Physically Active Lessons Improve Lesson Activity and On-Task Behavior: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial of the...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric health
• Educational psychology
• Behavioral science

Background:

• Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for physically active lessons are infrequent.
• Integrating physical activity into classroom settings requires effective, evidence-based strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the "Virtual Traveller" (VT) intervention's impact on physical activity, on-task behavior, and student engagement.
• To assess the feasibility of using interactive whiteboards for delivering physical activity interventions in schools.

Main Methods:

• A cluster-randomized controlled trial involving 219 children aged 8-9 years from 10 London schools.
• The intervention group received 6 weeks of 10-minute VT sessions thrice weekly during math and English lessons.
• Outcomes included sedentary behavior (SB), light physical activity (LPA), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), on-task behavior, and student engagement, measured at multiple time points.

Main Results:

• VT intervention led to significantly less sedentary behavior and more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during lesson time.
• Pupils in the VT group demonstrated improved on-task behavior compared to the control group.
• No significant differences were observed in overall school-day, weekend-day activity, or student engagement between groups.

Conclusions:

• The Virtual Traveller intervention effectively reduces sedentary behavior and increases physical activity during lessons.
• Integrating physical activity into teaching via interactive whiteboards can enhance on-task behavior.
• This method shows potential for improving student well-being without compromising educational objectives.