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All Subjects: Academic Achievement
All Subjects: Let's Move!
Creators: Kulinna, Pamela
Creators: Johnson, Benjamin Howard
Member of: Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
Resource Type: Text

Physical Fitness and Academic Achievement: The Mind-Body Connection

Description

Children's wellbeing has been of utmost concern to society, and recently this topic has taken a particular focus in both health and achievement. As the focus shifts towards promoting a healthier and more academically successful youth, the relationship between the two warrants investigation. Specifically, the relationship between physical fitness and academic performance (i.e. grades) in 4th grade students was assessed. A cross-sectional design was used to assess physical fitness of children (M=9.39 years) by means of the FITNESSGRAM assessment tool. Third-quarter grades were used to measure academic performance. Relationships between the variables were determined through bivariate plots, Pearson product moment correlation analysis, independent t-tests, and a three-step regression analysis. The results show a significant relationship between students' aerobic fitness and academic performance. Furthermore, the findings of this study suggest incremental validity between aerobic fitness and academic performance, thus implying predictive value associated with increased physical fitness and academic achievement.

ContributorsMoore, Shannon (Author) / Kulinna, Pamela (Thesis director) / Hoffner, Kristin (Committee member) / Stylianou, Michalis (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor)

Created2012-12

Analyzing Successful Participation in the First Lady's Let's Move! Initiative: A Collaboration Between Let's Move! Active Schools and the Community Action Research Experiences (CARE) Program

Description

Obesity has been designated as a global epidemic by the World Health Organization since 1998. Over the past 30 years, the prevalence of this epidemic has increased by two-fold in adults and three-fold in children. Let's Move! Active Schools (LMAS) seeks to fight obesity and promote healthy environments in schools. In collaboration with the Community Action Research Experiences (CARE) program at Arizona State University, three elementary schools in the greater Phoenix area were studied to determine factors associated with success or barriers to implementation of LMAS. Interviews were conducted with three physical educators to determine: the initial appeal and reason the school was attracted to LMAS, how leadership buy-in and participation have affected the success of LMAS in each school, how the resources and support provided by LMAS have best ensured the success of LMAS in each school, what LMAS can do to ensured the sustainability and continued success of the initiative, and how each school has implemented the five core principals of the Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP). Results of the interviews demonstrated that programs previously in place in the elementary school resembling LMAS aided in successful implementation as well as leadership buy-in and participation's positive effect on implementation. The resource most used by physical educators at the three elementary and district advocates and more local workshops were two of the resources requested by the physical educators. The five principals of CSPAP were found to be incorporated at each of the elementary schools. The principal at the award winning school was interviewed and expressed the value she saw in LMAS. Suggestions for more successful implementation of LMAS included targeting the administration, pushing the online material, clarifying the availability of local workshops, and promoting movement lab activities.

ContributorsWhisonant, Cees (Author) / Kulinna, Pamela (Thesis director) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)

Created2016-05

Parental Expectations and Future Pathways to Success

Description

Expectation for college attendance in the United States continues to rise as more jobs require degrees. This study aims to determine how parental expectations affect high school students in their decision to attend college. By examining parental expectations that were placed on current college students prior to and during the application period, we can determine the positive and negative outcomes of these expectations as well as the atmosphere they are creating. To test the hypothesis, an online survey was distributed to current ASU and Barrett, Honors College students regarding their experience with college applications and their parents' influence on their collegiate attendance. A qualitative analysis of the data was conducted in tandem with an analysis of several case studies to determine the results. These data show that parental expectations are having a significant impact on the enrollment of high school students in college programs. With parents placing these expectations on their children, collegiate enrollment will continue to increase. Further studies will be necessary to determine the specific influences these expectations are placing on students.

ContributorsJohnson, Benjamin Howard (Co-author) / Scheller, Sara (Co-author) / Kappes, Janelle (Thesis director) / Fairbanks, Elizabeth (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)

Created2021-05