Development and feasibility of a multi-component intervention to promote children’s physical activity in schools (SOKKA Schools)

Physical activity (PA) promotion and sedentary behaviour (SB) reduction in childhood are important as PA and SB are independently associated with individual and clustered cardiometabolic risk factors. Primary schools are a key setting for child PA promotion, yet even with the provision of PA opportunities and the supporting role of physical education (PE) co-ordinators, few school-based United Kingdom (UK) PA interventions have been effective. While various reasons for this exist, it is suggested that many-school based PA interventions skip the critical development and feasibility/piloting stages of multi-component intervention design. Consequently, the overarching aims of the thesis were to design, develop, implement and evaluate a multi-component primary school-based PA intervention. Study one used interviews to explore the barriers and facilitators of children’s school-based PA from the perspective of headteachers, PE-coordinators and a deputy headteacher. At an organisational level headteachers were the predominant driving force in the promotion of PA opportunities, yet institutional barriers including low priority for PA and PE were perceived to negate delivery. At an interpersonal level, strategies to increase the delivery of school-based PA were developed, however poor teacher-coach relationships and significant others reduced PA promotion opportunities. Child PA was further negated through intrapersonal factors, including lack of PE-specific teacher training and varying teacher interest in PA and sport. To increase primary school children’s school-based PA, barriers and facilitators at the organisational, interpersonal and intrapersonal level must be considered and targeted, and researchers and schools should work in partnership to develop future interventions. Study two used focus groups to investigate children’s perceptions of factors that influence PE enjoyment, and interpreted findings in the context of self-determination theory (SDT) and the promotion of autonomous motivation. Factors reported to influence children’s perceived PE enjoyment included 1) individual preferences, 2) peer behaviour, 3) instructor behaviour. PE instructors and peers are important in creating an environment that supports children’s psychological needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness, which influence PE enjoyment. To consistently provide children with enjoyable PE lessons, primary schools are advised to support the ongoing development of generalist teachers and facilitate better working relationships between generalist teachers and specialist coaches. SDT can be used by instructors to guide practice that enhances children’s enjoyment of PE. Study three used school educator’ experiences and perspectives to refine and justify a proposed multi-component primary school-based PA intervention. Focus group and interview data indicated that for the proposed and other health-based interventions, acceptance into schools and consideration of how to increase educator buy-in is essential. Further, for educators to feel confident, comfortable and motivated to deliver the proposed intervention, it appears important to support school educators’ understanding of the proposed intervention and its impact on pupil outcomes, reduce possible training fears, enhance delivery competence and confidence, and provide easy to implement resources and support frameworks that encourage sustainable delivery. Study four assessed the acceptability and feasibility of a classroom-based SDT intervention to increase teacher’s motivation orientation to facilitate PA throughout the school day. Findings indicated the four-week intervention was acceptable and feasible to deliver in the school environment. Teacher response and recruitment rates were high (100%) possibly to due to head teacher commitment to the intervention. For children however, recruit rates were low and attrition from participants was relatively high. Qualitative findings suggested that for children of all ages to engage in the resources, it is desirable for resources to be developed to support children’s psychological needs (i.e. provide optimal challenge). Furthermore, there was evidence that the training increased teacher’s intrinsic motivation to implement and deliver the resource. Larger trials are needed to evaluate the impact of classroom PA lessons on teacher and student outcomes. The thesis highlights the importance of stakeholder buy-in from headteachers, teachers and pupils if school-based PA programs are to be successful. The results highlight the importance of targeting barriers to PA implementation at all levels of the socio-ecological model. Schools provide an important target setting to increase children’s PA and staff, when appropriately trained, are able to facilitate the delivery of school-based PA. Training teachers in a need-supportive way and providing them with interpersonal strategies to increase children’s PA motivation appears to be an important avenue for further investigation. The findings support evidence for developing interventions as guided by the MRC framework. This is important as this process not only calls for important formative work to take place before intervention implementation, but for researchers to work alongside school educators and pupils to ensure what is being designed is appropriate and fits within the needs of the schools

Children’s perceptions of factors that influence PE enjoyment: A qualitative investigation

Background. Physical education (PE) is a key setting for children to engage in health-enhancing physical activity (PA). Factors influencing PE enjoyment in secondary schools are well researched. Less is known, however, about the factors children in elementary schools perceive to be important in promoting enjoyment, and how the current PE delivery framework in UK primary schools (combining specialist external coaches and generalist teachers) impacts on children’s motivational experiences. According to self-determination theory (SDT), enjoyment of activities is an intrinsic motivator for sustained engagement. Understanding children’s perceptions of PE is therefore critical if PE instructors are to increase enjoyment and the promotion of PA within and beyond PE. Purpose. To investigate children’s perceptions of factors that influence PE enjoyment, and interpret findings in the context of SDT and the promotion of autonomous motivation. Participants. Primary school pupils recruited from a cluster of four schools within a socio-economically deprived area of a large city in the North-West of England. Data collection and analysis. Eight focus groups were conducted with 47 children (23 boys) aged 7-11. Mixed gender focus groups included 4-6 children clustered by school years 3-4 (ages 7-9 years) and 5-6 (ages 9-11 years). Children were asked about their PE experiences and factors that influenced their perceived PE enjoyment. Transcripts were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically using NVivo10 analysis software. Findings. Factors reported to influence children’s perceived PE enjoyment included 1) individual preferences, 2) peer behaviour, 3) instructor behaviour. Findings were interpreted in relation to SDT, and recommendations are given to help instructors and schools create a PE environment that enhances children’s enjoyment of PE. Conclusions. PE instructors and peers are important in creating an environment that supports children’s psychological needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness, which influence PE enjoyment. To consistently provide children with enjoyable PE lessons, primary schools are advised to support the ongoing development of generalist teachers and facilitate better working relationships between generalist teachers and specialist coaches. SDT can be used by instructors to guide practice that enhances children’s enjoyment of PE

Assessments Related to the Physical, Affective and Cognitive Domains of Physical Literacy Amongst Children Aged 7–11.9 Years: A Systematic Review

Background Over the past decade, there has been increased interest amongst researchers, practitioners and policymakers in physical literacy for children and young people and the assessment of the concept within physical education (PE). This systematic review aimed to identify tools to assess physical literacy and its physical, cognitive and affective domains within children aged 7–11.9 years, and to examine the measurement properties, feasibility and elements of physical literacy assessed within each tool. Methods Six databases (EBSCO host platform, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, Education Research Complete, SPORTDiscus) were searched up to 10th September 2020. Studies were included if they sampled children aged between 7 and 11.9 years, employed field-based assessments of physical literacy and/or related affective, physical or cognitive domains, reported measurement properties (quantitative) or theoretical development (qualitative), and were published in English in peer-reviewed journals. The methodological quality and measurement properties of studies and assessment tools were appraised using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments risk of bias checklist. The feasibility of each assessment was considered using a utility matrix and elements of physical literacy element were recorded using a descriptive checklist. Results The search strategy resulted in a total of 11467 initial results. After full text screening, 11 studies (3 assessments) related to explicit physical literacy assessments. Forty-four studies (32 assessments) were relevant to the affective domain, 31 studies (15 assessments) were relevant to the physical domain and 2 studies (2 assessments) were included within the cognitive domain. Methodological quality and reporting of measurement properties within the included studies were mixed. The Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy-2 and the Passport For Life had evidence of acceptable measurement properties from studies of very good methodological quality and assessed a wide range of physical literacy elements. Feasibility results indicated that many tools would be suitable for a primary PE setting, though some require a level of expertise to administer and score that would require training. Conclusions This review has identified a number of existing assessments that could be useful in a physical literacy assessment approach within PE and provides further information to empower researchers and practitioners to make informed decisions when selecting the most appropriate assessment for their needs, purpose and context. The review indicates that researchers and tool developers should aim to improve the methodological quality and reporting of measurement properties of assessments to better inform the field. Trial registration PROSPERO: CRD4201706221

ADDITIONS TO THE FLORA OF ULSTER COUNTY, NEW-YORK

Volume: 86Start Page: 89End Page: 9

Modeling of surface area and pore volume of activated carbons prepared from renewable and low cost precursors

In this study, methylene blue and iodine numbers were used to optimize the conditions of preparation of activated carbons from renewable and low cost precursors. Standard methods of determining iodine number and methylene blue absorption were applied. These were used to model surface area and pore volume. Each carbon prepared under different experimental conditions was characterized with the goal of using the data as a response factor in the determination of optimum preparation conditions for each carbon