Education Commons^™

N-95 Masks Have No Effect On Spontaneous Physical Activity, Dalton Lesser, Jake Laufenberg, Zachary Zeigler

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

In recent years, the use of facemasks has greatly increased, especially due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many individuals were required to wear a face mask for long durations. The impact of mask wearing on spontaneous physical activity (PA) is unknown. PURPOSE: This study seeks to determine if wearing an N-95 mask for extended duration would have any impact on spontaneous physical activity. METHODS: 12 total participants aged 18-21 yr. were recruited for this experimental cross-over study. Subjects reported to the lab twice, separated by one week, to receive a wrist-worn accelerometer. One condition was control …

Encouraging Exercise In Pregnancy Through A Video Education Tool: A Pilot Study, Danielle Lewis, Sahana Kukan, Sabrina Kolker

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 4: Issue 1, Article 17, 2023. Evidence-based guidelines recommend physical activity during pregnancy, however, most pregnant individuals fail to achieve the minimum recommended amount of physical activity. Uncertainty about the safety of physical activity is a common reason why pregnant individuals do not participate in regular physical activity. The purpose of this study was to develop an evidence-based educational video and evaluate its effectiveness at improving pregnant individuals’ attitudes regarding the safety of physical activity during pregnancy. Pregnant individuals attending their first prenatal appointment from an urban academic interprofessional teaching unit in Toronto, …

The Study Of A Generalized Fitness Education Program's Effect On Personality Traits, Garrett Schliep

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This longitudinal study was to measure the influence of a generalized fitness education program on the percentile of individuals’ personality traits in college aged individuals. The personality traits are those determined in the Five Factor Model of Personality. The Five Factor Model of Personality is a beneficial tool used in exercise psychology that refers to a broad domain of personality traits often referred to as the “Big Five”. The findings reject the hypothesis that a fitness education program would shift an individual’s personality a statistically significant amount.

The Three R'S Of Exercise: Review, Reframe, Recommend, Liam Arenas-Field

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Physical inactivity presents itself as a public health crisis worldwide, with significant risks to all populations. Two causes we identified are environmental factors and a lack of education. By providing a brief overview of bioenergetics and exercise prescription to the inexperienced, we can help educate and enable people to improve their activity level. Publicly available exercise guidelines often present themselves as very broad and nonspecific. Through further exploration, it becomes apparent that the concepts within more detailed exercise guidelines can be hard to interpret by those inexperienced in kinesiology. A key theme of exercise enjoyment leading to exercise adherence promotes …

A Critical Examination Of An In Class Tabata Based Physical Fitness Protocol On Student Engagement Levels In A Sixth Grade Math Class, Justin R. Kulik

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a Tabata Based Physical Fitness Intervention (TBPFI) on measures of student engagement in a middle school mathematics class. Student engagement was measured with the Student Engagement in Mathematics Scale (SEMS) which a Likert style scale. The results of this survey supplied a numerical rating for the social, emotional, and cognitive engagement of each studentparticipant in the study on days when a TBPFI was implemented and on days when it was not implemented. Additionally, pre- and post-interviews were conducted with the student-participants and the teacher-participant. Finally, researcher observations and rating …

The Effect Of Physical Activity Courses On The Motivation For Physical Activity In College Students: A Scoping Review, Erica Fauste Waizenhofer Hill

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

The lack of physical activity and exercise participation has been an ongoing
problem for young adults aged 18-24. Universities and colleges worldwide offer a variety of required and elective physical activity courses for college credit to increase active participation in lifelong healthy lifestyles. This scoping review collected studies on college students’ motivation to participate in physical activity. The courses were taught using methods based on motivational theories. The authors of the studies collected information from the students before and after the classes to gather data on the theoretical framework’s effect on the students, if any. This review compiles this information, …

Physical Activity Preference And Participation In Middle School Age Students In Kentucky, Fabian Correia

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Physical activity (PA) in youth is significant as it begins to lay the fountain for a healthier lifestyle as children age. The benefits of being regularly physically active are plentiful as it improves muscle strength, cardiovascular, fitness, and cognitive functions (Rodgers, 2008). However, oftentimes in physical education classes, the voice of the student tends to go unheard. The purpose of this study was to determine how the perception or preference to be physically active differs by age, gender, and/or ethnicity in a middle school setting. The goal of this study is to shed ligt on how building a more inclusive …

The Benefits Of Integrating Physical Activity For Elementary School Students, Miriam Olmos

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone examines the benefits of Physical Activity (PA) for elementary school students. Recently, many schools have dedicated most of the school day to teach core subjects where students remain desk bound with greater sedentary time. Many schools have also decided to either cut or reduce Physical Education (P.E.) activities for students. However, through literature review, a 45- anonymous student and teacher survey and an ethnographic interview with a teacher along with class observations, the findings revealed that integrating physical activities along with other core subject matters throughout the school day could help student concentration, motivation and improve their academic …

Effect Of A University Physical Activity Challenge On Levels Of Anxiety, Depression, Stress, And Perceived Dependency Of Wearing A Physical Activity Tracker, Emily M. Jackson, Sarah M. Camhi, Stephanie L. Cooper

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Many studies have researched the benefits of physical activity (PA) and well-being, leading many universities to promote PA on campus. There is limited research on how university-based PA promotion impacts mental health, as well as the impact of wearing a physical activity tracker (PAT) and its potential to create dependency on wearing the device. PURPOSE: To understand the effects of a 4-week campus-wide PA challenge on levels of anxiety, depression, and stress in college students, and the potential dependency effects of wearing a PAT. METHODS: For the duration of the 4-week challenge, 44 undergraduate and 6 graduate students …

Academic Stress And Motivation For Physical Activity In College Students, Gustavo Donis-Castro, Sarah Dunn

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

PURPOSE: Stress and the college experience go hand in hand. Stress has been shown to negatively impact a college student’s life and their confidence. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the influence that academic stress in college students has on one's motivation to participate in physical activity (PA). METHODS: An Institutional Review Board approved Qualtrics, cross-sectional online survey was conducted during the fall 2021 term. This study utilized the 13-item Perceived Stress Inventory (PSI), and 9-item Self-Efficacy for Exercise (SEE), based on studies by Avdija, A. S. (2018) and Resnick, et al. (2000) respectively. Questions …

The Relationship Between Nature Connectedness And Physical Activity Patterns In A Sample Of Collegiate Students, Faculty, And Staff, Destinee Waddy

The Winthrop McNair Research Bulletin

PURPOSE: A strong relationship exists between physical activity (PA) and nature connectedness (NC); the most physically active individuals may also be the most nature connected. Designing PA programs and modifying college campuses through the lens of biophilia can provide a more logical, evidence-based approach to improve overall health and wellness. The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between physical activity and nature connectedness in a sample of collegiate faculty and students. METHODS: Participants completed two previously validated surveys: The International Physical Activity Questionnaire and the Connectedness to Nature Survey. Demographic data (age, race, campus affiliation) were also …

The Big Hearts Program: Developing A Physical Activity Program For Adults With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Kathryn A. Rorer, Vanessa Q. Mikan Phd, Edward K. Merritt Phd

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Less than one-third of the population of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) meet the World Health Organization's (WHO) weekly recommended physical activity (PA) requirements (Temple et al., 2006). This qualitative case study focused on a PA program for five women with IDDs. PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to (a) engage participants in in-person encouragement via completing the tasks with participants and motivational words during activities and (b) assess the level of daily physical activity (via daily step count through an activity tracker). METHODS: Participants completed a month-long study, consisting of wearing a fitness tracker, …

The Impact Of Physical Education On Students’ Performance Outcomes In Mathematics, Ryan Thomas Cox

Theses and Dissertations

Research studies have suggested that students who participate in daily physical activity and who are more physically fit may have improved academic achievement scores. However, pressures on school districts to improve students’ academic achievement in core course areas such as math, science, and English have put less emphasis on courses such as physical education. School districts around the country have eliminated and/or have lessened the amount of physical activity students receive during the school day. This study examined the impact of time of physical education and difference in 9th-grade students’ math achievement scores in their Algebra course and outcomes on …

How Teachers Support Students' Nutrition And Healthy Choices To Reduce Childhood Obesity, Angela Munns

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity is an issue that negatively effects the health and wellbeing of children across theU.S. The problem addressed by this study was the increasing percentage of obesity among elementary students in a southeastern school district. Guided by Bandura’s social learning theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of elementary teachers about increasing student obesity and the challenges they faced in teaching students about health issues in the local school setting. Ten elementary teachers who had knowledge of nutrition and awareness of the student obesity and overweight issues at the study site participated in semistructured …

An International Classification Of Functioning, Disability And Health Perspective On Physical Activity Participation Among Children With Cerebral Palsy, Adrenne T. Newell

Honors College Theses

Children with cerebral palsy do not commonly meet the minimum recommended physical activity guidelines published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Children with cerebral palsy face many functional limitations which can, in turn, affect participation and activity; therefore, this study aimed to identify the predictors of participation and activity among children with cerebral palsy. The study examined associations among poverty levels, neighborhood support, accommodating services, and familial financial burdens as factors influencing participation. Data were taken from the National Survey of Children’s Health. A chi-square test for the association was executed along with a logistic regression.

Teach Pilot Study: Implementation Of An E-Learning Course In Physical Activity And Sedentary Behaviour For Pre- And In-Service Early Childhood Educators (Eces), Faith E.A Heidary, Brianne A. Bruijns, Patricia Tucker

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Early childhood educators (ECEs) are highly influential in promoting healthy movement behaviours (e.g. physical activity [PA] and sedentary behaviour [SB]) in early childhood. It is essential that ECEs gain knowledge and confidence in their ability to incorporate appropriate amounts of high-quality movement experiences for children in their care. However, ECEs do not currently receive related education in their current pre-service programs or professional development in practice.

The Training EArly CHildhood educators in physical activity (TEACH) study intends to improve ECEs’ knowledge, confidence, and intentions regarding promoting healthy movement behaviours by providing comprehensive training in PA, SB, outdoor and risky play …

The Moderating Effect Of Intraoffice Group Dynamics On The Ambulation Of Sms-Prompted Utah Tech Professionals, David Collins Moore

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research examined the extent to which group membership affects the impact of text message activity prompts on daily step count. Two 17-member convenience samples were recruited from various software companies in Utah. The participants in the cohesive group unit sample worked in close proximity to one another in a single office, while the lone participants were recruited from and worked in separate offices. Participants’ daily step count baselines were established during the initial 2 weeks of the experiment, after which they were sent text message activity prompts twice per workweek day for the remaining 4 weeks. Step count data …

Mandated To Move: Teacher Identified Barriers, Facilitators, And Recommendations To Implementing Daily Physical Activity, Lauren Martyn

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Ontario elementary school teachers are mandated to implement 20 minutes of physical activity into classroom instruction each day under the Ontario Daily Physical Activity policy but are experiencing barriers. Effective implementation is essential to school-aged children's daily physical activity recommendation and, ultimately, the physical, cognitive and emotional benefits that coincide. The present study engaged 13 teachers across Ontario who teach in elementary schools through small virtual focus groups. Discussion on the facilitators, barriers, and recommendations to incorporating physical activity in the classroom was explored through the social-cognitive and social-ecological frameworks. A thematic analysis revealed teachers most frequently identified barriers related …

Mobilizing Rural Communities To Create Systemic Changes To Reduce Health Disparities, Denise Everson, Amanda Tedrow, Al Parker Edd

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

USG institutions are creating strategies to enhance community capacity in addressing health inequities, "closing the gap" between suggested optimal development models and helping prepare a visioning masterplan in rural communities.

Teacher Perception Of A Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (Cspap) And Its Effects On Student On-Task Behavior, Jason L. Wilson

Theses and Dissertations--Curriculum and Instruction

The purpose of this instrumental case study was to examine how a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) affects student on-task behavior, disciplinary referrals, as well as teachers’ perception of the CSPAP’s effect on student on-task behavior. Specifically, the impacts that doubling recess time and daily physical education (PE) at the study school site had on student on-task behavior was examined. Three research questions were examined, and each question contained sub-questions: 1) What is the school’s CSPAP? 2) What are the perceived effects of the CSPAP based on teachers’ perspectives? and 3) What are the instructional design elements of the …

Teachers' Perspectives On The Impact Of Physical Activity On Classroom Behavior, Emma Vasek

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Research shows that there are numerous benefits to allowing students to be physically active throughout the school day, such as increasing motivation, decreasing behavioral issues, and improving on-task behavior (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018) The purpose of this research was to assess, from the perspective of teachers and teacher aids, the relationship between physical activity and elementary school aged students’ academic and behavioral performance in the classroom. Previous research conducted supports that the inclusion of physical activity during the school day helps improve students’ academic and behavioral performance in the classroom. Teachers and teacher aides were chosen as …

An Examination Of High School Physical Education Teachers Support Of Students’ Physical Activity Self-Efficacy, Ken Murfay

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Providing students with experiences to increase their confidence (self-efficacy) to be physically active is important because of the many health benefits associated with physical activity (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 2020). Several studies have shown that physical activity (PA) tends to decline as students age (Cooper et al., 2015; Metcalf et al., 2015; Troiano et al., 2008) and the largest declines usually occur in adolescence (Sallis, 2000). It is recommended that physical education (PE) serve as an intervention to promote PA and provide students with experiences to increase motor competence and PA knowledge (Weiss, 2013). Interventions within …

Move For A Healthy Mind: A Program Of Peer-Led Physical Activity For Adolescents With Depression And Anxiety, Emily Edwards

Master's Projects and Capstones

The following discusses adolescent depression and anxiety and the utilization of physical activity as an intervention or coping mechanism. Adolescents have been experiencing increased rates of anxiety or depression diagnoses over the past roughly two decades. Adolescence is, physiologically, a formative period in the developmental stage from childhood to adulthood. Current barriers to achieving optimal mental health among the adolescent population include the stigmatization of mental health issues, lack of education, socioeconomic status and healthcare access. Further, physical activity has been studied and identified to be an effective treatment for individuals experiencing depression and anxiety. In an effort to treat …

Health Ambassadors: A Model For Engaging Community Leaders To Promote Better Health, Sandra Torres

Master's Projects and Capstones

Obesity continues to be a growing epidemic in the United States. Individuals who live in low-income communities’ face inequities in areas that continue to have adverse and long-lasting consequences. These consequences can extend from economic conditions, social support, and a lack of access to healthy eating choices and physical activity, all of which contribute to higher obesity rates. It is essential to increase opportunities for change in low-income communities and provide ongoing recommendations to policymakers to allocate resources where it is needed. This paper aims to examine a Health Ambassador model in low-income communities tailored to residents in public housing …

Understanding The Effects Of Physical Activity On Executive Functioning And Psycho-Emotional Well-Being In Children With Adhd, Hannah B. Bigelow

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A short bout of physical activity has been shown to improve executive functioning in children. However, the implications for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been understudied. We examined the impact of a 10min bout of physical activity on executive functioning and psycho-emotional well-being in children with ADHD. Participants engaged in two lab-based sessions separated by 1-week: a physical activity session and a control session. The physical activity session included a 10min bout of moderate-intensity biking, with a pre-post battery of cognitive and psycho-emotional assessments. The control session consisted of 10mins of silent reading. We used functional imaging …

The Effects Of A School-Based Physical Education Course On Seventh Grade Academic Achievement, Gregory Allen Beasley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study examined academic achievement of seventh grade students from a local school district in Cincinnati, OH. Academic achievement and physical activity are both of importance and beneficial to an individual. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to determine whether students who are participating in school-based physical education (P.E.) courses exhibited higher academic achievements. The sample consisted of 290 seventh grade students for the school year (2015-2016), 312 for the school year (2016-2017), and 339 for the school year (2017-2018). For seventh grade students, archival data was received from the school, which included ethnicity, gender, Grade Point Averages …

Project-Based Learning In Kinesiology, Hosung So

Q2S Enhancing Pedagogy

In this syllabus, project-based learning (PBL) was integrated and implemented in physical education teacher education course (KINE473). Students were guided to choose a project that promotes physical activity and meets learning outcomes required by national and state standards for K-12 physical education. As learning outcomes for the project-based learning (PBL), students in a group of 3-4 planned and produced a video clip that could be used for physical education classes with minimum and limited equipment, which could solve current issues facing with physical education classes, such as school finance, space limitation, and limited resources to teach physical activity. An example …

Fitnessgram Assessment Results In Five Rural Counties Of Georgia, Tara L. Underwood, Jimmie H. Smith Jr, Dawood H. Sultan

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: Childhood obesity continues to be more prevalent in the United States (US) than ever before. Youth who reside in rural areas tend to experience higher risks of obesity and overweight status, mainly due to barriers to physical activity. Even though the US federal government has mandated a daily requirement of physical activity for all school-age children, the majority of youth from rural communities tend to not achieve the recommended Health Fitness Zone (HFZ) goals.

Methods: The FITNESSGRAM is the instrument that has been used to measure and report students’ physical activity and body mass index (BMI) based …

Legitimate Physical Education - Emphasis On The Education, Daniel K. Drost, John R. Todorovich, Keith Young

Perspectives In Learning

Many educators and members of the lay public have differing definitions and understandings of school physical education. Based largely on personal experience or perception, many believe that school physical education should merely be a time during the day where children and adolescents are physically active in an effort to produce healthy outcomes. However, this is not only an improbable outcome, it greatly limits opportunities for children to become proficient within the psychomotor learning domain. Because school physical education is the only subject area where the physical domain is strictly addressed, the purpose of this essay is to define, affirm, and …

Two Studies Conceptualizing Physical Literacy For Assessment Of High School Students In The United States, Chelsee Shortt

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Toward the advancement of physical literacy (PL) in the United States, the purpose of this dissertation was to operationalize the construct and work toward a foundational framework to which PL can be assessed. The purpose of Study 1 was to develop an operational conceptualization of PL via a modified Delphi approach. The purpose of Study 2 was to expand upon the findings from Study 1 by exploring adolescents' perceptions of PL using repertory grid analysis (RGA).

Methods: Study 1 used a sequential, mixed methods design. Participants (N=22) were national and international PL academics with peer-reviewed publications on PL or …