the current issues in physical education

Articles on Physical education

Displaying 1 - 20 of 36 articles.

New government guidance for PE lets teachers and pupils down

David Grecic , University of Central Lancashire ; Alan Thomson , University of Central Lancashire , and Andrew Sprake , University of Central Lancashire

Is exercise really good for the brain? Here’s what the science says

Matthieu P. Boisgontier , L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa and Boris Cheval , Université de Genève

Girls should get the chance to play football at school – but PE needs a major rehaul for all students

Shrehan Lynch , University of East London

School playgrounds are getting squeezed: here are 8 ways to keep students active in small spaces

Brendon Hyndman , Charles Sturt University ; Jessica Amy Sears , Charles Sturt University , and Vaughan Cruickshank , University of Tasmania

Outdoor education has psychological, cognitive and physical health benefits for children

Jean-Philippe Ayotte-Beaudet , Université de Sherbrooke and Felix Berrigan , Université de Sherbrooke

London’s Olympic legacy: research reveals why £2.2 billion investment in primary school PE has failed teachers

Vicky Randall , University of Winchester and Gerald Griggs

How sport can help young people to become better citizens

Vaughan Cruickshank , University of Tasmania and Casey Peter Mainsbridge , University of Tasmania

Missing out on PE during lockdowns means students will be playing  catch-up

Jora Broerse , Victoria University ; Cameron Van der Smee , Federation University Australia , and Jaimie-Lee Maple , Victoria University

Disabled children still face exclusion in PE – here’s what needs to change

Tom Gibbons , Teesside University and Kevin Dixon , Northumbria University, Newcastle

Taking the circus to school: How kids benefit from learning trapeze, juggling and unicycle in gym class

Marion Cossin , Université de Montréal

Thinking of choosing a health or PE subject in years 11 and 12? Here’s what you need to know

Brendon Hyndman , Charles Sturt University and Vaughan Cruickshank , University of Tasmania

Aussie kids are some of the least active in the world. We developed a cheap school program that gets results

Taren Sanders , Australian Catholic University ; Chris Lonsdale , Australian Catholic University ; David Lubans , University of Newcastle ; Michael Noetel , Australian Catholic University , and Philip D Parker , Australian Catholic University

When men started to obsess over  six-packs

Conor Heffernan , The University of Texas at Austin

PE can do much more than keep children fit – but its many benefits are often overlooked

David Grecic , University of Central Lancashire ; Andrew Sprake , University of Central Lancashire , and Robin Taylor , University of Central Lancashire

Distance learning makes it harder for kids to exercise, especially in low-income communities

Katelyn Esmonde , Johns Hopkins University and Keshia Pollack Porter , Johns Hopkins University

Kids need physical education – even when they can’t get it at school

Collin A. Webster , University of South Carolina

Learning through adventure: the many skills that can be taught outside the classroom

Gary Stidder , University of Brighton

Kids aren’t getting enough exercise, even in sporty Seattle

Julie McCleery , University of Washington

Bushwalking and bowls in schools: we need to teach kids activities they’ll go on to enjoy

Vaughan Cruickshank , University of Tasmania ; Brendon Hyndman , Charles Sturt University , and Shane Pill , Flinders University

How children who dread PE lessons at school can be given a sporting chance

Kiara Lewis , University of Huddersfield

Related Topics

• Child health
• Physical activity
• School sport

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Program Director – Health and Physical Education, Maths/Science, Faculty of Education, University of Tasmania

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Reader in Sports Science (Clinical Physiology), University of Essex

Professor of Sport and Physical Education, University of Central Lancashire

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What’s Wrong With Physical Education?

This article was originally published in our  Fall 2019 print issue .

P hysical education has a bad reputation and is often underfunded in schools. Maybe it’s time for that to change.

Between uncomfortable locker room experiences, endless laps around the track, and gym teachers’ historically unpleasant media representation, most Americans have negative experiences and attitudes towards physical education, commonly referred to as PE. However, PE doesn’t inherently have to be boring or humiliating. It can be a fun, educational way for students to get recommended levels of exercise and become empowered to lead an active lifestyle. And it’s not that PE teachers are slacking when it comes to curriculum development; most educators and school boards recognize the benefits of a robust physical education program. Rather, PE has historically been de-prioritized in the public education system, which has lead to a devaluation of programs nationwide.

This trend leads back to President Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which funneled tax dollars into “core academic subjects” to raise national average test scores. To make up for this, programs involving physical education and the arts were cut. Although the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act increased PE’s federal funding during the Obama administration, the subject is still not a priority in public education. This means in recent years, there’s been a decrease in funds allocated to PE while obesity rates in the United States skyrocket. Currently, budget cuts have forced many educators to moonlight as gym teachers while also teaching “core” math or science classes. While PE doesn’t seem like something that should be in core curriculum, normalizing physical activity is incredibly important because we’re stuck with the consequences of our health-related choices for the rest of our lives.

Physical Education and Public Health

While there are many ways to exercise, schools are the ideal place to implement physical education programs, explains Dr. Hannah Thompson, because we have the greatest ability to reach the most children. Thompson, a community health research scientist at UC Berkeley, has worked extensively in physical education and school health. From a public health perspective, the education system seems like the best way to implement PE on a large scale. Much like school-based interventions are used to roll out vaccinations and antibiotics, compulsory education gives us a valuable framework for curriculum structure and standardization, with the same basic physical education foundation for every student.

Another public health concern is the lack of a consistent, equitable opportunity for kids to get physical activity. PE through the public education system can mitigate health disparities. While children in wealthier neighborhoods benefit from sports leagues and dance studios, PE classes are the only organized way for many lower-income kids to get much-needed exercise. However, the National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP) found that budget cuts had differential impacts on physical education, resulting in racial disparities. Thompson maintains that Black and Latinx students are less likely to be physically active and have PE teachers. These factors lead to lower fitness, which is correlated with poor academic performance, among other adverse outcomes.

Lack of physical activity, especially in young people, has the potential to exacerbate existing health disparities affecting socially vulnerable populations. Physical education “level[s] the playing field from the beginning,” Thompson concludes, “and evidence shows that it has the potential to have a positive impact.”

Although all physical education programs should follow the same standards, research suggests there are access gaps from school to school. Students are entitled to a comprehensive physical education, so it’s important to measure whether each program’s implementation is effective. Although PE isn’t as well-researched as other fields in public health, more school-specific data is needed to account for the differential access gap. Schools benefit from specific feedback regarding their performance relative to national standards and realistic solutions. “Schools are not Petri dishes,” Thompson explains, maintaining that the greatest challenge lies in testing program effectiveness in the real world rather than their efficacy in a controlled setting. Although schools would like to have more resources for physical education, it’s important to set realistic goals while allocating more funds for future programs.

President Barack Obama, above, signs the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2016. The Every Student Succeeds Act followed the No Child Left Behind Act and increased federal funding for physical education, but PE continues to be neglected.

What’s Next?

Although it’s hard to find fans of middle-school swim PE, most readers can probably think of a pleasant experience associated with physical activity. Whether it’s going to dance classes at the RSF, playing intramural sports, or hiking the Fire Trails, there are plenty of ways to be active that don’t involve running laps on a track.

“Traditionally, in PE, there has been a focus on developing students into athletes,” explains Thompson, “but it would really be valuable to view PE as a public health tool to educate students and empower kids so they’re able to participate in any activity they enjoy.” She lists topics like movement skills, increasing endurance, and teamwork that aren’t addressed in most K-12 PE curricula.

For a curriculum that does cover these topics, UC Berkeley students don’t need to look any further than their own PE Department, UCPE. Toni Mar, who teaches physical education at UC Berkeley, emphasizes the importance of the “E” in PE — providing a strong educational foundation for physical activity, based on biomechanics and kinesiology. Mar contrasted her unpleasant high school PE experience with her gym class in middle school, where she had a teacher that took time to explain both how and why to do certain exercises while making the classes enjoyable.

“If you enjoy what you’re doing, you’ll do it again,” she explained, and related that this is what she aims to do in her classes: explaining the why and how behind all activities and cultivating the motivation to learn and be active. Kavya Nambiar, a senior at UC Berkeley explains that, in her experience with the UCPE department, the curricula value “learning correct and safe techniques, not just exercise for exercise’s sake.” The intentionality and robustness of physical education at Berkeley is a testament to the resources and faculty we have in the department — and to what PE should be like at schools everywhere.

While researchers like Thompson provide information to schools on what they can do to improve PE within their existing infrastructures, we as individuals can take the same approach to our physical education. For example, it’s not realistic for many college students to spend hours at the gym every day, but that doesn’t mean they should forgo exercise altogether. Nambiar relates that, as a college student, it was difficult for her to consistently work out at the gym. She added that taking PE classes offered a way to build consistent exercise habits, receive units for her time, and integrate physical activity into her lifestyle. It’s important to normalize exercise, as individual and group-level changes can lead to nationwide shifts in physical activity in educational, social, and public health contexts. We ought to examine what we can do to keep ourselves happy and healthy while doing what we can to ensure all Americans have the same chance of physical education and empowerment.

Why Physical Education Can’t Be a Casualty of the Pandemic

Physical education provides a range of benefits to children; the fact that it’s been sidelined during school phase-back plans is a tragedy.

Commentary: PE Shouldn’t Be a Casualty of the Pandemic

Katherine Frey | The Washington Post | Getty Images

Students are social distancing during physical education class at Nitschmann Middle School, Oct. 14, 2020, in Bethlehem, PA.

A hard and fast warning was just issued from the United Kingdom and it affects our children. U.S. policymakers, educators and administrators, take note. The warning: the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated declines in children's physical fitness, excessive weight and mental health. Action is needed.

Sadly, in the U.S., two epidemics pre-dated COVID-19: an obesity epidemic and a mental health crisis. In fact, these two epidemics have been intensified by the global health pandemic, particularly for children. Suspected childhood obesity rates are on the rise with evidence suggesting long-term negative impacts and mental health-related pediatric emergency room visits were up by 31% by the end of 2020.

In the U.S., the prevalence of childhood obesity is 18.9% ; almost a fifth of our children are overweight, with disproportionately higher rates identified in vulnerable children, like those from a lower socioeconomic status and children with disabilities. Children who are obese are more likely to have poorer social emotional health, and physical activity is a known behavior to combat obesity and aid in improving mental health .

Photos: America's Pandemic Toll

For many children, it's been a year of schooling from home. This means substantial screen time and limited physical activity. Like most teachers, physical educators pivoted in March 2020, and creatively managed to teach physical education via virtual learning environments. Their role has been critical in ensuring students are active and maintaining the learning that would have occurred in physical education for the past year. Their efforts have been nothing but exceptional and, as they know, it was always a temporary substitute for in-person learning.

Physical educators teach a range of skills including but not limited to hand-eye coordination, balance, sport-specific skills, and how to transfer learned skills to community participation, which is known to uplift social-emotional health and possibly academics . The American Academy of Pediatrics agrees that schools play a critical role in providing opportunities for childhood physical activity. Physical educators are experts at combating the childhood physical inactivity epidemic and childhood mental health crisis – both epidemics silently but surely reaching a boiling point.

Yet, trends indicate that physical education is being left out of many phase-back plans for students as the pandemic lifts. I've heard stories of limited physical education, such as only 15 minutes per week and stories like gymnasiums, the primary physical education classrooms, being repurposed in phase-back plans, often retrofitted with dividers to act as traditional classrooms. Some schools, using hybrid-style phase-back plans, have left physical education online , neglecting to consider it for in-person learning .

This practice does not align with education laws.

Equitable access to physical education is vital to embracing physical activity as a lifelong behavior. In the United States, physical education is clearly identified as a part of a well-rounded education in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). And in fact, the overarching special education law in the U.S., the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act ( IDEA ), indicates that physical education is a direct service for children with disabilities. This means physical education can and should be included in every individual education plan (IEP) for children with disabilities.

I don't want to be facile about the difficult decisions teachers, administrators and districts consider as their schools return to a new normal. But undervaluing the role of physical education is inappropriate – it is a part of a well-rounded education by law and a part of a student with a disability's IEP, a legal document. To sideline trained experts in our children's physical and mental health is a problem. Furthermore, physical educators are being asked to aid the school in ways that depreciate their training . I've heard stories, for example, of PE teachers being asked to monitor hallways.

The benefits of physical activity are well-known and well-documented. They have profound lifelong health benefits, such as better cardiovascular health, stronger muscles and bones, improved mental health, and lower risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and other diseases. The American College of Sports Medicine has an initiative called Exercise is Medicine; if a dose of physical activity came in the form of a pill, everyone would take it. But physical activity is not a pill. It is a behavior that is learned, taught, practiced and reinforced. It is a behavior that is powerful for our health, education and life.

If we get it right, we can ensure a healthier future for our children that includes education about physical activity and knowledge about how it positively impacts mental health.

Our collective need for movement has never been clearer. And we don't have time to miss out on opportunities to improve the mental and physical health of our children.

Physical education needs to take priority in school phase-back plans.

In fact, the law requires it.

Megan MacDonald is an associate professor of kinesiology in the College of Public Health & Human Sciences at Oregon State University and the IMPACT for Life Faculty Scholar. She is also the director of the early childhood research core at the university's Hallie E. Ford Center for Children & Families and a public voices fellow through the OpEd Project.

Tags: children's health , children , public health , Coronavirus , pandemic , public schools , K-12 education , United States

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New Research Examines Physical Education in America

By Morgan Clennin, PhD, MPH, Kaiser Permanente of Colorado, University of South Carolina, and National Physical Activity Plan

School-based physical education (PE) is recommended by the Community Guide as an effective strategy to promote physical activity among youth. Unfortunately, many have speculated that PE exposure has declined precipitously among U.S. students in the past decade. Limited resources and budgets, prioritization of core academic subjects, and several other barriers have been cited as potential drivers of these claims. However, few large-scale studies have explored the merit of these claims – leaving the answers following questions unknown:

Has PE attendance decreased among U.S. students in the past decades?

What policies and practices are in place to support quality PE?

To answer these questions, the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition tasked the National Physical Activity Plan Alliance (NPAPA) to review the available evidence and summarize their findings. The primary objective of this effort was to better understand PE exposure over time to inform national recommendations and strategies for PE.

The NPAPA began by establishing a collaborative partnership with experts in the federal government, industry, and academia. The group analyzed existing national data sources that could be used to examine changes in PE attendance and current implementation of PE policies and practices. These efforts culminated in a final report and two peer-reviewed manuscripts. A summary of the group’s findings are outlined below.

Key Findings:

• 1/2 of U.S. high school students did not attend PE classes—which is consistent over the 24-year period studied (1991-2015).
• The percentage of U.S. high school students reporting PE attendance did not change significantly between 1991 and 2015 for the overall sample or across sex and race/ethnicity subgroup.
• Daily PE attendance did decrease 16% from 1991 to 1995 then attendance rates remained stable through 2015.
• > 65% of schools implemented 2-4 of the 7 essential PE policies
• Implementation of PE policies varied by region, metropolitan status, and school level.
• Data indicates minority students have been disproportionately affected by cuts to school PE programs during the past two decades.

Recommendations Based on Key Findings:

• Prioritize efforts to expand collection of surveillance data examining trends in PE attendance among elementary and middle school students.
• Develop policies to improve PE access for all students in order for PE to contribute to increased physical activity among youth.
• Adopt policies and programs that prioritize PE to maximize the benefits of PE.
• Utilize the findings of these efforts to target professional development and technical assistance for PE practitioners.

The Education sector of the NPAP provides evidence-based strategies and tactics that can guide efforts to support the provision of quality PE to all students. More information, and links to the respective manuscripts, can be found on the NPAPA website: http://physicalactivityplan.org/projects/physicaleducation.html

The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.

Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by ODPHP or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.

You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.

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Supporting Physical Education in Schools for All Youth

• Policy Statements and Advocacy
• Policy Statement Database
• Development Process
• Archiving Process
• Proposed Policy Statements
• Date: Oct 26 2021
• Policy Number: 20211

Key Words: Physical Activity, Education, School Health, Obesity

Abstract This policy statement provides scientific evidence that schools are unique places where children should be engaged in physical activity. However, most school policies and programs are not supportive of physical activity in the school day, specifically physical education. Considering that 30.4% of youth are overweight or obese and that 76.8% do not meet the daily physical activity recommendations, and considering the benefits of physical activity with respect to increased ability to concentrate and learn, it is of the utmost importance to incorporate policies and programs that facilitate healthy engagement in physical activity in schools. Marginalized youth from low-income families, communities of color, immigrant communities, and others are disproportionately impacted by lack of supportive policies and programming. This policy statement calls for comprehensive and cooperative actions from the public health community, schools, administrators, researchers, and community members to increase physical activity opportunities through physical education in order to engage youth in at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily.

Relationship to Existing Policy Statements 

• APHA Policy Statement 20137: Improving Health and Wellness through Access to Nature
• APHA Policy Statement 20172: Supporting the Updated National Physical Activity Plan
• APHA Policy Statement 201515: The Role of Health Education Specialists in a Post-Health Reform Environment
• APHA Policy Statement 20079: Building a Public Health Infrastructure for Physical Activity Promotion
• APHA Policy Statement 9709: Promoting Public Health Through Physical Activity
• APHA Policy Statement 20044: Creating Policies on Land Use and Transportation Systems that Promote Public Health
• APHA Policy Statement 20058: Supporting the WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health
• APHA Policy Statement 200619: Urgent Call for a Nationwide Public Health Infrastructure and Action to Reverse the Obesity Epidemic
• APHA Policy Statement 201514: Building Environments and a Public Health Workforce to Support Physical Activity Among Older Adults
• APHA Policy Statement 20121: Supporting the National Physical Activity Plan
• APHA Policy Statement 201415: Support for Social Determinants of Behavioral Health and Pathways for Integrated and Better Public Health

Problem Statement Obesity is an important health issue among children in the United States. According to the 2019 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 16.1% of U.S. youth are overweight and 19.3% are obese.[1] Moreover, racial, socioeconomic, and gender disparities exist in terms of risk factors associated with being overweight or obese. The chronic disease burden is consistent with the disproportionately high percentages of overweight and obese youth in racial minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. According to data from the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), 37.7% of Black youth and 38.8% of Hispanic youth are overweight or obese, as compared with just 27.7% of White youth.[2]

P hysical inactivity is a significant risk factor for obesity and other chronic conditions.[3] As the proportion of students who are overweight or obese has increased, so has inactivity. Empirical evidence suggests that physical activity may be used as a standalone strategy to decrease adiposity among children.[4] It is recommended that school-aged children and adolescents (6–17 years of age) engage in 60 minutes of physical activity seven days per week.[5] According to data from the 2019 YRBSS, 76.8% of youth do not meet the recommended amounts of physical activity.[2] The same data set indicates that adolescent girls, in particular, are at a higher risk for being inactive as they age; 84.6% of girls do not meet the physical activity guideline of 60 minutes per day seven days a week, as compared with 69.1% of boys.[2] In addition, inactive youth are more likely to be inactive as adults.[6] Starting physical activity early is essential to prevent inactivity in adulthood and older adulthood.

Physical activity provides benefits beyond physical health. For example, it is associated with a reduced risk for depression.[7] Trends for contemplating and making a plan for suicide are increasing among White, Hispanic, and Black youth, and there are racial and ethnic disparities in terms of mental health challenges among youth.[5] In 2019, 40.0% of Hispanic youth reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, as compared with 36.0% of White youth and 31.5% of Black youth.[5]

In addition to the long-term health benefits of child physical activity, there are numerous academic-related benefits, which the body of evidence continues to expand.[8] Extensive research has demonstrated strong positive correlations between physical activity and higher levels of physical fitness and academic achievement, educational attainment, academic performance, and brain functioning.[8–10] In fact, physical activity participation has both intermediate and long-term benefits with respect to academic performance. Research has shown that, immediately following engagement in physical activity, children have improved concentration on classroom tasks, which may potentially enhance learning.[8]

It is recommended that schools provide 150 minutes of instructional physical education for elementary school children and 225 minutes for middle and high school students per week for the entire school year.[11] However, only Oregon and the District of Columbia have requirements that meet the recommendations for minutes of physical education.[12] Physical education requirements notably decrease after the fifth grade, which aligns with significant decreases in physical activity in youth. Only 8.7% of schools require physical education for 12th grade, as compared with 45.1% of schools for fifth grade.[13]

The lack of universal physical education requirements at all grade levels and the lack of funding dedicated to physical education facilitate inactivity. The median school physical education budget in the United States is just $764 per year,[12] which may further hinder schools from meeting physical education recommendations. Ohinmaa and colleagues suggested that grants, donations, and fundraising account for about half of all funding for school health.[14] Improving physical education policies nationwide has the potential to reduce overall health care costs by $60.5 million within 10 years.[15]

Students who attend physical education in school are two to three times more likely to be physically active outside of school and nearly twice as likely to be active in adulthood.[16] Furthermore, physical education has been shown to be an opportunity for students to gain many of their recommended minutes of physical activity, but many students do not attend or participate in these classes.[13] According to 2019 YRBSS data, about half of high school students attend physical education classes one or more days per week.[2] Therefore, targeting middle and high schools is uniquely important because a significant drop in physical education attendance and physical activity participation occurs between the seventh and 12th grades.[11]

Evidence-Based Strategies to Address the Problem   Youth spend a significant portion of their time at school[17]; therefore, schools are one of the most important places for physical activity interventions.[18] According to the Society of Health and Physical Educators, schools should require physical education for students in kindergarten through grade 12.[19] Specifically, all students within secondary school (which includes middle school and high school) should achieve 225 minutes of physical activity per week, while students in primary school (which includes elementary school) should achieve 150 minutes per week.[19]

Current evidence-based strategies to increase physical activity among youth are described below.

Improving school-based physical education: According to the Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF),[20] enhanced school-based physical education involves changing the curriculum and coursework for K–12th-grade students to increase the amount of time students spend engaging in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during physical education classes. Enhanced school-based physical education is defined as increasing the amount of time students spend completing MVPA during physical education classes to at least 50% of class time.[20] The CPSTF specifically recommended improving physical education teaching strategies by (1) incorporating modified games and substituting sedentary games with active games and (2) including physical education lesson plans that incorporate fitness and circuit training activities.[20]

Lonsdale and colleagues highlighted effective strategies to increase MVPA, which included teacher professional learning focusing on class organization, management, and instruction and supplementing the usual physical education lessons with high-intensity activity (i.e., fitness infusion).[21] A systematic review of 14 studies showed that students who participated in enhanced school-based physical education classes engaged in 24% more MVPA.[21] Also, groups that received enhanced school-based physical education spent on average 53% of their time engaged in MVPA.[21] In addition, Zhou and Wang found that team games were reported to accumulate the most MVPA time, with movement-based activities (such as gymnastics and dance) having the highest amounts of MVPA and knowledge-based activities (i.e., lesson-based instruction) having the lowest amounts.[22] Implementation of enhanced school-based physical education aligns with the Healthy People 2030 objectives, which aim to increase the proportion of adolescents who meet current federal physical activity guidelines for aerobic physical activity and muscle-strengthening activity.[23]

It is important that physical education classes be taught by state‐licensed or state‐certified teachers who are endorsed to teach physical education. In a meta-analytic review, Hollis and colleagues found that youth were engaged in MVPA for an average of 44.8% of lesson time.[24] Low MVPA levels in physical education lessons could be the result of pedagogical characteristics often observed in typical lessons, such as stopping physical activity to provide instruction, observing demonstrations related to the activity, or organizing equipment or student groups.[25] An examination of time allotment in terms of lesson context revealed that 30% of lesson time was spent in game play, 29% in fitness, 20% in classroom management, 9% in knowledge-related activities, and 5% in skill-related activities.[15] Similar results were found in a study by Powell and colleagues in which the average length of physical education lessons was 35.3 minutes, with only 15 minutes of MVPA during physical education.[26] Results further demonstrated that 34% of the lesson was spent standing and 21.7% was spent sitting, with time sitting being directly linked to knowledge attainment.[26] 

In conclusion, a significant proportion of physical education instruction time is spent on classroom management, instruction, and transitional periods. While these periods are necessary, they detract from the overall time youth spend participating in MVPA. It is, therefore, recommended that all physical education courses be taught by qualified individuals who have received formal training in physical education pedagogy. SHAPE America has specifically recommended that physical education be taught by an endorsed state‐licensed or state‐certified teacher.[11] This educational licensure or certification requirement would ensure that the physical education curriculum used in schools is appropriate and maximizes the time students spend engaging in MVPA while also aligning with national and/or state physical education standards for K–12 physical education.[11] 

Increasing the frequency of physical education: Scientific evidence has shown that increasing the frequency of physical education can improve overall physical activity among youth. Research indicates that only 25.9% of high school students attend physical education classes five days per week.[5]  Findings from the School Health Policies and Practices Study showed that less than 4% of elementary and middle schools require physical education or similar activity every day throughout the school year.[18] Moreover, less than 9% of middle schools require physical education at least three days per week.[18] Physical education instruction for high school students decreased from 29.9% in 2017 to 25.9% in 2019.[5]

The benefits of regular physical activity are well documented and include improvements in bone and muscle development, cardiorespiratory fitness, and weight control; reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety; and reduced risks of heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension.[3] Research has demonstrated that physical activity throughout the school day is associated with better school performance.[8] Healthy People 2030 objectives highlight the importance of increased physical activity through improved physical education in both public and private school systems. Specifically, the Educational and Community-Based Programs workgroup aims to increase the proportion of adolescents who participate in daily school-based physical education.[7]

Reduction or removal of waivers, substitutions, and exemptions for physical education: Another important strategy to increase school-based MVPA is the reduction or removal of waivers, substitutions, and exemptions for physical education. According to the Shape of the Nation 2016 report, 30 U.S. states allow student exemptions from physical education classes, and 31 states allow students to substitute activities such as marching band, cheerleading, drill team, or intramural sports for physical education credit.[12] SHAPE America issued a position statement according to which school districts and schools should not allow waivers or exemptions from physical education class time or credit requirements.[11] Specifically, SHAPE firmly asserted that all students should be required to complete physical education courses and that state, district, and school policies should not allow substitutions, waivers, or exemptions for physical education courses, class time, or credit requirements. By allowing waivers, substitutions, and exemptions for physical education, schools and districts eliminate opportunities for students to be active at a time when physical activity levels are at an all-time low among youth.[11] As mentioned, schools offer a unique setting to teach children the value of physical activity as well as a structured, supervised environment in which children can learn the necessary skills to encourage lifelong physical activity.[11]

Culturally tailored physical education: Multiple organizations have reported the need to ensure culturally tailored physical education for all populations, especially marginalized populations such as minority racial, ethnic, and cultural groups; girls and women; refugees; people experiencing homelessness; LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning) populations; and others.[27,28] The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s Guidelines for Policy-Makers on Quality Physical Education stated the need for and importance of providing physical education for minority groups. According to the guidelines, (1) curricula should be flexible and adaptable for all groups, (2) teachers should be professionally qualified and capable of providing physical education for all students, and (3) school policies and practices should provide appropriate infrastructure, faculties, equipment, and teaching material for all students.[28]

Lastly, it is recommended that teachers have access to resources such as community health workers who can provide culturally specific guidance on physical education. Community health workers are particularly effective because of the cultural and linguistic connections they have with the communities they serve.[29] Providing culturally appropriate physical education may increase physical activity,[30] decrease obesity,[31] and improve the overall health of minority groups by increasing social support, promoting healthy lifestyles, and increasing knowledge of disease prevention.[32]

Adaptive physical education: According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, children and adolescents with disabilities are more likely to be inactive than those without disabilities.[7] It is recommended that children and adolescents with disabilities still aim to meet the key guideline of 60 minutes of physical activity every day when possible. If youth are unable to participate in the physical activities or durations needed to meet the key guidelines, it is recommended that they be as active as possible and avoid being inactive.[7]

Youth with disabilities should work with health care professionals or physical activity specialists to learn about the types and amounts of physical activity appropriate for them.[7] The Adapted Physical Education National Standards were developed to ensure that physical education for children with disabilities be delivered by a qualified adapted physical educator. According to these standards,  physical education teachers should use sound teaching practices to ensure the inclusion and representation of all skill and ability levels.[33] Specifically, master physical educators should be well prepared to provide knowledge acquisition as well as physical activity opportunities for all abilities to create active and healthy lifestyles for all students. In addition, the standards outline high expectations for a physically active lifestyle. Lastly, it is expected that master physical educators will maintain a stimulating, productive learning environment that holds all students to the highest expectations for a physically active lifestyle.[33]

Conclusion: In conclusion, schools are the ideal and recommended setting for the promotion of physical activity among youth, and physical education is the primary vehicle through which to achieve this objective in schools.[34] Improving the quality and quantity of physical education courses will give youth more opportunities to attain the recommended amount of physical activity each day. Reducing physical education waivers would ensure that youth are not exploiting a loophole in the system. Advocating for culturally tailored physical education and adaptive physical education would foster an inclusive environment in which all children are able to be physically active and healthy.

Opposing Arguments/Evidence  Few would disagree that physical activity and time spent engaged in physical education are important for youth development and overall health. The primary opposing arguments tend to stem from the poorly designed physical education curriculum and the time taken away from other subjects amid increased pressure to raise standards and scores in subjects such as math, science, and English. As a result, time allocated to physical education and the perceived importance of physical education lessons have been reduced.  However, there is a substantial amount of evidence that physical activity can help improve academic achievement, including overall grades and standardized test scores.[34] In a systematic review of 43 articles and 50 studies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) determined that physical activity has a positive impact on cognitive skills, attitudes, and academic achievement.[34] Specifically, physical activity enhanced concentration and attention and improved classroom behavior.[34] The review also showed that increasing time during the school day for physical activity does not appear to take away from overall academic performance.[34]  Therefore, the CDC recommended that schools increase the amount of time students spend in physical education or consider adding components to increase the quality of physical education classes.[34] As highlighted in the evidence-based strategies to improve school-based MVPA, the CPSTF recommended use of enhanced physical education, including improved physical education teaching strategies, by incorporating modified, more active games and physical education lesson plans that involve fitness and circuit training activities.[20]

Alternative Strategies Enhancing, encouraging, and maintaining physical education class duration and quality are vital to the health and well-being of children, particularly in terms of their physical activity behaviors. However, there are several alternative strategies to increase the physical activity of youth that should be considered in conjunction with retaining the importance of physical education.

Before- and after-school physical activity programs: According to the World Health Organization, after-school activities are a key avenue to supplement youth MVPA levels.[35] After-school physical activity could include physical activity clubs, intramural programs, informal play on school grounds, physical activity in school-based before- and after-care programs, and interscholastic sports.[18] Mayorga-Vega and colleagues found that physical activity that took place after school hours achieved 36% of the recommended 60 minutes of MVPA per day.[36] However, adolescents still reported a higher level of MVPA during physical education classes than during school recess and after-school programs.[36]

Only about 26% of the nation’s public and private schools provide access to their physical activity spaces and facilities for all individuals outside of normal school hours. In addition, a steady decline has been observed in provision of access to physical activity facilities during nonschool hours.[37] Therefore, schools can further encourage physical activity by opening up their facilities for community use.[18]

Increasing active transportation to and from school: According to the CPSTF, walking or bicycling to and from school provides children and adolescents with an opportunity to be physically active most days of the week.[38] Interventions such as the Safe Routes to School program could increase active transportation to and from school and reduce pedestrian and bicycle injury rates. However, there is not enough evidence to show that school travel leads to increases in students’ overall daily physical activity.[38]

Recess: Recess is defined as a regularly scheduled period during the school day for physical activity and play that are monitored by trained staff or volunteers.[13] Recess has been directly related to increased physical activity, improved memory, improved attention, improved concentration, decreased classroom disruptive behavior, improved social and emotional development, and academic achievement.[8,39–41] It is recommended that elementary, middle, and high school students have a minimum of 20 minutes of daily recess.[39] The CDC has further recommended that recess and physical education be separate, distinct physical activity opportunities, which creates separate times for skill acquisition (physical education) and active play (recess).[39] Also, the CDC has recommended that schools provide students with adequate, designated, and safe spaces, facilities, equipment, and supplies for both indoor and outdoor recess (e.g., playground markings, physical activity zones, activity cards).[39] Lastly, students should not be excluded from recess for disciplinary reasons or academic performance because such practices promote negative reinforcement.[39]

Classroom-based physical activity: Classroom-based physical activity, including single physical activity sessions, may increase student attention, concentration, and memory; increase motivation and enjoyment of learning; and reduce behavior issues.[8,40] Classroom-based physical activity integration may include physically active lessons, physical activity before a test, physical activity breaks, energizers, brain boosters, and active classrooms (a teaching technique that intentionally blends physical activity into academic lessons to satisfy the learning outcomes of the classroom without sacrificing time spent engaging in physical activity).[8,40,42] Further guidance by the CDC and other national organizations includes providing teachers with ongoing professional development to integrate physical activity into planned academic instruction as a means of reinforcing academic concepts.[40]

Action Steps Increasing physical activity among school-aged children is a vital investment in the health and well-being of youth in the United States. Increasing physical activity at this critical age has the potential to build healthier, happier young adults. Schools should support physical activity through culturally appropriate, high-quality physical education. Schools; local, state, and federal education agencies; public health departments; policymakers; and researchers should address the following objectives relevant to public health priority setting in order to advance school-based physical activity programming and activities:

• Federal agencies should develop national policies on physical education that are consistent with the larger national strategies to increase physical activity among youth.
• Federal and state governments should increase funding for schools to implement high-quality physical education programming
• State and local education departments should improve physical education requirements to provide the opportunity for 60 minutes of MVPA each school day.
• Policymakers at state and local education departments should be made aware of the importance of physical education provided by schools.
• Schools should require that all physical education teachers be appropriately credentialed to deliver culturally appropriate, high-quality physical education.
• Schools should solicit involvement and expertise from state and local public health departments and physical activity researchers on culturally specific, evidence-based strategies to improve school-based physical education.
• Principals and superintendents of schools should develop action plans to improve physical education for all of their students. Youth should have the opportunity to engage in 60 minutes of physical activity during the school day.
• Principals and superintendents should reduce or eliminate policies allowing waivers for physical education. Waivers should be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Schools and school districts should engage in collaborative efforts to share the results of successfully implemented physical education programs.
• Schools and researchers should collaborate in studying physical activity among diverse youth who have been traditionally understudied and systematically underserved. Furthermore, researchers should be encouraged to develop innovative programs for youth in school settings that promote physical activity for all.
• Greater diversity in programming should be implemented in schools so that youth can be exposed to a variety of activities that those of all abilities and cultures might enjoy.
• Youth, families, community members, and local organizations should advocate to their school districts and legislative bodies for culturally appropriate, high-quality physical education in their local schools.
• Public health departments should partner with and support physical education teachers and programs. This support should include school-based physical activity in community health assessments and community health improvement plans highlighting the importance of physical activity in preventing chronic disease and providing mental and cognitive benefits.

References 1. Fryar CD, Carroll MD, Afful J. Prevalence of overweight, obesity, and severe obesity among children and adolescents aged 2–19 years: United States, 1963–1965 through 2017–2018. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/obesity-child-17-18/overweight-obesity-child-H.pdf. Accessed October 20, 2021. 2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Questionnaire. Available at: www.cdc.gov/yrbs. Accessed October 20, 2021.  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity at a glance. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/aag/dnpao.htm. Accessed October 20, 2021. 4. Laframboise MA, Degraauw C. The effects of aerobic physical activity on adiposity in school-aged children and youth: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. J Can Chiropractic Assoc. 2011;55(4):256–268. 5. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. High School YRBS 2019. Available at: https://nccd.cdc.gov/youthonline/App/QuestionsOrLocations.aspx?CategoryId=C06. Accessed October 20, 2021. 6. Lounassalo I, Salin K, Kankaanpaa A, et al. Distinct trajectories of physical activity and related factors during the life course in the general population: a systematic review. BMC Public Health. 2019;19:1.   7. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical activity guidelines for Americans. Available at: https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf. Accessed October 20, 2021. 8. Castelli DM, Glowacki E, Barcelona JM, Calvert HG, Hwang J. Active education: growing evidence on physical activity and academic performance. Available at: https://activelivingresearch.org/sites/activelivingresearch.org/files/ALR_Brief_ActiveEducation_Jan2015.pdf. Accessed October 20, 2021. 9. Kari JT, Pehkonen J, Hutri-Kähönen N, Raitakari OT, Tammelin TH. Longitudinal associations between physical activity and educational outcomes. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2017;49(11):2158–2166. 10. Kohl HW, Cook HD. Physical activity, fitness, and physical education: effects on academic performance. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK201501/. Accessed October 20, 2021. 11. Society of Health and Physical Educators. The essential components of physical education. Available at: https://www.shapeamerica.org/uploads/pdfs/TheEssentialComponentsOfPhysicalEducation.pdf. Accessed October 20, 2021. 12. Society of Health and Physical Educators (2016). 2016 shape of the nation: status of physical education in the U.S. Available at: https://www.shapeamerica.org//advocacy/son/2016/upload/Shape-of-the-Nation-2016_web.pdf. Accessed October 20, 2021. 13. Springboard to Active Schools. Keep recess in schools. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/pdf/Recess_Data_Brief_CDC_Logo_FINAL_191106.pdf. Accessed October 20, 2021. 14. Ohinmaa A, Langille JL, Jamieson S, Whitby C, Veugelers PJ. Costs of implementing and maintaining comprehensive school health: the case of the Annapolis Valley Health Promoting Schools program. Can J Public Health. 2011;102(6):451–454. 15. Barrett JL, Gortmaker SL, Long MW, et al. Cost effectiveness of an elementary school active physical education policy. Am J Prev Med. 2015;49(1):148–159. 16. Physical Activity Council. (2017). 2017 participation report. Available at: http://s3.amazonaws.com/ustaassets/assets/822/15/papc_study.pdf. Accessed October 20, 2021. 17. Synder TD, de Brey C, Dillow SA. Digest of education statistics. Available at: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED580954.pdf. Accessed October 20, 2021. 18. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. School Health Policies and Practices Study, 2014. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/shpps/pdf/shpps-results_2016.pdf. Accessed October 20, 2021. 19. Society of Health and Physical Educators. A-Z of social justice physical education. Available at: https://www.shapeamerica.org/uploads/pdfs/2020/publications/joperd/The-A%E2%80%93Z-of-Social%20Justice-Physical-Education-P1.pdf. Accessed October 20, 2021.  20. Community Preventive Services Task Force. Annual report to Congress: 2013. Available at: https://www.thecommunityguide.org/content/tffrs-physical-activity-interventions-increase-active-travel-school. Accessed October 20, 2021. 21. Lonsdale C, Rosenkranz R, Peralta L, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of interventions designed to increase moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in school physical activity lessons. Prev Med. 2013;56:152–161. 22. Zhou Y, Wang L. (2019). Correlates of physical activity of students in secondary school physical education: a systematic review of literature. BioMed Res Int. 2019;2019:4563484.   23. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2030 physical activity objectives. Available at: https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/physical-activity. Accessed October 20, 2021. 24. Hollis JL, Sutherland R, Williams AJ, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels in secondary school physical education lessons. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2017;14(1):52.   25. Fairclough SJ, Stratton G. A review of physical activity levels during elementary school physical education. J Teach Phys Educ. 2006;25(2):240–258.   26. Powell E, Woodfield LA, Nevill AM, Powell AJ, Myers TD. ‘We have to wait in a queue for our turn quite a bit’: examining children’s physical activity during primary physical education lessons. Euro Phys Educ Rev. 2019;25(4):929–948. 27. Society of Health and Physical Educators. National PE standards. Available at: https://www.shapeamerica.org/standards/pe/. Accessed October 20, 2021.  28. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Guidelines for policy makers: quality physical education. Available at: https://en.unesco.org/inclusivepolicylab/sites/default/files/learning/document/2017/1/231101E.pdf. Accessed October 20, 2021. 29. Haughton J, Ayala G, Burke K, Elder J, Montanez J, Arrendondo E. Community health workers promoting physical activity. J Ambul Care Manage. 2015;38(4):309–320. 30. Hovell MF, Mulvihill MM, Buono MJ, et al. Culturally tailored aerobic exercise intervention for low-income Latinas. Am J Health Promotion. 2008;22(3):155–163. 31. Falbe J, Cadiz AA, Tantoco NK, Thompson HR, Madsen KA. Active and healthy families: a randomized controlled trial of a culturally tailored obesity intervention for Latino children. Acad Pediatr. 2015;15(4):386–395.   32. Joo JY, Liu MF. Culturally tailored interventions for ethnic minorities: A scoping review. Nurs Open. 2021;8(5):2078–2090. 33. APENS. Adapted Physical Education National Standards. Available at: https://apens.org/national_standard.html. Accessed October 20, 2021. 34. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The association between school based physical activity, including physical education, and academic performance. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/health_and_academics/pdf/pa-pe_paper.pdf. Accessed October 20, 2021.  35. World Health Organization. School policy framework: implementation of the WHO global strategy on diet, physical activity and health. Available at: https://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/SPF-en-2008.pdf. Accessed October 20, 2021.  36. Mayorga-Vega D, Saldias MP, Viciana J. Comparison of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels between physical education, school recess and after-school time in secondary school students: an accelerometer-based study. Kinesiology. 2017;49(2):242–251.   37. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2020. Physical activity objectives. Available at: https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/physical-activity/objectives. Accessed October 20, 2021.  38. Community Guide. Physical activity: interventions to increase active travel to school. Available at: https://www.thecommunityguide.org/content/tffrs-physical-activity-interventions-increase-active-travel-school. Accessed October 20, 2021.  39. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Society of Health and Physical Educators. Strategies for recess in schools. Available at: https://www.shapeamerica.org/uploads/pdfs/recess/SchoolRecessStrategies.pdf. Accessed October 20, 2021.  40. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Strategies for classroom physical activity in schools. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/pdf/classroompastrategies_508.pdf. Accessed October 20, 2021. 41. Zavacky F, Michael SL. Keeping recess in schools. J Phys Educ Recreation Dance. 2017;88(5):46–53.   42. Bedard C, St. John L, Bremer E, Graham JD, Cairney J. A systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of physically active classrooms on educational and enjoyment outcomes in school age children. PLoS One. 2019;14(6):1–19.

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January 25, 2023

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Physical education requirements continue to decline at colleges and universities, study finds

by Molly Rosbach, Oregon State University

A new study from Oregon State University found that about 32% of colleges and universities in the U.S. require some form of physical education course to graduate, down from 39% as observed in an OSU study from 2010 .

The continuing decline in required PE courses comes at a time when children and youth in the U.S. are also engaging in less and less physical activity, according to the Physical Activity Alliance's 2022 Report Card , which bases its rubric on U.S. Department of Health and Human Services guidelines.

"There's an enormous amount of scientific evidence supporting the value of physical activity. It's good for the human body , good for students—it helps them be better learners, better prepared; it increases cognitive functioning and helps with stress management," said study co-author Brad Cardinal, a professor in OSU's College of Public Health and Human Sciences.

However, he said, there is no universal standard for what should be required in terms of physical education courses in colleges and universities.

"Longitudinal studies have shown that when someone attends an institution with a physical activity education graduation requirement, they tend to be healthier long-term," Cardinal said, citing research from his lab and other research from the 1980s to the 2000s.

More recently, he said, researchers at George Washington University, the National Cancer Institute and the American College Health Association found that college and university students attending institutions with PE graduation requirements were more likely to meet the national physical activity guidelines.

"Removing the requirement is such a counterintuitive idea," Cardinal said. "It definitely does not represent an evidence-based best practice."

Without requirements in place, Cardinal said, his research has found that on-campus PE offerings are more likely to engage students who are already physically active or comfortable in gyms and sport-related settings . This leaves out students who might benefit from learning how to use such spaces and become comfortable in them for the first time during early adulthood, he said.

The study, published in the journal Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport , looked at a representative sample of 331 colleges and universities from around the country and documented whether they fully or partially required completion of a PE course to graduate. Partial requirements included schools where only certain degree programs had a PE requirement, or where students could choose from a menu of options that included physical education among other health-related courses such as financial literacy or sexual health.

Researchers defined PE as "any activity or academic course pertaining to health, wellness, sports or physical activity," and included "conceptual" PE courses that emphasize teaching health behavior strategies to maintain lifelong physical activity lifestyles.

They found that 56.2% of institutions did not require PE; 31.7% fully required all undergraduates to complete a PE course to graduate; and 12.1% had a partial requirement.

The most common requirements mandated students complete both an activity-based and a conceptual-based course or a conceptual-only course. Private institutions were roughly twice as likely as public institutions to fully require PE courses, and institutions in the south were most likely to fully require PE out of any geographic region

The study did not specifically examine disability access or accommodations for PE requirements.

Cardinal said several factors are likely motivating colleges to move away from PE requirements: Students have a lot of other courses they're required to take for graduation, and there is a prevailing assumption that most learn basic physical education in their K-12 years, making it less necessary at the college level.

But the current numbers from K-12 schools show that isn't the case, he said. According to the 2022 Report Card, the U.S. gets a D- grade with only 21% of U.S. children and youth ages 6–17 meeting the physical activity guidelines of 60 minutes of physical activity every day.

That drops significantly within the older age bracket: 42% of 6- to 11-year-olds hit the target, but only 15% of 12- to 17-year-olds are getting their daily hour.

"The argument that physical education is something they've been taught, that they already know this before college —it's just not happening," Cardinal said. "The culture has shifted to where physical activity continues to be stripped out of daily life."

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SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article

Blended learning in physical education: a systematic review.

• Department of Sports Studies, Faculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Serdang, Malaysia

This review aims to provide a detailed overview of the current status and development trends of blended learning in physical education by reviewing journal articles from the Web of Science (WOS) database. Several dimensions of blended learning were observed, including research trends, participants, online learning tools, theoretical frameworks, evaluation methods, application domains, Research Topics, and challenges. Following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), a total of 22 journal articles were included in the current review. The findings of this review reveal that the number of blended learning articles in physical education has increased since 2018, proving that the incorporation of online learning tools into physical education courses has grown in popularity. From the reviewed journal articles, most attention is given to undergraduates, emphasizing that attention in the future should be placed on K-12 students, teachers, and educational institutions. The theoretical framework applied by journal articles is also limited to a few articles and the assessment method is relatively homogeneous, consisting mostly of questionnaires. This review also discovers the trends in blended learning in physical education as most of the studies focus on the topic centered on dynamic physical education. In terms of Research Topics, most journal articles focus on perceptions, learning outcomes, satisfaction, and motivation, which are preliminary aspects of blended learning research. Although the benefits of blended learning are evident, this review identifies five challenges of blended learning: instructional design challenges, technological literacy and competency challenges, self-regulation challenges, alienation and isolation challenges, and belief challenges. Finally, a number of recommendations for future research are presented.

1. Introduction

The integration of multiple technologies into traditional instruction has attracted enormous attention and offered numerous research avenues over the years. For instance, influential studies have confirmed the benefits of blended learning. According to Müller and Mildenberger ( 1 ), the definitions of blended learning most commonly used in scientific publications are those by Graham [( 2 ), p. 5]: “blended learning is a combination of face-to-face and computer-mediated instruction” and by Garrison and Kanuka ( 3 ): “thoughtfully integrate the face-to-face learning experience in the classroom with the online learning experience.” Therefore, blended learning in this review includes technology-supported learning with the exception of fully online and fully face-to-face instruction. According to the sequence of integrating traditional classroom-based and online instruction, blended learning can be classified in the forms of blended, hybrid, flipped, or inverted. Despite the forms of blended learning, the use of blended learning has greater potential for transferring content into practice ( 4 ) and improves the quality and quantity of interaction between teachers and students ( 1 ), flexibility ( 5 ), learning engagement ( 6 ), and differentiated instruction ( 7 ) in classrooms.

To date, blended learning models are considered to be the most widely adopted instructional model by educational institutions as they are regarded as effective in providing flexible, timely, and continuous learning ( 8 ). The models have proven to be an upgrade from traditional learning models and fully online learning models as blended learning models combine the advantages of online and face-to-face learning ( 9 ). As a result, blended learning approach is referred to as the “new traditional model” or the “new normal” due to its advantages in optimizing the teaching and learning ( 10 ).

The significance of physical education in contemporary schooling is recognized internationally. Yang et al. ( 11 ) note that in addition to motor skills and physical fitness, physical education has a positive impact on students in several dimensions, such as their personal and social skills, patience, self-esteem, and self-confidence ( 12 – 14 ). In traditional teaching models of physical education, students are placed in a relatively passive position in order to receive knowledge and skills provided by the curriculum and the teaching content is inflexible as it ignores student differences and limits the opportunities for individual instruction and remediation by teachers ( 15 , 16 ). To address the issue with the traditional teaching models of physical education, López-Fernández et al. ( 17 ) suggest blended learning models to provide students with personalized learning opportunities to optimize the quality of their learning in physical education classes, as well as to motivate students to learn.

A systematic review is necessary to understand current research situations of blended learning in physical education. Even though there have been considerable studies on blended learning in physical education, a systematic review of blended learning in this field is limited. To date, only one systematic review investigating the effectiveness of blended learning in higher physical education has been published ( 18 ). Therefore, this study aims to synthesize and analyze the findings to describe the current state and research trend of blended learning in physical education, and thus establish new directions for future research. This study was driven by the following research questions:

1. What are the research trends in blended learning in physical education?

2. Who are the main participants?

3. What are the main online learning tools?

4. What are the theoretical frameworks and evaluation methods used in blended learning in physical education?

5. What are the application domains and Research Topics involved in blended learning in physical education?

6. What are the reported challenges of blended learning in physical education?

2. Methodology

2.1. search process.

This systematic review follows the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) ( 19 ). The search on the Web of Science (WoS) electronic database for the articles began in July 2022 and concluded in August 2022. WoS electronic database was chosen because of its high reputation and reliability in investigating leading articles. A search string was developed according to researchers' understanding and knowledge in the field of blended learning and physical education, as well as relevant blended learning and physical education search strings reported in other studies such as in Rasheed et al. ( 8 ) and Yang et al. ( 11 ). The search strings: (blended learning OR blended course OR hybrid learning OR hybrid course OR flipped learning OR flipped learning OR flipped classroom) AND (physical education OR sport * OR physical activity * OR exercise), were inserted in the advanced search query of the Web of Science database. The field option was then specified as a topic and restricted the search to the Social Sciences Citation Index. Then, the references of the papers included in this study were reviewed to ensure that the selected papers answered the six research questions of this review.

2.2. Eligibility criteria

To be considered for inclusion in this review, selected journal articles had to meet the following criteria: (a) define blended learning as the incorporation of traditional face-to-face and online learning, (b) related to blended learning in sports or physical education, (c) empirical study of SSCI indexing, and (d) published in English. On the other hand, the exclusion criteria included: (a) articles with sole concern on the face-to-face portion of blended learning, (b) book chapter reviews, meeting abstracts, reports, and review articles, (c) non-English articles, and (d) unavailable full-text articles.

2.3. Study selection

A total of 531 journal articles were identified from the Web of Science database. A total of 256 duplicate articles were removed after considering the articles following the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Then, using the EndNote reference management software, a database of 135 articles with their titles, abstracts, and full text was created. The articles were carefully read and 22 articles were found pertinent to this review. Figure 1 shows the filtering process of this review based on the PRISMA statement ( 19 ).

Figure 1 . A review process based on the PRISMA statement.

2.4. Data extraction and quality assessment

The data extraction process included the identification of (a) the article's author, nationality, and publication year, (b) participants (i.e., K-12 students, undergraduates, teachers, and others), (c) online learning tools (i.e., learning platforms, learning software, recorded lectures, online learning materials, and others), (d) theoretical frameworks and evaluation methods (i.e., interviews, questionnaires, tests, and other methods), (e) application domains (i.e., basketball, football, badminton, and other courses) and Research Topics (i.e., perceptions, satisfaction, learning effects, and other items), and (f) challenges.

As the reviewed articles differed in research design, a quality assessment tool developed by Rowe et al. ( 20 ) that has been proven to be a useful tool for assessing qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods was utilized ( 21 ). The tool assesses five important methodological aspects of a study, namely the background or literature review, sample, study design or methodology, outcome measures, and conclusions (see Table 1 ). The total score ranges from 0 to 5, with the higher scores representing better methodological quality. Articles scoring 4 or 5 are considered to be high in quality, articles scoring 3 are considered to be of moderate quality, and studies scoring between 0 and 2 are considered to be low in quality. In this review, two trained reviewers independently assessed the quality of the article, with disagreements resolved by the third reviewer. All 22 articles received a score between 4 and 5, indicating their high methodological quality.

Table 1 . Methodological quality assessment tool.

This part reports the current state of blended learning in physical education and the key findings by addressing the six research questions of this review. The summary of the characteristics of the 22 studies involved is shown in Table 2 .

Table 2 . Characteristics of the studies examined in the preset review.

3.1. Research trends

The first article on blended learning in physical education was published in 2011. However, since then, the research in this field was limited with zero publications in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2017, and only one publication in 2016. However, beginning in 2018, physical education researchers have become increasingly interested in blended learning, with the number of articles reaching a peak in 2020. Journal articles published before August 2022 were also included. However, the number did not represent the accurate situation for the entire year of 2022 because this review concluded in August 2022. The graph of the trends in research on blended learning in physical education is shown in Figure 2 .

Figure 2 . Number of articles published by year.

Based on the number of publications on blended learning in physical education from 2011 to 2022, studies conducted in China accounted for 41 per cent of the total number of publications ( n = 9). From the nine studies, Lin, Hsia, and Hwang authored five studies ( 27 , 29 , 30 , 36 , 39 ). The next highest number of publications on blended learning in physical education was conducted in Spain ( n = 6) and the United Kingdom ( n = 3), while each of the remaining studies was conducted in countries such as the United States, Singapore, Australia, and Ireland.

3.2. Participants

This review identified a total of 3,543 subjects enrolling in the 22 reviewed articles, with 2 ( 34 ) to 602 participants in each study ( 22 ). It is found that the majority of research subjects were undergraduate students ( n = 15). A total of 5 articles reported detailed information about the majors of their participants and the locations of their degree programs, namely undergraduates of exercise science from Griffith University ( 23 ), undergraduates of physical education from the University of Granada, Organization of Educational Centers (Degree) ( 24 ), undergraduates of Pablo de Olavide University, Physical Activity and Sports Science (Degree) ( 25 ), undergraduates of sports management from San Antonio de Murcia University and Pablo de Olavide University ( 37 ), and undergraduates of sport and exercise science from the Edge Hill University ( 41 ). Out of the 22 reviewed articles, 3 articles focused on teachers, 1 article focused on teachers and undergraduates ( 37 ), and 3 articles focused on K-12 students. Among K-12 students, only primary and secondary students were included ( 32 , 33 , 35 ).

3.3. Learning tools

A variety of learning tools were used in the blended learning activities of physical education. Nine journal articles focused on learning platforms, such as Moodle, Wisdom Master Pro, TronClass, and Superstar as learning tools. Online learning materials, including online lectures, online documents, and online websites were studied in six articles. Learning software was mentioned in three articles, while one article used recorded lectures as the primary learning tool. Also, there were articles combining two learning tools ( 32 , 34 ). The use of a learning platform and robots as learning tools was also studied in an article ( 35 ). Nevertheless, four articles did not report any learning tools.

3.4. Theoretical frameworks and evaluation methods

Blended learning is a pedagogical framework based on multiple theories of teaching and learning. This review discovered that the theories presented in the articles include self-determination theory (SDT) ( 22 , 31 ), WSQ-based flipped learning model ( 29 ), ARQI-based flipped learning model ( 30 ), constructivism theory ( 34 , 37 ), hybrid learning theory ( 35 ), post-humanism theory ( 37 ), cognitive apprenticeship and reflective practice theory ( 36 ), ICRA-based flipped learning model ( 39 ), and 3C model ( 42 ). However, of the 22 articles included in this review, 12 articles did not report a theoretical framework that was used to guide their research and teaching practice.

In terms of evaluation methods, 11 articles on blended learning in physical education used only 1 assessment method, 5 articles used 2 assessment methods, and 6 articles used 3 or more assessment methods. Questionnaires were employed by the greatest number of articles ( n = 15), with 3 of them open-ended questionnaires ( 23 , 25 , 41 ). The evaluation methods were followed by tests ( n = 11) and interviews ( n = 10). Other evaluation methods such as lesson observation, field notes, document analysis ( 34 ), and reflective blogging ( 37 ) were also used.

3.5. Application domains and research topics

The range of applications for blended learning in physical education was diverse. There were 10 articles involving sports courses such as the Physical Activity and Wellness course ( 22 ), Sports Coaching course ( 23 ), and Sports Management course ( 40 ). There were also two articles on theory courses ( 37 , 42 ). In addition, most of the current blended learning articles explored dancing ( 27 , 29 , 30 , 38 ), followed by basketball ( 28 , 31 ), football ( 26 ), Wushu ( 35 ), billiards ( 36 ), and badminton ( 39 ). A total of seven articles did not refer to specific areas of the physical education ( 17 , 24 , 25 , 32 – 34 , 41 ).

This review discovered that many articles investigated more than one Research Topic, and the totals exceeded the number of reviewed articles. As a result, the current review grouped the Research Topics of the 22 articles on blended learning in physical education into seven categories. The first category is the perceptions of students or teachers. This topic was investigated in 13 articles and was the most important concern of the blended learning community. The second category was the effects of blended learning in physical education on student learning. This topic was investigated in 12 articles. A total of 6 investigated the third category of blended learning in physical education which is student satisfaction with blended learning. In addition, 4 articles examined the student motivation ( 22 , 29 , 33 , 36 ) and self-efficacy ( 27 , 30 , 36 ), while 2 articles studied task load. Other Research Topics such as attendance ( 24 ), self-assessment tools ( 25 ), skills qualifications and career development ( 26 ), psychological needs ( 33 ), learning interest and attitude ( 35 ), and interaction ( 40 ) were also discovered.

3.6. The challenges of blended learning in physical education

This review identified five categories of challenges of blended learning in physical education. They were instructional design challenges, technological literacy and competency challenges, self-regulation challenges, alienation and isolation challenges, and belief challenges (see Table 3 ). First, instructional design challenges ( n = 6) involved a set of challenges related to scientific planning and rationalization of all aspects of the teaching and learning process in advance, based on student learning characteristics and teacher teaching styles. The second category was technological literacy and competency challenges ( n = 5), which relates to a range of challenges associated with student/teacher proficiency and competence in the appropriate use of technology for teaching and learning. The third category, self-regulation challenges ( n = 2) involved a series of related student behaviors that prevent students from self-regulating the emotions, thoughts, and actions they plan to take in achieving their learning goals. Belief challenges ( n = 2) included negative attitudes and perceptions of teachers or students about the use of technology for teaching or learning. Finally, alienation and isolation challenges ( n = 1) involved a set of associated emotional discomforts suffered by teachers or students when teaching or learning outside of traditional classrooms, mainly caused by loneliness and isolation from others.

Table 3 . The challenges of blended learning in physical education.

4. Discussion

4.1. summary of findings and discussion.

In this systematic review of the adoption of blended learning in physical education, 22 journal articles retrieved from the Web of Science (WOS) database were analyzed and grouped according to research trends, participants, learning tools, theoretical framework, evaluation methods, application domains, Research Topics, and challenges. The publication trend shows that there has been a growing interest in blended learning in physical education since 2018. This indicates that researchers have recognized the role of technology in physical education and have sought to apply technology in physical education to meet student educational needs based on the current challenges and technological teaching resources offered by contemporary society ( 32 ). In addition, the paucity of high-quality literature suggests that research on blended learning in physical education is still in its infancy around the world. Of the 22 articles in this review, 9 were conducted in China, 6 in Spain, and 3 in the UK. Each of the other articles was published in countries such as the USA, Singapore, Australia, and Ireland. Also, previous research supports the view that studies on blended learning in skills-based subjects are very limited and somewhat disconnected ( 27 , 31 , 43 ).

For the participants, the majority of blended learning journal articles in physical education have focused on undergraduates. This is in line with the study by Yang et al. ( 11 ) which found that researchers were more concerned with mobile learning in higher physical education. However, only a limited number of articles investigated K−12 students and teachers separately. This review discovers that blended learning can be a challenge for K−12 students as they have poor self-control and are unfamiliar with the operation of online learning platforms, making it difficult for them to watch instructional videos independently before class. As a result, some articles report several suggestions for applying blended learning in the K-12 educational setting, including determining the duration of online learning based on student attention spans ( 44 ), designing simple and streamlined online courses to create organized learning environments that enable students to improve user experience and reduce cognitive load ( 45 ), connecting online learning content to student experiences ( 46 ), creating study groups in which the teacher sets a theme and the students participate in the learning in a group form to develop the awareness of active participation and the ability to collaborate ( 47 ), providing personalized support ( 48 ), and learning through games to develop skills and knowledge related to course objectives ( 49 ). One prominent suggestion by the reviewed articles is that applying blended learning allows for the facilitation of various types of interactions ( 50 ). Among them, student-student interaction refers to peer support and collaborative learning, student-teacher interaction consists of evaluation, motivation, guidance, and prompt feedback ( 51 ), student–online learning content interaction is the process of intellectual interaction with learning content, to promote students' learning ( 52 ), and student-interface interaction refers to the interaction between students and the technology used to deliver educational content ( 53 ).

In addition, there is a limited number of articles on blended learning in physical education focusing on teachers. This may be because the selection of teachers as subjects for the study is challenging for several reasons. For example, the sample size may be too small for quantitative analysis and some teachers may be reluctant to embrace new teaching models. Nevertheless, technologies, through blended learning, offer many new opportunities for teaching. Besides that the use of blended learning could improve teachers' attitudes toward the application of technology, and it could also enhance their ability to apply technology to physical education, which is crucial for their professional development ( 54 ). Therefore, future blended learning papers in physical education should place greater emphasis on the teacher community.

Blended learning as an innovative pedagogical model requires the application of emerging methods in practice to meet specific pedagogical requirements ( 55 ). This review observed that teachers use different teaching platforms and online learning resources when incorporating blended learning in physical education in order to meet their pedagogical goals. The frequency of “learning platform” ranked highest among the selected studies, followed by “online learning materials” and “learning software.” With the development of educational technology, many student-centered learning platforms (e.g., Moodle, Superstar) are adopted by teachers in different educational institutions. These learning platforms are supported by teachers because they are powerful, easy to use, and can meet the common needs of both teachers and students ( 56 ). In addition, online learning materials which include online lectures, online documents, and online websites have also become teachers' choices. Compared to online learning platforms, online learning materials are richer in content and more diverse in learning formats. Teachers can select appropriate materials according to their student learning interests and practical needs ( 57 ). Self-developed learning tools or learning materials appropriate for the delivery of the courses are also created by teachers. One article developed and applied a robot ( 35 ), one article used recorded lectures ( 37 ), and a total of three articles used instructional software (e.g., basketball teaching mobile application) as the primary learning tool for learning activities ( 28 , 32 , 36 ). In general, while research on blended learning in physical education prior to 2020 on learning tools was homogeneous, the form diversifies as teachers begin combining two learning tools to produce better learning outcomes beginning in 2020, with the increased number of blended learning studies in physical education.

The theoretical framework is an essential component of disciplinary inquiry as it provides researchers with a strong argument for the significance of a particular research question and guides the analysis and interpretation of the data collected ( 58 ). The variety of theoretical frameworks found in reviewed articles indicates that blended learning in physical education is still in the stage of theoretical exploration, especially with twelve articles failing to specify a theoretical framework or a theoretical model used in the studies. The most commonly cited theories in this study are the self-determination theory (SDT) ( 22 , 31 ) and the constructivist theory ( 34 , 37 ). The self-determination theory asserts that individual development and progress are achieved through the satisfaction of three basic psychological needs: autonomy (self-identity and autonomy of choice), relatedness (being loved and interacting), and competence (being perceived as effective and capable). Meeting these three needs in a learning task will significantly enhance students' intrinsic motivation ( 14 ). This is because, in blended learning, students can determine their own learning time and pace based on their preferences (autonomy) and individual learning levels (competence). Blended learning also allows for collaborative learning that provides a highly interactive learning environment that meets student needs for relevance (relatedness). In short, many studies support the existing literature that blended learning environments have a positive impact on students' cognitive learning outcomes and “needs” for competence, autonomy, and relatedness ( 59 , 60 ).

On the other hand, constructivism, upholding the constructivist theory, believes that students do not passively acquire knowledge, but actively construct new understanding and knowledge through personal experience and social discourse and combine new information with existing knowledge ( 61 ). Blended learning emerged to overcome the disadvantages of passive learning in traditional physical education learning models and enhance students' learning experiences and build problem-solving skills for further practice by optimizing the combination of various learning modes. Applying constructivist theory to a blended learning environment, therefore, increases student interaction, learning efficiency, and quality ( 62 ). Post-humanist theory seeks to provide a new epistemology that is non-anthropocentric and rejects dualism as a central ( 63 ). Guided by this theory, researchers have a better understanding of the significance of online and face-to-face instruction in blended learning. Also, according to post-humanist theory, when introducing blended learning in physical education, teachers need to design and use an integrated approach so that all instructional elements, as well as their components (e.g., online instructional materials and face-to-face activities), are interacting, thus enhancing the learning experience of students ( 37 ). This review also discovers another theory associated with metacognition that stresses helping students master and reflects on their current learning situations in blended learning in physical education so that they can improve their skill performance. It is cognitive apprenticeship. Cognitive apprenticeship is an instructional model proposed by American cognitive psychologists Collins, Brown, and Duguid in 1989 that emphasizes the importance of the process by which teachers transfer skills to students. The reflective practice focuses on students' reflection on their performance in an ongoing practice for personal development.

In traditional physical education learning models, students can only passively accept knowledge and skills in the classroom. To extend the learning time and space, a new approach involving virtual learning environments has been proposed, which is the Collaborative Cyber Community (3C) model ( 64 ). This model highlights the importance of interaction and collaboration in a virtual environment where students can gain motor skills and knowledge and teachers can develop the competencies to guide students in technology-related instruction. In addition, some theoretical frameworks based on the flipped learning model were also included in some of the reviewed articles, such as the watch, summary, and question (WSQ) flipped learning model, the annotation, reflection, questioning, and interflow (ARQI) flipped learning model, and the identification, communication, reflection, and analysis (ICRA) flipped learning model. The watch, summary, and question (WSQ) flipped learning model aims to guide students to mark key points and difficulties when watching instructional videos and summarize and ask questions during the before-class stage to promote students' understanding of the learning content ( 29 ). Even though students can focus on understanding the learning content through WSQ flipped learning model, there is a lack of practical experience and reflection on motor skills. In contrast, practice videos in the annotation, reflection, questioning, and interflow (ARQI) flipped learning model facilitate students' ability to observe their sports performance from a spectator's perspective and critically reflect on their motor skills and internal experiences, thus allowing them to improve their performance ( 30 ). Similarly, based on the educational theory of reflective practice, the Identification, Communication, Reflection, and Analysis (ICRA) flipped learning model was developed to improve the effectiveness of flipped sports learning and to create pedagogies that are more suitable for motor skill learning ( 39 ).

Evaluation for learning is a method used for instruction that provides feedback to students and teachers to promote learning and guide the next stage of action. Feedback includes informal feedback (e.g., immediate verbal comments on student performance or behavior) and formal feedback (e.g., written feedback given at the end of a test and recorded as evidence for use by the student and the organization). Evaluation to facilitate learning involves high-quality peer assessment of learning with each other and self-assessment, with the results used as a basis for deciding what will be learned in the future ( 65 ). In terms of evaluation methods, this review found half of the articles used formal feedback (tests), with questionnaires and interviews being the most common of the other feedback methods. Other evaluation methods such as lesson observation, field notes, document analysis ( 34 ), and reflective blogging ( 37 ) were also mentioned, indicating the diversity of assessment methods of blended learning in physical education research. In addition, it is worth noting that five articles in this review used two evaluation methods, while six articles used three or more evaluation methods. This is in line with the current research trend where mixed methods research is increasingly valued in social science research as it provides a better understanding of what blended learning entails and how it can support student learning in a variety of ways ( 66 ).

In terms of the application areas of blended learning in physical education, the dynamic domain was explored the most, indicating that at this stage, the research on blended learning in physical education is mainly focused on physical exercise, which is in line with the characteristics of physical education. Even though studies have been investigating blended learning in single sports, such as dance, basketball, football, and Wushu, the sports categories are limited and lack richness. Moreover, this review discovers that the physical education theory (PET) curriculum is currently a less studied ( 37 , 42 ), probably because it is mainly conducted in higher education. However, it still has a vital role to play in the development of physical education. These two articles on the physical education theory (PET) curriculum only used interviews and questionnaires to investigate teachers' and students' experiences and satisfaction, so future research could use other research methods such as experimental and mixed methods to further investigate students' effectiveness and depth of perception. Furthermore, three articles explored both theoretical and pedagogical activity aspects of the physical education curriculum, such as the Physical Activity and Wellness ( 22 ), Sports Coaching ( 23 ), and Sports Management ( 40 ). The findings showed that there are different specificities to the use of blended learning, particularly the collaborative nature between students, experiential learning, the increased autonomy of students in their learning process, and the greater effect of critical thinking. Students receive more guidance and feedback from teachers in classroom activities, which is impossible to achieve with traditional teaching methods.

The findings from the dimension of the Research Topic reveal that perceptions ( n = 13), as well as learning effects ( n = 12) and satisfaction ( n = 6), have been the main concerns of researchers when conducting blended learning studies, in addition to motivation ( n = 4) and self-efficacy ( n = 4). This is largely in line with the study by Chen et al. ( 67 ) which flipped the science classroom and found that the researchers were more concerned with the student's learning effects, as well as their perceptions and attitudes/motivation. This is justified because blended learning is a new approach for most teachers and hence, it is essential to examine the impact of a relatively new pedagogical model on students' academic performance and perceptions. However, from the review of 22 articles, blended learning in physical education has generally met researchers' expectations. For instance, several studies mentioned the positive impacts of blended learning on students' learning effects, self-efficiency, interaction, and satisfaction ( 23 , 27 , 28 , 32 , 35 ), as well as their perceptions, motivation, and attitude ( 31 , 36 , 38 , 41 , 42 ). Furthermore, other topics such as the task load ( 29 , 30 ), attendance ( 24 ), self-assessment tools ( 25 ), skills and career development ( 26 ), and psychological needs in sports ( 33 ) were also conducted. The findings show that blended learning in the field of physical education, though in a developmental stage, meets the expectations of researchers.

While the advantages of blended learning models in optimizing teaching and learning are evident in countless influential studies, incorporating technology into education also brings a degree of unease to students and teachers. The most common problem related to blended learning in physical education is the instructional design challenge. Researchers have recently begun to develop or use online technologies for teaching or training activities. However, due to its specificity and complexity, physical education is more difficult to design in blended learning than other academic learning activities ( 68 ). The research by Boelens et al. ( 69 ) identifies four key challenges in the design of blended learning environments: incorporating flexibility, facilitating interaction, facilitating the learning process for students, and creating an effective learning environment. The shortcomings of instructional designs such as a lack of variety in content ( 29 , 34 ) and lengthy videos ( 23 ) are mentioned in several articles. Also, Liu et al. ( 42 ) report that students experience a sense of distance when involved in too many online learning activities. Tsai et al. ( 70 ) concur stating that online courses in blended learning should only be offered every 2 weeks so that students can learn on their own and, if they encounter problems, they can solve them through face-to-face interaction. Another challenge is the technological literacy and competency that have become necessary for teachers and students to pursue contemporary education. The findings of López-Fernández et al. ( 17 ), Lucena et al. ( 32 ), and Reddan et al. ( 23 ) emphasize the lack of literacy and competency among students and teachers in using technology. Liu et al. ( 42 ) mention that students are more conservative in enhancing their information-related skills, which affects their learning outcomes and satisfaction with the course. Similarly, Hsia et al. ( 29 ) highlight the need for blended-learning students to be technologically competent because incompetence with learning technology can be a barrier to students' success in blended learning.

Another challenge for students in blended learning is that they are expected to self-regulate their learning activities outside of face-to-face classes. Two articles specifically identified the types of self-regulation challenges, namely procrastination ( 42 ) and improper time management ( 29 ). It is worth noting that procrastination is considered a chronic habit of unnecessarily putting off things that need to be done ( 71 ). Students' procrastination behavior differs in traditional and blended models, as students in blended learning environments experience a more pronounced sense of transactional distance ( 8 ). Belief challenges in this study refer to the negative attitudes and perceptions of teachers or students regarding the use of technology for teaching and learning. As reported by Brown ( 72 ), the difficulties encountered in adopting technology may be seen as disruptive to teaching and learning. Teachers may think of blended learning as instruction that has two teaching sections to deal with. For example, some physical education teachers believe that blended learning meant extra work compared with traditional teaching ( 17 ). Chao et al. ( 38 ) also report that students are reluctant to accept pre-class preparation. Furthermore, past research has mentioned that student learning activities, such as homework and preparation before face-to-face lectures, are challenging due to the alienation and loneliness felt by students online. Similarly, the study by López-Fernández et al. ( 17 ) finds that alienation and loneliness were also a challenge for physical education teachers because they find it more challenging to establish social relationships, either between teachers and students or between students, in the blended learning model than in the traditional model. This view was confirmed by a previous study of blended learning in physical education, where teachers felt disconnected from students and expressed concerns associated with the potential lack of social relationships and learning opportunities for students in a virtual environment ( 73 ).

4.2. Limitation

First, this study is limited by the use of rich eligibility criteria and methodology to consider only high-impact journals. Referring to other databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, or Scopus might have resulted slightly differently. Second, only articles written in English are chosen. Third, the definition of blended learning opted in this review is a combination of traditional and online learning, so articles that do not conform to this definition are excluded, such as those that only mention the face-to-face part of blended learning. Finally, the study only focuses on the application of blended learning in physical education, such as the development trends and the main findings of current research. Therefore, the results cannot be extended to all research dimensions. Nevertheless, this research should be adequate to provide a roadmap for future research on blended learning in physical education.

5. Conclusion and suggestions

According to the overall findings, blended learning is in the initial stages of its development in the field of physical education. This result can be seen in several ways. First, researchers around the world have tried to apply blended learning in physical education, but the number of high-quality studies is very limited. Second, the majority of participants in the studies of blended learning on physical education are undergraduates, and a limited number of studies have been conducted on other subjects such as K−12 students and teachers. This review also reveals that studies prefer to investigate proven learning tools and the materials chosen by teachers as pre-course learning materials based on their personal preferences. In terms of theoretical framework, half of the researchers in the field of blended learning in physical education tend to not mention any theoretical framework. In addition, many prefer adopting a single evaluation method, with questionnaires being the most common method. Moreover, the focus of most journal articles on blended learning in physical education are on the preliminary aspects of blended learning research, namely perceptions, learning outcomes, satisfaction, and motivation. This leaves room for further research. This review also discovers that the most studied item in most articles on blended learning in physical education is dance. However, the majority of studies take a broad approach by not mentioning any specific item of physical education. Finally, the most common challenges for students and teachers revealed in this review are instructional design challenges, technological literacy and competency challenges, self-regulation challenges, alienation and isolation challenges, and belief challenges. In conclusion, this review provides a foundation for the future development of blended learning models by demonstrating the current status and development trends of blended learning in physical education.

Based on the results and discussion of the current review, several recommendations regarding blended learning in physical education are presented. First, it is necessary to improve the skills and perceptions of teachers. It is also evident that the researchers are very concerned about student perceptions of blended learning and learning outcomes. Most teachers and students identify instructional design and technological literacy and competence as their most obvious challenges. This implies that teachers need more training to improve their course design and management of online classes, including the use of multiple technologies as instructional support tools and the design of learning activities with various strategies at different stages of blended learning. To further explore the impact of blended learning on physical education, future research needs to focus on other populations (K−12 students, teachers, and educational institutions) and situations in other countries or regions. Future research should also focus on the application of blended learning in static physical education. Furthermore, it is recommended that the potential of blended learning in other sports be explored. In terms of the Research Topic, apart from the perceptions and learning effects, other aspects such as psychological needs and influencing factors should also be investigated.

Data availability statement

The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/supplementary material, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Author contributions

Conceptualization, software, formal analysis, investigation, resources, and writing—original draft preparation: CW. Methodology: CW and YY. Validation, writing—review and editing, visualization, and project administration: CW and RO. Data curation: CW and XJ. Supervision: RO, KS, and NM. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher's note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Keywords: blended learning, physical education, sports, educational technology, learning strategies

Citation: Wang C, Omar Dev RD, Soh KG, Mohd Nasirudddin NJ, Yuan Y and Ji X (2023) Blended learning in physical education: A systematic review. Front. Public Health 11:1073423. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1073423

Received: 18 October 2022; Accepted: 16 February 2023; Published: 09 March 2023.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2023 Wang, Omar Dev, Soh, Mohd Nasirudddin, Yuan and Ji. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Roxana Dev Omar Dev, rdod@upm.edu.my

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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The Effects of the Pandemic on Physical Education School-Aged Children

• By: Tim Sawicki
• November 14th, 2022

The global pandemic has wreaked havoc on academics, classrooms, and physical education. There is no doubt physical education and the physical development of children during their developmental years were greatly affected by the pandemic. Physical education is a field in which physical distancing, wearing masks, and avoiding close contact is extremely difficult. The importance of physical education for a child’s social, emotional, and physical well-being has been shown for decades (Bailey, 2006). As the country slowly comes out of the pandemic restrictions, interest in how physical education classes were affected during a pandemic should be studied.

During the early 2022 school semester, 13 graduate students (currently full-time teachers in the school system), who were taking an online Masters of Physical Education degree at Canisius College, provided insight into how the pandemic affected their physical education classes. The teachers reflected on their experiences teaching physical education during the 2021 school year from January to December. The classes the 13 teachers taught ranged from K to grade 12. The teachers were from different parts of the United States with one teacher (from the United States) teaching in Indonesia. The first question addressed to the students was: How much physical education time did their students receive during the pandemic? The results indicated a 65% drop in physical education time across the 13 teachers surveyed. The total time taking physical education classes dropped from an average of just under 110 minutes per week to just under 40 minutes per week during the 2021 year.

Reviewing data for younger grades (K-6) which 9 of the 13 teachers surveyed were teaching, there was a 70% decrease in physical education time from 105 minutes per week on average to 30 minutes per week during the pandemic. In the older grades (7-12) which four teachers surveyed were teaching; there was roughly a 50% decrease in physical education time decreasing from 115 minutes per week on average to 55 minutes per week. There was no noticeable difference in teachers’ physical education time responses based on location. Nine of the 13 teachers surveyed taught in New York state, three were teaching in New Jersey, and one student was in Indonesia. The 65% decrease in physical education time during 2021 would undoubtedly be much the same for the fall of 2020 and the spring semester of 2022 when pandemic restrictions were also in place. This two-year period would certainly have an effect on the physical development of school-aged children, especially in the younger grades where formative physical development is occurring.

The current findings are supported in the literature as stated (Tulchin-Francis, Stevens, Gu, Roberts, Keller, Dempsey, Borchard, Jeans and VanPelt, 2021) in which age-based changes were seen in the quantity, variety, and intensity of physical activity in children. Colley and Watt (2022) similarly showed physical activity rates among Canadian youth decreased by roughly two hours per week during the pandemic in the fall of 2020 as compared to 2018 activity levels. The decrease in physical activity as a whole and physical education classes specifically could have a profound effect on a child’s development of physical skills but could also carry over to decreasing interest in physical activities in general, including youth sports. The long-term effect of the pandemic on physical development and activity levels in youth warrants further study.

The 13 teachers surveyed were also asked about the difficulties they had while teaching physical education during the pandemic and the negative aspects of the pandemic on their physical education classes. Eleven of the 13 teachers (85%) stated the biggest negative challenge created by the pandemic was the ‘interaction between students’ and the ‘interaction between students and the teacher.’ Students were required to wear masks and maintain a six-foot physical distance from each other while participating in physical education classes. The students also had to stay six feet from the teacher which drastically reduced the ability of students to learn skills from the teacher. This negative aspect is supported in the literature by Spitzer (2020) who stated that wearing masks during physical activity made students feel uncomfortable and they wanted to decrease their participation rates.

The second most reported negative factor of teaching during the pandemic (reported by 46% of teachers surveyed) was ‘lesson planning.’ Lesson planning was made difficult since physical distancing had to be incorporated into the lessons and a few of the students with special needs really suffered as lessons, usually hands-on, could not be tailored to them. Lesson planning during the pandemic also increased the workload for teachers since new lessons with physical distancing had to be created for each class and most lessons were not allowed to use equipment due to the ability of the virus to transfer on equipment.

The third and fourth most reported negative consequences of teaching physical education during the pandemic were: ‘participation rates’ and ‘equipment’ (both reported at 39%). For the most part, equipment was not allowed, especially early in the pandemic, so creating lessons was difficult. Equipment was not to be shared between students and later on in the pandemic equipment was permitted but had to be used by only one student and wiped down with disinfectant. This was a challenge for teachers. Decreased ‘participation’ was mentioned as a negative consequence of the pandemic because students in physical education classes were allowed to sit out and not participate if their parents felt it was dangerous (in terms of picking up the virus in physical education class). The principal told teachers to allow students to sit out if they wanted to. In many cases, the teachers did not have a gymnasium as it was taken over to use as a classroom so physical distancing with desks far apart could occur. Often with no gymnasium, little participation, and equipment not allowed, physical education became a huge challenge for teachers, particularly in the early stages of the pandemic. Some of the teachers stated that later in the pandemic, they figured out ways to disinfect equipment, use what they had learned the year before to create individual-based lessons, and had lesson activities where social distancing could occur.

The last two mentioned negative consequences of the pandemic as stated by the teachers (reported by 23% of teachers surveyed), were ‘grading’ and the ‘mental/emotional’ aspect of teaching during a pandemic. Teachers were told by administrators to allow flexible grading and provide more grades for non-skill-based learning. The aspect of grading on physical abilities was dramatically reduced during the pandemic and teachers were informed to allow students great latitude while being graded in physical education. Grading on skills or skill development or sports-related grading was dramatically changed during the pandemic. The last-mentioned negative effect of the pandemic was the ‘mental/emotional’ toll it took on the students and teachers. The students could not interact with each other as usual and the students were worried about catching the virus. Many teachers were confused about what they could and could not do during physical education classes. Campbell, DeLeew, and Owen (2021) stated that the pandemic closed parks, canceled youth sports, and community activity, and prevented children from reaching physical activity at minimal levels. This has put a mental strain on children who are used to regular physical activity. Teachers were similarly worried about contracting the virus and how to teach physical education safely. Further, the pandemic created a loss of up to two million teaching jobs across the USA (Litvinov, 2020) which put a further strain on teachers’ psyche. Thus, the pandemic put a mental and emotional strain on students and teachers related to participating in physical education classes.

Many schools opted for remote learning where learning was transferred from the classroom to home or a hybrid model which used a combination of in-person learning and remote learning (Truong, 2020). The 13 teachers surveyed stated they attempted to have students engage in physical education at home during times they would normally have it at school. This presented several challenges for the teachers such as very poor attendance at scheduled zoom physical education classes and students not partaking in activities when they were scheduled to. There was also, what one teacher surveyed stated was, ‘chaos’ when transitioning from gymnasium to home physical education. Lack of information, lack of detail, and lack of planning were noted as the basis for the ‘chaos’ statement. Kilday and Ryan (2019) stressed the importance and need in learning that students regularly connect and interact with their peers. This was lost with online remote physical education learning during the pandemic.

The benefits of physical activity have been touted by health professionals for decades. Regular physical activity is known to decrease the likelihood of Type 2 diabetes, and control blood glucose levels weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels (CDC, 2019). The pandemic undoubtedly created a less healthy lifestyle for school-aged children. Further, it is likely that the pandemic could have placed children far behind in their physical development and it may take years to catch up. Research studies will be needed to determine the exact extent that the pandemic affected the physical development and health of school-aged children.

Bailey, R. (2006). Physical education and sport in schools: A review of benefits and outcomes. The Journal of School Health (76): 397-401.

CDC. (2019). Lack of physical activity. www.cdc.gov/chronicdiseases/resources/publications/factsheets/physical-activity.htm.

Colley, R. and Watt, J. (2022). The unequal impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the physical activity habits of Canadians. https://www.doi.org/10.25318/82-003-x202200500003-eng .

Kilday, J.E. and A.M. Ryan (2019). Personal and collective perceptions of social support: Implications for engagement in early adolescence. Contemporary Educational Psychology: 163-174.

Litvinov, A. (2020). NEA Analysis: Nearly two million education jobs could be lost. www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/nea-analysis-nearly-2-million-education-jobs-could-be-lost.

Spitzer, M. (2020). The benefits and burdens of wearing face masks in schools during the current Coronavirus pandemic. Trends in Neuroscience and Education (20): 100138.

Theis, N., Campbell, N.,  DeLeew, J. and M. Owen (2021). The effects of Covid-19 restrictions on the physical activity and mental health of children and young adults with physical and/or intellectual disabilities. www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1936657421000054.

Truong, M. (2020, September 10). What is remote or remote-hybrid learning? Retrieved October 31, 2022, from https://support.apu.edu/hc/en-us/articles/360052228253-What-is-remote-or-remote-hybrid-learning- .

Tulchin-Francis, K., Stevens, W., Gu, X., , Roberts, H., Keller, J., Dempsey, D., Borchard. J., Jeans, K., and J. VanPelt (2021). The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on physical activity in U.S. Children. Journal of Sport and Health Science (3): 323-332.

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Interactive communication in the process of physical education: are social media contributing to the improvement of physical training performance

1 Department of Physical Education, Hohai University, Nanjing, China

Chang Feng Ning

2 Institute of Physical Education, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng, China

Associated Data

Data will be available on request.

The development of modern technologies and the use of social networks create an environment for the exchange of information, interactive communication, learning, and optimization of various processes. The study describes the results of the effectiveness of using various social media tools to increase the level of physical activity in people of different ages (12–35 years old). Effective tools for increasing the level of physical activity that can be used on social media have been considered. A survey created in Google forms was conducted to select research participants and group them; the pedagogical experiment is the introduction of social media tools to encourage users to do sports. The experiment involved 148 people of different age groups: adolescents, students, adults. After the experiment with the experimental group, there were 59.20% of participants with an average level of physical activity and 22.37% of participants with a high level of physical activity; in the control group, 31.58% of participants had a low level of physical activity, 48.70%—average, 10.53%—high. Most participants of all ages (88.16%) refrained from posting videos of their achievements on social media, while nine participants (5 pupils and 4 students) posted their achievements in the form of short video exercises or screenshots, and reports of exercises in mobile applications in their groups. The research results are applicable to various social groups and can be used to create private groups on social media to encourage physical activity. The data obtained can be used for further development of specialized training programs using digital technology and social networks.

Introduction

Physical activity is needed to maintain health, harmonious development, and a positive psychological and emotional attitude at different ages [ 1 , 2 ]. Lack or poor level of physical activity leads to adverse health effects: an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, excess weight, problems with the musculoskeletal system [ 3 ]. Physical activity contributes to the development of motor, cognitive social and emotional skills, as well as the maintenance of health throughout life.

Recently, a variety of youth wellness concepts have been gaining popularity because of the increasing trend of deteriorating student well-being [ 4 ]. For example, about 84% of the students surveyed at a London university pointed to the need to strengthen physical education practices in higher education because they need to address unhealthy lifestyles during their studies [ 5 ].

Interactive learning is learning that involves interaction between students and the teacher, as well as between students [ 6 ]. The use of interactive tools contributes to the study of various subjects on a convenient scale. But for the effective use of interactive tools, it is important to be able to create e-courses, plan and conduct classes based on one's own developments [ 7 ]. The introduction of interactive technologies in the process of physical education has a positive effect on the motivation for physical activity [ 8 ].

Social media content allows users to develop knowledge about the characteristics of exercise, movement, and physical fitness, as well as to find healthy lifestyle communities [ 9 ]. The use of social media allows learners to further study the educational material in their free time and provides opportunities to increase motivation to engage in physical exercise [ 10 ].

According to the research results, the use of the Ning platform for educational purposes strengthened the interaction between students, as well as between the teacher and the student; it increased students' motivation, improved the microclimate in the classroom, optimized the exchange of educational materials, made it possible to use and increase students' interest in the educational material [ 11 ]. Physical education teachers can use web tools to design their own exercises; students better understand content with the help of web tools [ 7 , 12 ]. The use of interactive computer assistive technology is not a new phenomenon; its effectiveness has been confirmed experimentally [ 13 ]. Moreover, the use of innovative interactive approaches and social media tools can motivate adolescents to lead a healthy lifestyle, promote this idea with the help of social connections, authority, and a trend toward a healthy lifestyle [ 12 ].

The emergence of the coronavirus pandemic has caused one of the greatest demands of transforming the educational process in a new way in the twenty-first century [ 14 ]. It should be noted that the implementation of digital technologies in the learning process of some specialties (namely those that need direct contact between a student and a teacher) contains many opportunities and obstacles that directly affect learning quality [ 15 ]. Studies of a sample of students from 15 Korean universities on the effectiveness of implemented online physical education classes indicate that most students have begun to lose enthusiasm for the discipline's classes. Researchers found that the main determinants of the success of the classes remained the provision of timely and high-quality feedback; thorough preparation of teachers for the classes, the reduction of system technical failures, and students’ motivation [ 16 ].

Physical exercise is a socially contagious behavior [ 9 ], and social intervention strategies along with peer influence can promote deviant behavior but can also have a positive effect on people's behavior and lifestyle [ 8 , 12 ].

Literature review

An interesting development for increasing the level of physical activity that is based on social comparison (Active2Gether system) was made by Klein et al. [ 2 ]. One of the main ideas of the system is that a healthy lifestyle can be maintained and achieved with the help of social support. In this system, social comparison is implemented at the individual level through the user ranking system and at the group level by displaying the average group indicators together with user data (that is, the user can see the position of their group in the ranking and their contribution to it) [ 2 ].

Child et al. [ 17 ] also note the possibilities of improving physical activity, namely the creation of outdoor walking groups for low-income communities with the help of social networks.

It has been found that social media can increase the level of physical activity of adolescents [ 10 , 18 ] and adults depending on the content or purpose of use [ 19 ]. The use of social networks contributes to student motivation, allows users to create platforms and discussion forums for discussing topical issues and sports events, as well as maintains content relevance [ 11 ]. The contribution of social media tools to an increase in physical activity is described in detail by Korda and Itani [ 20 ].

Social media allow users to create healthy lifestyle communities that value physical activity and encourage participation in a variety of activities to promote a healthy lifestyle [ 20 ]. Giannikas [ 21 ] points out that physical education teachers need to learn and teach students to use Facebook for Education content to ensure effective leisure time including physical exercise. On the other hand, research on the interaction of physical education and sport students with their teachers on Facebook at a Turkish university indicates a passive response of the sample to this format of communication. At the same time, the study notes that the main determinant of this result was the low level of digital competence of teachers and the low differentiation of educational content in this social network [ 22 ].

Social media are a huge platform for personal development of trainers and physical education teachers [ 23 ]. In a study by Raggatt et al. [ 24 ], half of the participants (a total of 180 participants, of which 151 were women, average age was 23) indicated that they are interested in learning about health and fitness through online communities. The motives for this included not having to go to the gym and being able to do exercises at home. At the same time, it was noted that when studying information about physical exercise on social networks, many young women perceive a perfect body image that they would like to achieve; this can negatively affect their physical and mental health [ 24 ]. Therefore, it is important to be confident in the safety of the content for each user in accordance with their health grounds, goals, and other factors. A survey of sports management educators in North America found that educators consider the use of social media in education as a means of improving both teaching and learning, but in a real-case scenario, social media teaching strategies are hardly used there [ 25 ].

The students who participated in the research by Balcikanli [ 11 ] noted that they wanted teachers to use social networks more often because of accessibility and the desire to communicate with teachers in a relaxed manner; in addition, some students (in the study it is indicated that the students are introverts) found it easier to communicate via social media rather than face-to-face [ 26 ].

E-learning tools and the use of social networks provide effective mechanisms for educating trainers and physical education teachers. According to the results of numerous studies, these are the possibilities of interactive communication, discussion of various issues, unrestricted and unlimited access to content, autonomy, competence [ 23 , 27 ]. Thus, experienced trainers ( n  = 322, various sports) who have used Twitter also find it a valuable learning platform [ 23 ].

Various topics that are not available in the classroom can be studied with the help of social media. That is, Facebook can be used most advantageously [ 21 ]. Korda and Itani [ 20 ] argue that people often search for a solution to their health problems on social media; but this requires a careful approach and does not always help to achieve the desired outcome. Researchers have analyzed a variety of studies considering the impact of social media on physical activity and indicated the need for further developments and research. However, it is argued that social media can greatly promote physical activity and guarantee the anonymity of users and their preferences. Nevertheless, we do not know whether the exercises will be performed by those who saw them on the social network and how to measure the effect of information on the network on the performance of exercises or failure to do them.

Researchers have shown a positive relationship between youth exercise performance and a range of social skills, peer relationships, social behavior, respect, leadership, problem-solving skills, and responsibility [ 28 ]. The development of social skills in the context of physical education combined with the development of such skills on social networks, as well as the encouragement of an increase in the level of physical activity, should have a twofold positive effect.

According to the research [ 29 ], the use of social networks had a positive effect on the physical activity of students who led a fairly active lifestyle (exercising almost every day). However, a sedentary lifestyle (no exercise or lack of exercise) is also characterized by the frequent use of social media. Apparently, there is a difference in the purpose of social media use (finding and performing exercises, programs, or passive "surfing"). Students described as moderate social media users based on a Likert scale (once or twice a month!) were most likely to report doing intense daily exercise [ 29 ]. It follows that moderate use of social media brings the greatest benefit to physical activity levels. Other researchers have found that the use of online social media groups and self-control do not increase the level of physical activity in young people, but interactive communication through social media may have a more positive effect on encouraging physical exercise and the use of information related to it [ 24 ].

Experts note several possible roles of mobile applications in the improvement of the quality of physical education; these are tools used for communication, namely a whiteboard, a scoreboard, a display platform. I-pad applications can be used as classroom management tools, timer, music display, self-assessment, and feedback tools. Digital technology can improve children's motivation to exercise and contribute to the development of cognitive and motor skills [ 30 ].

Most studies have confirmed the effectiveness of the use of mobile technologies to increase the level of physical activity of users [ 31 ].

In connection with the apparent possibilities of using interactive communication on social networks to increase the level of physical activity, the purpose of the study was to check whether the use of social networks helps to improve the level of physical activity in people of different ages, and what methods of using social networks are appropriate and effective for increasing physical activity. It should be noted that a large number of publications are currently devoted to a detailed analysis of the implementation of interactive learning in various spheres of human activity. Due to the conducted theoretical analysis of the actual literature, out of all data arrays, quite a few authors pay attention to the specificity and necessity of transforming physical education. Due to the stringent requirement for continuous student–teacher interaction, the effective implementation of online learning technologies in physical education is a challenge for educational institutions, which currently lacks a sufficient research basis.

Methodology

Participants.

The study involved 148 people who regularly (2–3 times a week) exercise due to social requirements (school attendance), or on their own initiative (fitness classes).

Research design

The choice of a social network as the basis for the formation of interactive environment was justified based on the statistics of the popularity of applications, calculated by the number of active users. In recent years, Facebook has been the undisputed leader in this ranking [ 32 ]. The selection of adult participants in the experiment (students aged 17–23 and adults aged 24–35) was carried out based on the requests on social networks obtained through advertising (a Facebook-based ad was placed (the ad reached about 25 public groups related to fitness and sports), where everyone who wanted to participate in the study sent a request with his or her email information); persons interested in the experiment filled out a questionnaire (they noted the absence/presence of health problems and permission to publish the results) and based on the results of the survey, they were invited to join a private group on Facebook. School children aged 12–16 years (all from the same school) with no health issues (absence of diseases and injuries) could take part in the study with parental consent.

The questionnaire is available at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1tj-LXsMElzlhxmIuis35Ln4s1QFuc2INLMOFTP9BR_M/edit?usp=sharing . The participants were also interviewed based on Google form No. 1, which contained directive questions about the purpose of exercising and expected results (achievements, weight loss, better health). A sample questionnaire can be found in the appendix and is also available at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Oj0mpN6gGMGvRKFOP8ipVVw5183c5hy1lII297mSs5U/edit?usp=sharing , or by QR code.

In order for the adolescents aged 12–16\to be allowed to fill out the questionnaire, the presence of one or two parents was required.

The level of physical activity of the participants after the experiment was also determined based on the results of the questionnaire contained in Google form No. 2 that was developed for the purpose of the study. Some questions differed for the control and experimental groups. For the experimental group, the form is available at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bVhT_HYOp6TgLcz7gwY_Vy_shtLwZTfwGp1MeWGB edit? usp = sharing.

For the control group, it can be found at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1O3bS3kR9oUaJ1jpgYF-rWe8hP_TVelgm-VKUtGoORco/edit?usp=sharing .

The important responses included the number of hours per week devoted to sports, the presence/absence of classes with a personal trainer, participation, or non-participation in competitions/sports games, going to the swimming pool, or going to the gym.

Social media tools used in the experiment

To increase the level of physical activity, the following tools were used:

• For all age groups—advertisements of various fitness classes in the form of content posted in a private group; announcements of sports events that can be visited in order to develop knowledge about sports; monitoring the dynamics of one's own progress based on the information shared in the group (completed a set of exercises, swam a distance in the pool, completed the set of exercises found in the application, learned how to perform the exercise, etc.), comparison of oneself with other group participants (this one is optional);
• For students aged 12–16—posting videos of their own achievements, moments of competitions; films and videos encouraging participation in sports or physical activities; advertisement of fitness applications (home workout and Adidas training);

Experiment participants\and social media tools used in the experimental groups

All the participants in the experiment were required to visit the Facebook group once a week, scroll the feed, watch videos (optional) posted by other participants or share their own one.

Resources required to conduct the experiment

All participants were required to be able to access a private Facebook group from any device; schoolchildren of 12–16 years old were allowed to use their parents' accounts.

To implement social media tools, 3 private groups were created (for different age groups).

The following tools were used in the group (according to the study by Korda and Itani [ 20 ]):

• Microblogging;
• Social networking healthcare websites;
• Video widgets;
• Distribution of content (sports, mobile applications, etc.).

Difficulties associated with the experiment include control over the content (whether it has been viewed or not) and the amount of time spent on social media, as well as the impossibility to determine whether those who have seen the content have completed the exercises/are going to do them/or are going to the gym.

However, studies considering the impact of social media content show its practical effect (that is, exercise, lifestyle changes, and so on) on the user, and the results of physical activity surveys have been validated. To check whether everyone saw the content and an advertisement in the form of a post in the group, the participants were asked to "like" a certain message. However, it was difficult to determine whether they had carefully studied the content or simply "liked" the post. This could be assessed based on comments but forcing the participants to write comments would contradict the idea of the experiment (social networks are used to simplify and optimize physical activity).

Requirements for participants of different age groups to perform proposed physical activities or attend sporting events

To perform the proposed exercises, adolescents aged 12–16 had to agree with their parents on the attendance of additional classes, the pool, competitions, or workout sessions with a personal trainer; the adolescents' parents gave their permission and coordinated these classes with trainers and the management of fitness clubs and pools personally.

Students and adults arranged classes with trainers and the management of fitness clubs and swimming pools in person or by phone.

Schoolchildren performed physical exercises from fitness applications under the supervision of parents (online via Skype, Zoom, Viber, or in person); physical education teachers could also control the performance of such exercises (by prior agreement).

Students and adults performed such exercises on their own with the fulfillment of the condition to monitor their state or under the supervision of trainers (online via Skype, Zoom, Viber, or in person by prior agreement).

The exercises were performed in the afternoon after school or work and the experiment lasted for 6 months (September 2019–May 2020).

Determining the effect of social media on the level of physical activity

The level of physical activity was determined based on Google form No. 2 that was completed once a month; based on the results obtained, the metabolic equivalent was calculated as an indicator of the level of physical activity [ 33 ]. In the form, the participants noted the time spent on physical exercises, the number of classes a week, and had the opportunity to make notes, record new skills and sports achievements. This option to monitor the level of physical activity was recognized as valid—the agreement between survey results and observation ranged from 73.4 to 86.3% [ 34 ]. The answers to the survey questions were processed with the help of the mathematical techniques in Google tables, which allow calculating statistics (the Wilcoxon test) and comparing the presence/absence of certain elements of physical activity. The participants were also interviewed based on Google form No. 2, which contained directive questions about the purpose of exercising and expected results (achievements, weight loss, better health). The questionnaire is available at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Oj0mpN6gGMGvRKFOP8ipVVw5183c5hy1lII297mSs5U/edit?usp=sharing .

The level of physical activity of the participants in the experiment was determined based on the results of the surveys; the important answers were the number of hours per week devoted to sports, the method of getting to work and the time the activity takes, the presence/absence of classes with a personal trainer, participation, or non-participation in competitions/sports games.

The experiment lasted for 6 months (September 2019–May 2020).

The level of physical activity was analyzed using the metabolic equivalent [ 33 ]. The metabolic equivalent was calculated using the number of physical activity numbers indicated in Google form No. 2, in which the participants noted the amount of time spent on exercise and the frequency of classes per week, and had the opportunity to make notes, record new skills and sports achievements. This option to monitor the level of physical activity was recognized as valid—the agreement between the survey results and the observations described by Sirard and Pate [ 34 ] ranged from 73.4 to 86.3%.

The answers to the survey questions were processed with the help of the mathematical techniques in Google tables, which allow calculating statistics (the Wilcoxon test) and comparing the presence/absence of certain elements of physical activity.

Ethical issues

All adult participants in the study received consent letters to their email addresses to participate in the study. In doing so, at the request of school administrators, a written consent to participate in the experiment and publish its results was obtained from the parents of the schoolchildren. At least one of the parents of adolescents aged 12–16 was invited to join a private Facebook group to be aware of the current events.

Results and discussion

As a result of the use of some social media tools to increase the level of physical activity, the behavior of the participants in the experiment was studied. The dynamics of the increase in the level of physical activity and the results of the experimental and control group participants are described below.

Thus, before the experiment, the level of physical activity of the participants was as follows (see Fig.  1 ).

Number of people in each age group according to the level of physical activity before the experiment

Generally, the baseline level of physical activity did not differ between the groups; thus, the sample selection was based on this criterion.

As a result of the use of social media tools, the level of physical activity significantly increased in the experimental group. In addition to the increase in the level of physical activity in this group, the participants' interest in various sports increased and their visits to the swimming pool and personal training sessions became more frequent (see Fig.  2 and Table ​ Table2 2 ).

Number of people in each age group according to the level of physical activity after the experiment

Level of physical activity before the experiment

At the same time, respondents also noted the positive effect of absorbing extraneous sources of information (Facebook ads, colleagues' comments, etc.). This increases their motivation to learn and broadens their perception of the physical education paradigm.

The Wilcoxon test results show significant differences between the indicators (the differences before and after the experiment are significant).

This is mainly due to the improvements in physical activity which were also noted in the questionnaire (created with the help of Google Forms). These improvements are described below (see Table ​ Table3 3 ).

Improvements in the physical activity of the study participants

Also, there is an interesting observation on the use of mobile applications. Thus, 72.36% of experimental group participants used fitness apps while giving their preference to Adidas training (87.3% of those who tried mobile apps). The features of the use of such applications are as follows (see Table ​ Table4 4 ).

Features of the use of mobile applications by the experimental group

About 84% of respondents said they were ready for a gradual transition to full digital learning, and 47% of them would not mind adding other social media to their use. Most participants of all ages (88.16%) refrained from posting videos of their accomplishments on social media. Nine participants (5 pupils and 4 students) posted their achievements in the form of short video exercises or screenshots, and reports of mobile application programs in their groups. However, not a single adult respondent (neither student nor pupil) ventured to publicly share their videos, indicating a lack of moral preparation for online communication.

Based on the results obtained, it follows that the social media tools used in the study are effective for increasing the level of physical activity of the experiment participants.

The experimental data supplement and confirm the data and claims that the use of relevant content and impact on social networks contributes to an increase in the physical activity of social media users among different population groups, as well as to an improvement in their knowledge about physical activity [ 17 ]. According to Montgomery et al. [ 18 ], the physical activity of adolescent boys (13–15 years old) is identical to the activity of their friends on social networks and in real life; the activity of girls correlates with the physical activity of a close friend. Our research confirms this finding as attending classes and learning about different types of physical activity had a positive effect on the behavior of friends. The results of the study by Josey and Moore [ 19 ] indicating that social media programs can increase physical activity and the findings by DeVitis et al. [ 10 ] showing that posting information about physical activity on a social network has a positive impact on its users have been confirmed in our study. Aral and Nicolaides [ 9 ] studied the impact of social media on runners' behavior and concluded that exercise is socially contagious, which has also been confirmed by the present study.

Storey et al. [ 35 ] noted that social media can promote the creation of a healthy environment for schoolchildren, which has been supported by our findings. In addition, their further research on finding perfect networks to ensure long-term positive effects of physical exercises on schoolchildren’s health has been verified to some extent. Our study is also consistent with the research by Giannikas [ 21 ] who states that Facebook can be used for the greatest benefit; thus, it motivates students to learn or, in this case, to exercise, and facilitates collaboration between users. To some extent, the data obtained by Shimoga et al. [ 29 ] on the search for the optimal amount of time and purposes of the use of social media by adolescents to maintain health have been expanded.

Balcikanli [ 11 ] showed that social media have a positive effect on enhancing communication between the teacher and students, as well as between students in the context of educational purposes. The use of interactive tools promotes social interaction of students, and visual aids (i.e., the content offered in private social media groups) are an effective tool that allows teachers (trainers) to attract attention and present information in a convenient and clear way so that the users can view all the components of the required content [ 7 ]. Physical education teachers need to improve their knowledge of the use of social networks and the possibilities of their application to improve the level of physical activity taking into account the wide opportunities for learning and interactive communication on social networks; this fact complements the data obtained by Lebel et al. [ 25 ], Moura et al. [ 36 ], Weidong [ 13 ].

Our research confirms the thesis that social media influence individual behavior of children and adolescents in terms of health, and the correct use of innovative technological approaches will contribute to their leading healthy lifestyles [ 12 ]. The data obtained by Klein et al. [ 2 ] indicating that monitoring the level of one's own physical activity contributes to its improvement among like-minded people and a healthy lifestyle can be promoted by social support have been expanded in our study. Our findings are also consistent with the ones obtained by Yang et al. [ 31 ] considering the promotion of physical education through mobile devices and the unpopularity of the use of such technologies for physical development as most of the participants did not know about the availability of mobile applications for exercise.

On the other hand, some studies suggest that there are negative effects on the use of social media in the context of physical activity. In particular, a survey of Australian athletes identified several key risks associated with the active implementation of digital tools in the learning process: distraction by advertising and superfluous online messages, poor quality demonstration of the exercise or movement algorithm, and the unsuitability of the most popular social media for educator-student communication [ 37 ]. Also quite interesting was the data on the formation of branding pressure in social networks (in particular, Instagram and Twitter), which indicates the dual optimality of the use of these applications in education and the requirement of high digital orientation of participants in the educational process [ 38 ].

It should be noted that the present study is purposeful research and the use of social networks during the experiment was limited (up to 3 times a week, up to 3 h); the use of physical exercises, their completion, and the search for personal trainers was controlled taking into account the health-preserving goal (that is, the exercises were performed without excessive effort and training was aimed at increasing physical activity rather than achieving an ideal body shape).

Conclusions

To increase the level of physical activity in senior school children, it is effective to ask them to share their achievements in a private social media group, beautifully advertise sports, fitness clubs and swimming pools, as well as invite them to attend trial classes. At the same time, the attendance of classes and a note in the group by one participant, participant's or parent's feedback had an impact on the likelihood of a large number of participants visiting this place (conclusion based on comments and reviews, “likes”, and the dynamics of further visits). The same methods are effective due to the restrictions for children of this age on the network.

For students, the effective means of mental influence and interactive communication were invitations to participate in online fitness groups, performing exercises in these groups, moderate advertising of fitness clubs and swimming pools, notification of sports competitions. Thus, as a result of visiting such competitions, the participants got interested in these sports.

For adults (23–35 years old), invitations to participate in physical exercises at the place of work offered in a private social media group turned out to be effective (the experimental group was formed in the same way). Thus, 80.7% of participants began to attend fitness classes more often than before the experiment (1–2 times a week before the experiment and 2–3 times after the experiment), 46.6% started to perform the sets of exercises offered in mobile applications (workouts at home, Adidas training) at least once a week. At the same time, in Google form No. 1, all participants indicated that they were not particularly interested in the availability of such applications or did not know about them before the experiment. Also, 32.3% of the participants in this group began to visit the swimming pool at least once every 2 weeks.

The majority of the participants of all age groups (88.16%) refrained from posting videos of their achievements on social networks. Nine participants (5 pupils and 4 students) posted their achievements in the form of short videos of exercises or screenshots, reports on the completion of mobile app programs in their groups.

Writing reviews about training and improving well-being has a huge impact. Thus, according to statistics, a positive review of a person who has visited a pool or a fitness club ensures, on average, 3 visits by members of a private group where the review was published (conclusions made based on comments in groups and subsequent visits to the pool or fitness club). More than half of the participants in the experimental group (64.5%) tried workouts with a personal trainer and began to additionally visit the gym and/or pool.

In the experimental group, where the participants communicated using interactive social media tools to monitor the level of physical activity and search for ways to increase it, the indicators of the level of physical activity significantly improved: 59.20% of participants achieved the average level of physical activity and 22.37%—high while 31.58% of the control group participants at the end of the experiment had a low level of physical activity, 48.70%-average, 10.53%—high.

The current article can be used as a prototype for further development of specialized curricula for teaching the discipline of physical education in universities or schools using social media, since it takes into account the views of respondents of all ages.

At the same time, future researchers should pay more attention to social networks, which are not too popular in the global background—in this way they can discover a Klondike for improving the effectiveness of physical wellness practices in society in the context of digital globalization.

Research limitations

The study involved healthy people without any chronic diseases, injuries, abnormalities, and doctor prohibitions, who regularly performed basic physical exercise (at school or at a fitness club at least once a week). The results obtained are not recommended for use in the samples of people with any disease, injury, and/or disorder of the musculoskeletal system due to possible side or negative effects of the exercise load. All exercises offered by the mobile application and other types of exercises were performed under the supervision of a trainer. All social media tools were used to increase the level of physical activity. The level of physical activity was measured according to the results of surveys without the use of fitness trackers.

Acknowledgements

Not applicable.

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Data availability

Declarations.

Authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Classroom Q&A

With larry ferlazzo.

In this EdWeek blog, an experiment in knowledge-gathering, Ferlazzo will address readers’ questions on classroom management, ELL instruction, lesson planning, and other issues facing teachers. Send your questions to [email protected]. Read more from this blog.

The Biggest Policy Challenges Schools Are Facing Right Now

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There are many education policy challenges facing schools at the moment.

Today, two educators share which ones they think are the most important ones.

‘Legislative Attacks’

Keisha Rembert is a lifelong learner, equity advocate, and award-winning educator. She is the author of The Antiracist English Language Arts Classroom , a doctoral student and an assistant professor/DEI coordinator for teacher preparation at National Louis University. Prior to entering teacher education, Keisha spent more than 15 years teaching middle school English and U.S. history.

George Orwell’s words in his book 1984 resonate deeply today: “Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.” These words hold immense relevance as we traverse the landmine of educational bills that have enacted book bans; restricted the exploration of race, sexual orientation, and gender identity topics; and prohibited the teaching of historical truths or any discourse that may result in “ discomfort, guilt, or anguish .”

In the past year, education-focused legislative attacks have become palpable and personal. We have seen an influx of anti-LGBTQIA+ bills , totaling a whopping 283, nationwide. In Florida, the value of AP African American Studies has been questioned, undermined, and dismissed as “ lacking educational value. ”

And critical race theory has become persona non grata, a scapegoat to thwart discussions and actions toward racial justice in our polarized American political landscape. These examples highlight the trend of states’ attempts to not only control curricula, learning, and discourse but also to stifle justice and constrict bodies and intellectual progress, negatively impacting the whole of society.

According to a 2022 Rand Corp survey, one-fourth of the teachers reported being influenced by legislative actions, pending and imposed, to change their lessons. It is scary to think that state legislatures, without any educational expertise, wield the power to manipulate knowledge and rewrite history. In the words of Paulo Freire, “Leaders who do not act dialogically, but insist on imposing their decisions, do not organize the people—they manipulate them. They do not liberate, nor are they liberated: they oppress.” And thus, the barrage of these oppressive educational policies are not only unconscionable but also fundamentally untenable for student and societal success.

We find ourselves at a critical juncture, where the exclusion of diverse perspectives and the suppression of uncomfortable truths have the potential to distort our collective consciousness. It is in recognizing and embracing the history of the most marginalized among us that we truly learn about ourselves, our growth as a society, and the ideals to which we aspire.

These dehumanizing legislative impositions hinder our students’ understanding of our shared history and also represent a dangerous path that encroaches on our personal and academic freedoms. They undermine our capacity to nurture students’ critical-thinking skills and hamper our ability to cultivate a citizenry that values democratic ideals and engages thoughtfully in meaningful change.

As educators, we must continue to fight and offer our support to those living under oppressive state regimes. In our classrooms and beyond, we should:

• Advocate academic freedom: We cannot be passive bystanders while the rights of our students, selves, and colleagues are at stake. We must actively engage in discussions and initiatives that protect and promote freedom of all kinds within our schools, communities, and nation. We must reject the notion that any student should be denied the invaluable opportunity to be exposed to truth, diverse and inclusive perspectives, ideas, and experiences. Our championing of freedom creates an environment that fosters critical thinking, humility, and a deeper understanding of our world.
• Foster critical thinking and humility: The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The only way to deal with unjust laws is to render them powerless by ignoring them.” It is time to lean into what we know is right and teach our students to do the same. To navigate this time of distortions and mistruths, our students need to be analytical thinkers who are discerning, open-minded, and equipped to challenge rhetoric and resist the manipulative forces that are restricting knowledge and controlling narratives.
• Uphold the ideals of democracy and global humanity: In the face of state-led oligarchies, it is our duty to instill in our students civic literacy, agency, collective responsibility, and the need to dismantle oppressive systems. Our students must be justice seekers who build bridges as compassionate citizens.

If we are not vigilant, we risk facing a fate reminiscent of the residents of Oceania depicted in 1984 , where “every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture repainted, every statue and street building renamed, every date altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right.”

Censorship is antithetical to freedom; it begets spirit-murdering curricula violence, posing a direct threat to the mental and emotional well-being of students whose histories, identities, and personhood are silenced and deemed inconsequential and without value. By perpetuating harm, these laws also establish a dangerous precedent for future educational policies. The brevity of this moment demands action. If education is the ultimate pursuit of liberation, then the freedom it promises hangs in the balance.

STEM Access

Kit Golan ( @MrKitMath ) is the secondary mathematics consultant for the Center for Mathematics Achievement at Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass.:

Despite the demand for mathematical thinkers, our country continues to push data-illiterate and math-phobic graduates into the workforce. As such, a vital issue facing public schools today is inequitable access to high-level math courses, which acts as a gatekeeper for many who might enter science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers.

Most course sequences prevent students from reaching rigorous math classes, especially students of color. Often, students who do have access to these courses come from privileged backgrounds whose families have invested time and money outside of the school day to “race to the top.” Regardless, many colleges use AP Calculus as a determining factor for entrance and class placement even though most students don’t reach this or other high-level math courses that better align with their career aspirations due to systemic barriers.

Few districts have created flexible course sequences that allow students to reach high-level math classes by senior year, meaning many students who do not accelerate in middle school may never be able to reach higher math classes without taking multiple math classes simultaneously or attending summer school.

Many middle school students do not know their career trajectory; having the option to delay acceleration until junior year and take a compressed Algebra 2/precalculus course would allow more students to access rigorous courses without being barred in middle school. Additionally, because current Algebra 2 courses focus heavily on symbolic manipulation that modern graphing technology renders obsolete, a compacted course could focus more on developing the conceptual understandings needed by eliminating this content. Yet, few schools have made this transition despite the obvious benefits.

Truly, this is a larger issue of tracking and acceleration for some students. Despite the consensus that sorting practices have a disproportionately negative impact on outcomes for marginalized students (NCTM, 2018), many parents still advocate for their children to be accelerated. Because teachers frequently struggle to differentiate for mixed-ability math classes, students who are ready for additional challenges may slip through the cracks as their teachers attempt to support struggling students’ access to grade-level content.

I’m not advocating separating these students into different streams, as the reality is that no matter how well you think you’ve grouped students by ability, there is no such thing as a truly homogeneous class; student variation is one of the only constants in education! Instead, teachers need additional professional development, time, and support (and reduced class sizes!) to better be able to differentiate their classes to ensure that all students have both access and challenge.

This is a systemic issue that requires structural changes beyond individual teachers. Sadly, most middle and high schools rarely have schedules allowing students to gain additional experience with math unless they are pulled from arts or other elective courses. Meanwhile, community colleges have recently begun to replace “developmental math” (their “low track”) courses with co-requisite models where students would enroll in both a credit-bearing course and an additional support class designed to help them gain access to the math content of the former. How might K-12 schools replicate that idea to provide additional support to students who need it?

Ultimately, the issue facing public schools is whether AP courses should be considered a privilege for the few who have access to outside resources or if it should be accessible to any who are interested in pursuing that pathway. Under the current paradigm, only students who take additional math courses outside of their standard school day or who are able to double up on math courses early in high school are able to reach AP Calculus by senior year. It’s outrageous that students who take Algebra 1 “on time” in 9th grade are considered remedial math students when measured along the path to AP Calculus. It’s past time we updated high school math options to reflect the 21st-century needs rather than settle for the status quo of the past century.

NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics). (2018). Catalyzing change in high school mathematics: Initiating critical conversations . Reston, VA: Author.

Thanks to Keisha and Kit for contributing their thoughts.

They answered this question of the week:

What do you think is the most important education policy issue facing public schools today, why do you think it is so important, and what is your position on it?

Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at [email protected] . When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it’s selected or if you’d prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.

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The opinions expressed in Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

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4. challenges in the classroom.

In addition to asking public K-12 teachers about issues they see at their school, we asked how much each of the following is a problem among students in their classroom :

• Showing little to no interest in learning (47% say this is a major problem)
• Being distracted by their cellphones (33%)
• Getting up and walking around when they’re not supposed to (21%)
• Being disrespectful toward the teacher (21%)

Some challenges are more common among high school teachers, while others are more common among those who teach elementary or middle school.

• Cellphones: 72% of high school teachers say students being distracted by their cellphones in the classroom is a major problem. A third of middle school teachers and just 6% of elementary school teachers say the same.
• Little to no interest in learning: A majority of high school teachers (58%) say students showing little to no interest in learning is a major problem. This compares with half of middle school teachers and 40% of elementary school teachers. 
• Getting up and walking around: 23% of elementary school teachers and 24% of middle school teachers see students getting up and walking around when they’re not supposed to as a major problem. A smaller share of high school teachers (16%) say the same.
• Being disrespectful: 23% of elementary school teachers and 27% of middle school teachers say students being disrespectful toward them is a major problem. Just 14% of high school teachers say this.

Policies around cellphone use

About eight-in-ten teachers (82%) say their school or district has policies regarding students’ use of cellphones in the classroom. Of those, 56% say these policies are at least somewhat easy to enforce, 30% say they’re difficult to enforce, and 14% say they’re neither easy nor difficult to enforce.

High school teachers are the least likely to say their school or district has policies regarding students’ use of cellphones in the classroom (71% vs. 84% of elementary school teachers and 94% of middle school teachers).

Among those who say there are such policies at their school, high school teachers are the most likely to say these are very or somewhat difficult to enforce. Six-in-ten high school teachers say this, compared with 30% of middle school teachers and 12% of elementary school teachers.

Verbal abuse and physical violence from students

Most teachers (68%) say they have experienced verbal abuse from their students, such as being yelled at or verbally threatened. About one-in-five (21%) say this happens at least a few times a month.

Physical violence is far less common, but about one-in-ten teachers (9%) say a student is physically violent toward them at least a few times a month. Four-in-ten say this has ever happened to them.

Differences by school level

Elementary school teachers (26%) are more likely than middle and high school teachers (18% and 16%) to say they experience verbal abuse from students a few times a month or more often.

And while relatively small shares across school levels say students are physically violent toward them a few times a month or more often, elementary school teachers (55%) are more likely than middle and high school teachers (33% and 23%) to say this has ever happened to them.

Differences by poverty level

Among teachers in high-poverty schools, 27% say they experience verbal abuse from students at least a few times a month. This is larger than the shares of teachers in medium- and low-poverty schools (19% and 18%) who say the same.

Experiences with physical violence don’t differ as much based on school poverty level.

Differences by gender

Teachers who are women are more likely than those who are men to say a student has been physically violent toward them. Some 43% of women teachers say this, compared with 30% of men.

There is also a gender difference in the shares of teachers who say they’ve experienced verbal abuse from students. But this difference is accounted for by the fact that women teachers are more likely than men to work in elementary schools.

Addressing behavioral and mental health challenges

Eight-in-ten teachers say they have to address students’ behavioral issues at least a few times a week, with 58% saying this happens every day .

A majority of teachers (57%) also say they help students with mental health challenges at least a few times a week, with 28% saying this happens daily.

Some teachers are more likely than others to say they have to address students’ behavior and mental health challenges on a daily basis. These include:

• Women: 62% of women teachers say they have to address behavior issues daily, compared with 43% of those who are men. And while 29% of women teachers say they have to help students with mental health challenges every day, a smaller share of men (19%) say the same.
• Elementary and middle school teachers: 68% each among elementary and middle school teachers say they have to deal with behavior issues daily, compared with 39% of high school teachers. A third of elementary and 29% of middle school teachers say they have to help students with mental health every day, compared with 19% of high school teachers.
• Teachers in high-poverty schools: 67% of teachers in schools with high levels of poverty say they have to address behavior issues on a daily basis. Smaller majorities of those in schools with medium or low levels of poverty say the same (56% and 54%). A third of teachers in high-poverty schools say they have to help students with mental health challenges every day, compared with about a quarter of those in medium- or low-poverty schools who say they have this experience (26% and 24%). 

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Starting Monday, April 8, 2024, people in British Columbia will have access to a free spring COVID-19 vaccine booster to maintain and extend protection for themselves and their loved ones against serious illnesses from COVID-19.

The spring COVID-19 booster will be available throughout the province at pharmacies, regional health-authority clinics, some primary-care offices, and community health centres. This spring vaccine remains free and available for everyone six months and older.

Given the decreased rates of viral respiratory infections in the community, additional infection prevention and control measures implemented in fall 2023 in health-care settings are no longer required at all times. People are still encouraged to wear masks in health-care settings as appropriate, to continue to cover coughs and stay away from others when feeling sick. Health-care workers will continue to wear appropriate personal protective equipment, such as masks and respirators, in accordance with their point-of-care risk assessments.

While the peak of the respiratory illness season has passed, the SARS CoV-2 virus continues to circulate at lower levels in the community. The protection from infection that COVID-19 vaccines provide decreases over time, particularly in older people, so a spring COVID-19 vaccine booster will ensure people stay protected.

Aligned with advice from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, B.C. health officials recommend the following people consider receiving an additional dose of the XBB.1.5 COVID-19 vaccine:

• adults 65 and older;
• Indigenous adults 55 and older;
• adult residents of long-term care homes and assisted-living facilities (including those awaiting placement); and
• individuals six months and older who have been diagnosed as clinically extremely vulnerable (a CEV 1 or CEV 2 condition).

B.C.’s COVID-19 spring program is focused on providing vaccines to those most at risk of severe COVID-19 illness or complications, and people who have not yet received an updated vaccine dose. However, anyone who feels they would benefit from an additional dose of the XBB.1.5 COVID-19 vaccine can contact the call centre at 1 833 838-2323 to book an appointment or walk into a pharmacy where the vaccine is available. Vaccine appointment capacity is available in all regions.

The 2023-24 respiratory illness immunization campaign was launched to the general population on Oct. 10, 2023. As of end of day March 31, 2024, B.C. had administered 1,457,246 doses of COVID-19 vaccines and 1,562,023 doses of influenza vaccines.

Quick Facts:

• Invitations will start going out on Monday, April 8, 2024; reminders will be sent out to those who have not yet received an XBB.1.5 dose and to those who fit the listed categories.
• There are approximately 3.9 million people in B.C. who have not received a COVID-19 XBB.1.5 vaccine.
• B.C. has more than 900,000 doses of Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines (adult, infant and pediatric) in stock and approximately 13,000 doses of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine in stock for those requiring a non-mRNA vaccine.

Learn More:

People who want a notification to book an appointment, or who are not yet registered, are encouraged to do so by visiting: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/vaccine/register

For more information about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit:  https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/vaccine/register#howto

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