated how teacher training could positively influence perceptions and attitudes to increase a person’s perceived competence when implementing PE in the early years. Overall, results reinforce the importance of PE in ECETT, and the time devoted to this syllabus area should be maintained or increased

Cognitive and Academic Outcomes of Fundamental Motor Skill and Physical Activity Interventions Designed for Children with Special Educational Needs: A Systematic Review

This systematic review aimed to investigate the methodological quality and the effects of fundamental motor skills and physical activity interventions on cognitive and academic skills in 3- to 7-year-old children with special educational needs. The review was reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) statement. A literature search was carried out in April 2020 (updated in January 2022) using seven electronic databases, including ERIC, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, PubMed, and SPORTDiscus. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed with Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) Quality Assessment Tool. Cohen’s d effect sizes and post-hoc power analyses were conducted for the included studies. Altogether 22 studies (1883 children) met the inclusion criteria, representing children at-risk for learning difficulties, due to family background (nstudies = 8), children with learning difficulties (nstudies = 7), learning disabilities (nstudies = 5), and physical disabilities (nstudies = 2). Two of the included 22 studies displayed strong, one moderate, and 19 studies weak methodological quality. The intervention effects appeared to be somewhat dependent on the severity of the learning difficulty; in cognitive and language skills, the effects were largest in children at-risk due to family background, whereas in executive functions the effects were largest in children with learning disabilities. However, due to the vast heterogeneity of the included studies, and a rather low methodological quality, it is challenging to summarize the findings in a generalizable manner. Thus, additional high-quality research is required to determine the effectiveness of the interventions

Cognitive and Academic Outcomes of Fundamental Motor Skill and Physical Activity Interventions Designed for Children with Special Educational Needs: A Systematic Review

This systematic review aimed to investigate the methodological quality and the effects of fundamental motor skills and physical activity interventions on cognitive and academic skills in 3- to 7-year-old children with special educational needs. The review was reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) statement. A literature search was carried out in April 2020 (updated in January 2022) using seven electronic databases, including ERIC, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, PubMed, and SPORTDiscus. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed with Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) Quality Assessment Tool. Cohen’s d effect sizes and post-hoc power analyses were conducted for the included studies. Altogether 22 studies (1883 children) met the inclusion criteria, representing children at-risk for learning difficulties, due to family background (nstudies = 8), children with learning difficulties (nstudies = 7), learning disabilities (nstudies = 5), and physical disabilities (nstudies = 2). Two of the included 22 studies displayed strong, one moderate, and 19 studies weak methodological quality. The intervention effects appeared to be somewhat dependent on the severity of the learning difficulty; in cognitive and language skills, the effects were largest in children at-risk due to family background, whereas in executive functions the effects were largest in children with learning disabilities. However, due to the vast heterogeneity of the included studies, and a rather low methodological quality, it is challenging to summarize the findings in a generalizable manner. Thus, additional high-quality research is required to determine the effectiveness of the interventions