Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program and Physical Literacy: Exploring Preservice Elementary Classroom Teachers’ Perspectives

Abstract

This study aimed to examine preservice elementary classroom teachers' perceptions of the comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) and physical literacy (PL). Participants were 192 preservice elementary classroom teachers enrolled in a public research university in the US. Three themes were found between the CSPAP and the psychomotor domain of PL: 1) improving physical fitness (PF) and motor skills; 2) increasing physical activity (PA) time; and 3) promoting a healthy lifestyle. The CSPAP contributed to the PL's cognitive domain through three themes: 1) learning knowledge about PA benefits; 2) improving academic performance; and 3) teaching the importance of PA/PF to social agents. In the affective domain of PL, the four CSPAP themes included: 1) increasing PA enjoyment; 2) building social skills; 3) improving self-esteem; and 4) promoting social agents' support and value. The findings underline the important role of the CSPAP in developing preservice elementary classroom teachers' physical literacy.

Physical Fitness Promotion among Adolescents: Effects of a Jump Rope-Based Physical Activity Afterschool Program

“…Afterschool programs can be efficacious for implementing jump rope exercise since they allow students to participate in a variety of movements and physical activities [ 27 , 28 ]. Previous evidence has shown that an afterschool PA program brings multiple health benefits, including increased PA behaviors [ 29 ], working memory [ 30 ], motor skills competence [ 31 ], reduced body fat [ 32 ], and increased academic motivation and effort [ 33 ].…”

Preservice classroom teachers’ perspectives on a comprehensive school physical activity programme

“…The lead role of health and PE teachers is emphasised in the implementation of the CSPAP (Webster et al, 2013;Zhang et al, 2018). However, the role of classroom teachers in achieving this coordinated effort has been less fully discussed (Lee et al, 2019). Classroom teachers play a particularly vital role in CSPAP implementation by including PA breaks during every school day, assisting in the coordination of before-and after-school activities, encouraging support from other teachers and families, and becoming physically active role models (Russ et al, 2015;Webster et al, 2016).…”

“…A preservice classroom teacher is 'an undergraduate student majoring in elementary or early childhood education who aspires to work professionally as a school generalist classroom teacher' (Webster et al, 2016: 319). Reflecting on the role of classroom teachers as part of the CSPAP and obtaining CSPAP-related knowledge during the preservice teacher education period would greatly help preservice classroom teachers in establishing the professional knowledge and skills to implement CSPAP in their future schools (Lee et al, 2019;Webster et al, 2013).…”

“…To date, an increasing number of universities have started to include reference to CSPAP in their preservice classroom training curriculum by providing CSPAP-related lectures, incorporating classroom-based PA and initiating online CSPAP-related discussion (Lee et al, 2019;McMullen et al, 2014;Michael et al, 2019;Webster et al, 2016Webster et al, , 2019. However, there is lack of research with regard to preservice classroom teachers' own perspectives towards the CSPAP.…”

High School Adolescents’ Physical Activity and Physical Fitness: A 3 × 2 Achievement Goal Approach

“…Obesity causes adverse health effects, including premature death [5], high blood pressure and cholesterol levels [6], cardiovascular disease [7], depression [8], and low self-esteem [9]. Regular physical activity (PA) can be beneficial for long-term physical health and physical fitness (PF), and may prevent adolescent obesity [10,11].…”