Moderate-to-vigorous physically active academic lessons and academic engagement in children with and without a social disadvantage: a within subject experimental design.
BACKGROUND
Integration of physical active academic lessons in the school curriculum may be an innovative way to improve academic outcomes. This study examined the effect of physically active academic lessons (Fit en Vaardig op school) on academic engagement of socially disadvantaged children and children without this disadvantage. In addition, the relationship between lesson time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity and academic engagement was examined.


METHODS
From four elementary schools, 86 children who participated in the 22-weeks intervention were recruited (23 socially disadvantaged children). Academic engagement was determined by observing time-on-task during three classroom observation moments (start, midway and end observation). Every moment consisted of lesson observations after intervention lessons (post-intervention) and after regular classroom lessons (post-control). Differences in time-on-task between socially disadvantaged children and children without this disadvantage were analyzed using independent samples t-test. Differences between post-intervention and post-control observations were analyzed using multilevel analysis. Heart rate monitors measured the lesson time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity. The relationship between percentage of moderate to vigorous physical activity during the intervention lessons and time-on-task was analyzed by calculation of partial correlations.


RESULTS
Time-on-task of socially disadvantaged children was lower than that of children without this disadvantage, differences were significant at the start post-control (t(65) = 2.39, p < 0.05) and post-intervention (t(71) = 2.75, p < 0.05) observation and at the midway post-control (t(68) = 2.45, p < 0.05) observation. Multilevel analysis showed that the time-on-task of all children was significantly higher during post-intervention in comparison with post-control lessons (ES = 0.41). No significant difference was found at the start observation, but there were significant differences at the midway (ES = 0.60) and end (ES = 0.59) observation. On average, the children were exercising in moderate to vigorous physical activity during 60% of de lesson time (14 minutes of an average lesson of 23 minutes). No significant relationships were found between percentage of moderate to vigorous physical activity during the intervention and time-on-task in the post-intervention lessons.


CONCLUSIONS
Physically active academic lessons may positively influence time-on-task in children, which can contribute to academic success in the long term.
University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Human Movement Sciences, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, Groningen, 9713 AV, The Netherlands. m.j.mullender-wijnsma@umcg.nl.
Marijke J
MJ
Mullender-Wijnsma
University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Human Movement Sciences, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, Groningen, 9713 AV, The Netherlands. e.hartman@umcg.nl.
Esther
E
Hartman
University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Human Movement Sciences, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, Groningen, 9713 AV, The Netherlands. j.w.de.greeff@umcg.nl.
Johannes W
JW
de Greeff
University of Groningen, Groningen Institute for Educational Research, Grote Rozenstraat 3, Groningen, 9712 TG, The Netherlands. r.j.bosker@rug.nl.|University of Groningen, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Department of Educational Sciences, Grote Rozenstraat 3, Groningen, 9712 TG, The Netherlands. r.j.bosker@rug.nl.
Roel J
RJ
Bosker
University of Groningen, Groningen Institute for Educational Research, Grote Rozenstraat 3, Groningen, 9712 TG, The Netherlands. s.doolaard@rug.nl.|University of Groningen, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Department of Educational Sciences, Grote Rozenstraat 3, Groningen, 9712 TG, The Netherlands. s.doolaard@rug.nl.
Simone
S
Doolaard
University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Human Movement Sciences, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, Groningen, 9713 AV, The Netherlands. c.visscher@umcg.nl.
Chris
C
Visscher
D002648:Child; D003479:Curriculum; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012107:Research Design; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors