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Is in-class physical activity at risk in constructivist physical education?
Ang Chen1, Robert Martin, Haichun Sun
1Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park 20742, USA. angchen@umd.edu
Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport
|February 16, 2008
Summary
Constructivist physical education engages students cognitively. This study found constructivist and traditional curricula yield similar low-moderate physical activity levels in students.
Area of Science:
- Physical Education
- Pedagogy
- Exercise Science
Background:
- Constructivist physical education focuses on cognitive engagement.
- The impact of constructivist approaches on physical activity requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare in-class physical activity levels between constructivist and nonconstructivist physical education curricula.
- To determine if a constructivist approach affects student caloric expenditure and movement intensity.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study analyzing data from 41 constructivist and 35 nonconstructivist physical education lessons.
- Measurement of physical activity using metabolic equivalents (MET) and vector magnitude (VM) data.
- Statistical analysis to compare activity levels between curriculum types and within constructivist units.
Main Results:
- Students in both constructivist and nonconstructivist settings exhibited similar low-moderate physical activity levels (MET = 2.6 vs. 2.5, p = .30).
- Significant differences in physical activity were observed between the three units within the constructivist curriculum (p < .05).
Conclusions:
- The constructivist physical education model can support cognitive learning without compromising student physical activity.
- Curriculum design within constructivist physical education influences in-class activity levels.
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