The Use of Physically Active Academic Lessons During the Transition to Face-to-Face Classes

Abstract

Schools are pivotal stakeholders in increasing the amount of student physical activity, an attribution especially relevant while the COVID-19 pandemic is not overcome. This article evaluates how the use of physically active academic lessons impacted mathematics learning and the amount of physical activity during the transition to face-to-face classes. The objective was also to analyze students, parents, and teachers’ perceptions of this experience. Therefore, for at least 6 weeks in mid-2021, 290 Chilean elementary school students from different schools, together with their 11 teachers, learned and practiced a choreography on geometry during the school routine. Both quantitative and qualitative instruments were used to evaluate this experience. The results from the pre- and post-test showed that students increased their geometry scores significantly ( Z = 13.116, p < .001) by an average of 24.28 percentage points with an increase of 7.33 percentage points if the student attended face-to-face classes. Moreover, the results of the focus groups revealed a positive perception of the experience and increased physical activity. Overall, the study suggests that incorporating physically active academic lessons positively affect both academic performance and students’ physical activity levels during the transition to face-to-face classes.