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Background: Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health concerns in the United States and has been associated with low levels of physical activity. Schools are ideal physical activity promotion sites but school physical activity opportunities have decreased due the increased focus on academic performance. Before-school programs provide

Background: Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health concerns in the United States and has been associated with low levels of physical activity. Schools are ideal physical activity promotion sites but school physical activity opportunities have decreased due the increased focus on academic performance. Before-school programs provide a good opportunity for children to engage in physical activity as well as improve their readiness to learn. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a before-school running/walking club on children's physical activity and on-task behavior. Methods: Participants were third and fourth grade children from two schools in the Southwestern United States who participated in a before-school running/walking club that met two times each week. The study employed a two-phase experimental design with an initial baseline phase and an alternating treatments phase. Physical activity was monitored using pedometers and on-task behavior was assessed through systematic observation. Data analysis included visual analysis, descriptive statistics, as well as multilevel modeling. Results: Children accumulated substantial amounts of physical activity within the before-school program (School A: 1731 steps, 10:02 MVPA minutes; School B: 1502 steps, 8:30 MVPA minutes) and, on average, did not compensate by decreasing their physical activity during the rest of the school day. Further, on-task behavior was significantly higher on days the children attended the before-school program than on days they did not (School A=15.78%, pseudo-R2=.34 [strong effect]; School B=14.26%, pseudo-R2=.22 [moderate effect]). Discussion: Results provide evidence for the positive impact of before-school programs on children's physical activity and on-task behavior. Such programs do not take time away from academics and may be an attractive option for schools.
ContributorsStylianou, Michalis (Author) / Kulinna, Pamela H. (Thesis advisor) / Van Der Mars, Hans (Committee member) / Amazeen, Eric (Committee member) / Adams, Marc (Committee member) / Mahar, Matthew T. (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
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Whole school physical activity (PA) programming provides additional PA opportunities at school beyond Physical Education. Physical Educators often absorb the additional responsibilities of leading such programs, resulting in some Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) programs adopting expanded PA programming and integrating related topics into their curriculum. The Comprehensive School Physical

Whole school physical activity (PA) programming provides additional PA opportunities at school beyond Physical Education. Physical Educators often absorb the additional responsibilities of leading such programs, resulting in some Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) programs adopting expanded PA programming and integrating related topics into their curriculum. The Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) is of interest to the present study as it focuses on Quality Physical Education and is the model utilized at the institution of interest.

Arizona State University’s PETE program began integrating CSPAP concepts in 2009 and serves as the focal program for this study. The purpose of this study, which was informed by The Diffusion of Innovations and the Teacher Socialization Theories, was to determine the degree to which graduates integrate PA programming into their own K-12 schools. In a two-phase (electronic survey followed by campus visit and interview with sub-sample), mixed methods’ approach, 101 graduates (between the years of 2000-2019) of Arizona State University’s PETE program provided details of their current practices related to expanded PA.

Results: Quantitative findings included weak but positive relationships between year of graduation and knowledge of CSPAP and having positive perceptions of expanded PA as an innovation. Bachelors’ graduates reported higher PA integration than Masters’ graduates. Visual inspection of data shows a slight increase in perceptions of expanded PA as an innovation and a slight decrease in PA programming integration across years of graduation. Interviews provided evidence that more recent graduates may still be figuring out their roles, delaying their PA program. Increased perceptions scores suggest the PETE program at ASU has been successful in providing students positive interactions with expanded PA programming. Graduates indicated they felt well prepared with strategies and resources for promoting and maintaining such programs, but they noted a need for more exposure to tools for initiating a new program. Findings can inform changes in the ASU PETE program and may be applicable in other settings. Establishing ongoing contact with graduates to provide marketing and support tools graduates can access may be beneficial as teachers often realize the need for these materials well beyond graduation.
ContributorsMulhearn, Shannon Colleen (Author) / Kulinna, Pamela H (Thesis advisor) / Van Der Mars, Hans (Committee member) / Ellison, Douglas W. (Committee member) / McMullen, Jaimie M (Committee member) / Stylianou, Michalis (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020