Comparing the Physical and Mental Effects of Using Movement Breaks or Physically Active Learning within Curriculum Time:A Multi-School Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial

Purpose: Physically Active learning (PAL) and Movement Breaks (MBs) are popular methods for encouraging increased Physical Activity (PA) within curriculum time. Both have also been claimed to enhance pupil’s cognitive and academic performances. However, existing research evidence is inconsistent in finding support for such claims and there are no studies directly comparing the two methods. Consequently, this study investigated the acute effects of lessons taught using PAL or incorporating MBs on pupil’s Cognitive and Academic Performances (AP) and PA Levels. Method: 355 children (aged 8-10 years) from three schools in Northern England participated in a cluster-randomised trial. Classes of pupils were assigned to participate in one of the three types of, 45 min long, mathematics lesson (Lesson-type: PAL, MB or Traditional). Physical activity during lessons was measured using accelerometery and pre- and postlesson participants completed a battery of standardised assessments assessing of their Maths Fluency (measure of AP) and Cognitive (Attentional) Control. Results: Compared to Traditional (sedentary) lessons, PAL and MB lessons were associated with pupils being significantly more Moderately to Vigorously Physically Active during lesson time (95% CI: +9.86 to 11.06 min). PAL lessons also reduced time spent sedentary by a significantly larger margin than lessons incorporating a MB (95% CI: -16.60 to 21.70 min). However, variation over time in Maths Fluency and Attentional Control measures were not significantly moderated by Lesson-Type, with Bayes Factors indicating evidence in favour of null hypothesis (All Time X Lesson-Type interactions had a BF10 ranging from 0.29 to 0.04). Conclusion: Both PAL and MBs effectively increase student’s PA levels during curriculum time. These benefits do not come at the expense of academic or cognitive performances but neither do these outcomes appear acutely enhanced. 3 Short Title: Effects of increasing PA within Curriculum Tim

Fundamental movement skills and their assessment in primary schools from the perspective of teachers

Evidence suggests that children struggle to acquire age-appropriate fundamental movement skills (FMS), despite their importance for facilitating physical activity. This has led to calls for routine school-based screening of children’s FMS. However, there is limited research exploring schools’ capacity to conduct such assessments. This study investigated what factors might affect the adoption and implementation of FMS assessments in primary schools. School staff (n = 853) completed an online questionnaire developed using the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation and Behavior (COM-B) model. A majority reported that knowledge of pupils’ FMS ability would be beneficial (65.3%), and 71.8% would assess FMS if support was provided. Barriers included: Capability–few possessed knowledge of FMS (15%); Opportunity–teachers reported 30–60 minutes as acceptable for assessing a class, a substantially shorter period than current assessments require; Motivation–57.2% stated FMS assessments would increase workload stress. Solutions to these issues are discussed using the COM-B theoretical framework.</p

Introducing physically active lessons in UK secondary schools: feasibility study and pilot cluster-randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: Assess feasibility, acceptability and costs of delivering a physically active lessons (PAL) training programme to secondary school teachers and explore preliminary effectiveness for reducing pupils' sedentary time. DESIGN AND SETTING: Secondary schools in East England; one school participated in a pre-post feasibility study, two in a pilot cluster-randomised controlled trial. In the pilot trial, blinding to group assignment was not possible. PARTICIPANTS: Across studies, 321 randomly selected students (51% male; mean age: 12.9 years), 78 teachers (35% male) and 2 assistant head teachers enrolled; 296 (92%) students, 69 (88%) teachers and 2 assistant head teachers completed the studies. INTERVENTION: PAL training was delivered to teachers over two after-school sessions. Teachers were made aware of how to integrate movement into lessons; strategies included students collecting data from the environment for class activities and completing activities posted on classroom walls, instead of sitting at desks. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES: Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to assess feasibility and acceptability of PAL training and delivery. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and ~8 weeks post-training; measures included accelerometer-assessed activity, self-reported well-being and observations of time-on-task. Process evaluation was conducted at follow-up. RESULTS: In the feasibility study, teachers reported good acceptability of PAL training and mixed experiences of delivering PAL. In the pilot study, teachers' acceptability of training was lower and teachers identified aspects of the training in need of review, including the outdoor PAL training and learning challenge of PAL strategies. In both studies, students and assistant head teachers reported good acceptability of the intervention. Preliminary effectiveness for reducing students' sedentary time was not demonstrated in either study. CONCLUSIONS: No evidence of preliminary effectiveness on the primary outcome and mixed reports of teachers' acceptability of PAL training suggest the need to review the training. The results do not support continuation of research with the current intervention. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN38409550.The corresponding author has asked for the following sentence to be added to the acknowledgements: EvS is supported by the Medical Research Council [MC_UU_12015/7]

A whole system approach to increasing children’s physical activity in a multi-ethnic UK city:a process evaluation protocol

BACKGROUND: Engaging in regular physical activity requires continued complex decision-making in varied and dynamic individual, social and structural contexts. Widespread shortfalls of physical activity interventions suggests the complex underlying mechanisms of change are not yet fully understood. More insightful process evaluations are needed to design and implement more effective approaches. This paper describes the protocol for a process evaluation of the JU:MP programme, a whole systems approach to increasing physical activity in children and young people aged 5–14 years in North Bradford, UK. METHODS: This process evaluation, underpinned by realist philosophy, aims to understand the development and implementation of the JU:MP programme and the mechanisms by which JU:MP influences physical activity in children and young people. It also aims to explore behaviour change across wider policy, strategy and neighbourhood systems. A mixed method data collection approach will include semi-structured interview, observation, documentary analysis, surveys, and participatory evaluation methods including reflections and ripple effect mapping. DISCUSSION: This protocol offers an innovative approach on the use of process evaluation feeding into an iterative programme intended to generate evidence-based practice and deliver practice-based evidence. This paper advances knowledge regarding the development of process evaluations for evaluating systems interventions, and emphasises the importance of process evaluation. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-12255-w

Unpacking physically active learning in education: a movement didaktikk approach in teaching?

This paper explores teachers’ educational values and how they shape their judgements about physically active learning (PAL). Twenty one teachers from four primary schools in Norway participated in focus groups. By conceptualising PAL as a didaktikk approach, the findings indicated that teachers engaged with PAL in a way that reflected their professional identity and previous experiences with the curriculum. Teachers valued PAL as a way of getting to know pupils in educational situations that were different from those when sedentary. These insights illustrate how PAL, as a didaktikk approach to teaching, can shift teachers’ perceptions of pupils’ knowledge, learning, and identity formation in ways that reflect the wider purposes of education. The paper gives support to a classroom discourse that moves beyond the traditional, sedentary one-way transfer of knowledge towards a more collaborative effort for pupils’ development.publishedVersio

Implementing physically active learning: Future directions for research, policy, and practice

Objective Identify co-produced multi-stakeholder perspectives important for successful widespread physically active learning (PAL) adoption and implementation. Method A total of 35 stakeholders (policy makers, n = 9; commercial education sector, n = 8; teachers, n = 3; researchers, n = 15) attended a design thinking PAL workshop. Participants formed 5 multi-disciplinary groups with at least 1 representative from each stakeholder group. Each group, facilitated by a researcher, undertook 2 tasks: (1) using Post-it Notes, the following question was answered: within the school day, what are the opportunities for learning combined with movement? and (2) structured as a washing-line task, the following question was answered: how can we establish PAL as the norm? All discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed. Inductive analyses were conducted by 4 authors. After the analyses were complete, the main themes and subthemes were assigned to 4 predetermined categories: (1) PAL design and implementation, (2) priorities for practice, (3) priorities for policy, and (4) priorities for research. Results The following were the main themes for PAL implementation: opportunities for PAL within the school day, delivery environments, learning approaches, and the intensity of PAL. The main themes for the priorities for practice included teacher confidence and competence, resources to support delivery, and community of practice. The main themes for the policy for priorities included self-governance, the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skill, policy investment in initial teacher training, and curriculum reform. The main themes for the research priorities included establishing a strong evidence base, school-based PAL implementation, and a whole-systems approach. Conclusion The present study is the first to identify PAL implementation factors using a combined multi-stakeholder perspective. To achieve wider PAL adoption and implementation, future interventions should be evidence based and address implementation factors at the classroom level (e.g., approaches and delivery environments), school level (e.g., communities of practice), and policy level (e.g., initial teacher training)

Using a multi-stakeholder experience-based design process to co-develop the Creating Active Schools Framework

Background: UK and global policies recommend whole-school approaches to improve childrens’ inadequate physical activity (PA) levels. Yet, recent meta-analyses establish current interventions as ineffective due to suboptimal implementation rates and poor sustainability. To create effective interventions, which recognise schools as complex adaptive sub-systems, multi-stakeholder input is necessary. Further, to ensure ‘systems’ change, a framework is required that identifies all components of a whole-school PA approach. The study’s aim was to codevelop a whole-school PA framework using the double diamond design approach (DDDA).Methodology: Fifty stakeholders engaged in a six-phase DDDA workshop undertaking tasks within same stakeholder (n = 9; UK researchers, public health specialists, active schools coordinators, headteachers, teachers, active partner schools specialists, national organisations, Sport England local delivery pilot representatives and international researchers) and mixed (n = 6) stakeholder groupings. Six draft frameworks were created before stakeholders voted for one ‘initial’ framework. Next, stakeholders reviewed the ‘initial’ framework, proposing modifications. Following the workshop, stakeholders voted on eight modifications using an online questionnaire.Results: Following voting, the Creating Active Schools Framework (CAS) was designed. At the centre, ethos and practice drive school policy and vision, creating the physical and social environments in which five key stakeholder groups operate to deliver PA through seven opportunities both within and beyond school. At the top of the model, initial and in-service teacher training foster teachers’ capability, opportunity and motivation (COM-B) to deliver whole-school PA. National policy and organisations drive top-down initiatives that support or hinder wholeschool PA.Summary: To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time practitioners, policymakers and researchers have codesigned a whole-school PA framework from initial conception. The novelty of CAS resides in identifying the multitude of interconnecting components of a whole-school adaptive sub-system; exposing the complexity required to create systems change. The framework can be used to shape future policy, research and practice to embed sustainable PA interventions within schools. To enact such change, CAS presents a potential paradigm shift, providing a map and method to guide future co-production by multiple experts of PA initiatives ‘with’ schools, while abandoning outdated traditional approaches of implementing interventions ‘on’ schools.</div

Active Mile Briefing: Evidence And Policy Summary

Active mile initiatives can be defined as initiatives that support pupils to be active during the school day by providing regular opportunities for them to move around a marked route for a dedicated period of time (for example 15 minutes) and at a self-directed pace. It is thought that if moving continuously for this amount of time, most children will accumulate the equivalent distance of approximately one mile. As such, they have been termed as active mile initiatives. Active mile initiatives have gained in popularity and momentum over recent years. Whilst there is much evidence surrounding the health benefits of physical activity for children and young people, there is currently limited peer-reviewed high-quality evaluation and/or research which has focussed specifically on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of active mile initiatives. Furthermore, active mile initiatives have predominantly focused on primary schools, therefore there is limited research and/or information on their delivery with other age groups and/or settings such as nurseries and secondary schools. However, many of the principles are equally valid, for example they require no specialised equipment or resources. The evidence base surrounding active mile initiatives is evolving, and further research is needed to be able to draw firm conclusions. However, the evidence reviewed in this document indicates that active mile initiatives: • are intuitively appealing to schools as a means of providing regular physical activity and have high levels of acceptability among teachers and pupils • provide a simple physical activity opportunity for pupils which is suitable for all ages and are fully inclusive • can make a meaningful contribution to the in-school delivery of 30 active minutes and the Chief Medical Officer’s recommendation of an average of at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day across the week • can contribute to improvements in children’s health and wellbeing if implemented as part of a whole school approach to physical activity • should provide an additional opportunity to be active during the school day, they are not equivalent to and should not replace Physical Education (PE) This briefing accompanies, and should be used alongside, Implementing active mile initiatives in primary schools and Practice examples of active mile initiatives in schools

Active Mile Briefing: Evidence And Policy Summary

Active mile initiatives can be defined as initiatives that support pupils to be active during the school day by providing regular opportunities for them to move around a marked route for a dedicated period of time (for example 15 minutes) and at a self-directed pace. It is thought that if moving continuously for this amount of time, most children will accumulate the equivalent distance of approximately one mile. As such, they have been termed as active mile initiatives. Active mile initiatives have gained in popularity and momentum over recent years. Whilst there is much evidence surrounding the health benefits of physical activity for children and young people, there is currently limited peer-reviewed high-quality evaluation and/or research which has focussed specifically on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of active mile initiatives. Furthermore, active mile initiatives have predominantly focused on primary schools, therefore there is limited research and/or information on their delivery with other age groups and/or settings such as nurseries and secondary schools. However, many of the principles are equally valid, for example they require no specialised equipment or resources. The evidence base surrounding active mile initiatives is evolving, and further research is needed to be able to draw firm conclusions. However, the evidence reviewed in this document indicates that active mile initiatives: • are intuitively appealing to schools as a means of providing regular physical activity and have high levels of acceptability among teachers and pupils • provide a simple physical activity opportunity for pupils which is suitable for all ages and are fully inclusive • can make a meaningful contribution to the in-school delivery of 30 active minutes and the Chief Medical Officer’s recommendation of an average of at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day across the week • can contribute to improvements in children’s health and wellbeing if implemented as part of a whole school approach to physical activity • should provide an additional opportunity to be active during the school day, they are not equivalent to and should not replace Physical Education (PE) This briefing accompanies, and should be used alongside, Implementing active mile initiatives in primary schools and Practice examples of active mile initiatives in schools

Using a multi-stakeholder experience-based design process to co-develop the Creating Active Schools Framework

Abstract: Background: UK and global policies recommend whole-school approaches to improve childrens’ inadequate physical activity (PA) levels. Yet, recent meta-analyses establish current interventions as ineffective due to suboptimal implementation rates and poor sustainability. To create effective interventions, which recognise schools as complex adaptive sub-systems, multi-stakeholder input is necessary. Further, to ensure ‘systems’ change, a framework is required that identifies all components of a whole-school PA approach. The study’s aim was to co-develop a whole-school PA framework using the double diamond design approach (DDDA). Methodology: Fifty stakeholders engaged in a six-phase DDDA workshop undertaking tasks within same stakeholder (n = 9; UK researchers, public health specialists, active schools coordinators, headteachers, teachers, active partner schools specialists, national organisations, Sport England local delivery pilot representatives and international researchers) and mixed (n = 6) stakeholder groupings. Six draft frameworks were created before stakeholders voted for one ‘initial’ framework. Next, stakeholders reviewed the ‘initial’ framework, proposing modifications. Following the workshop, stakeholders voted on eight modifications using an online questionnaire. Results: Following voting, the Creating Active Schools Framework (CAS) was designed. At the centre, ethos and practice drive school policy and vision, creating the physical and social environments in which five key stakeholder groups operate to deliver PA through seven opportunities both within and beyond school. At the top of the model, initial and in-service teacher training foster teachers’ capability, opportunity and motivation (COM-B) to deliver whole-school PA. National policy and organisations drive top-down initiatives that support or hinder whole-school PA. Summary: To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time practitioners, policymakers and researchers have co-designed a whole-school PA framework from initial conception. The novelty of CAS resides in identifying the multitude of interconnecting components of a whole-school adaptive sub-system; exposing the complexity required to create systems change. The framework can be used to shape future policy, research and practice to embed sustainable PA interventions within schools. To enact such change, CAS presents a potential paradigm shift, providing a map and method to guide future co-production by multiple experts of PA initiatives ‘with’ schools, while abandoning outdated traditional approaches of implementing interventions ‘on’ schools