Teacher acceptability of physically active learning in UK secondary schools - a mixed methods study

Area of Science:

• Education
• Public Health
• Pedagogy

Background:

• Significant physical inactivity among UK adolescents necessitates educational reform.
• Physically active learning (PAL) integrates movement into lessons to enhance wellbeing and skills.
• Research on PAL in UK secondary schools is limited compared to primary schools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore UK secondary school teachers' acceptance of PAL.
• To understand teachers' preferences for delivering PAL.
• To identify perceived barriers and facilitators for PAL implementation.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-methods approach using online surveys (N=75) and teacher interviews (N=7).
• Quantitative analysis included descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney U/Kruskal-Wallis tests.
• Qualitative analysis of open-ended survey responses and interviews used the framework method.

Main Results:

• Teachers generally agreed with PAL (median=4.0) and would use it if policy supported it (median=4.0).
• Female teachers showed greater certainty for PAL implementation than males (p=0.04).
• Language teachers perceived PAL as more appropriate than humanities/social science teachers (p=0.01).

Conclusions:

• UK secondary teachers view PAL as a beneficial tool for education, wellbeing, and learning when implemented effectively.
• Findings suggest PAL is logical and enjoyable, aligning with a desire for educational change.
• Further research is needed to support sustainable PAL integration in UK secondary schools.