Effects of a classroom-based program on physical activity and on-task behavior

Purpose: This study evaluated the effects of a classroom-based physical activity program on children’s in-school physical activity levels and on-task behavior during academic instruction.

Methods: Physical activity of 243 students was assessed during school hours. Interventiongroup students (N = 135) received a classroom-based program (i.e., Energizers). The control group (N = 108) did not receive Energizers. On-task behavior during academic instruction time was observed for 62 third-grade (N = 37) and fourth-grade students (N = 25) before and after Energizers activities. An independent groups t-test compared in-school physical activity levels between intervention and control classes. A multiple-baseline across-classrooms design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the Energizers on on-task behavior. Additionally, a two-way (time [pre- vs postobservation] x period [baseline vs intervention]) repeated-measures analysis of variance compared on-task behavior between observation periods. Magnitudes of mean differences were evaluated with Cohen’s delta (ES).

Results: Students in the intervention group took significantly more in-school steps than control-group students, and the size of this difference was moderate. The intervention was effective in improving on-task behavior; after the Energizers were systematically implemented, on-task behavior systematically improved. The improvement in on-task behavior of 8% between the pre-Energizers and post-Energizers observations was statistically significant, and the difference was moderate. Likewise, the least on-task students improved on-task behavior by 20% after Energizers activities. This improvement was statistically significant and meaningful.

Conclusion: A classroom-based physical activity program was effective for increasing daily in-school physical activity and improving on-task behavior during academic instruction.