This study examined how a physical educator's physical appearance affected student physical activity. Students (N = 142) from fourth- to sixth-grade physical education classes wore pedometers. Classes were assigned to a female teacher either wearing a fat suit or not wearing a fat suit. A 3 × 2 × 2 ANCOVA data analysis revealed a statistically…

Background: In this study, we examined the development of children's moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and physical education (PE) enjoyment through the Physical Activity as Civil Skill Program 2012-2014. Methods: Participants were 661 (265 intervention, 396 control) elementary school children in central and northeast Finland. The…

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a seven-month curriculum prescribed physical activity (PA) intervention (the Active Smarter Kids [ASK] intervention) on executive functions in 10-year-old Norwegian children. A linear mixed model was used to analyze data from 971-1,123 fifth grade children at 28 intervention schools and 29…

We are living in a time of increasing interest in the religious and spiritual aspects of sport and human movement activities. A strict distinction between religion and spirituality is, however, still missing in much of the literature. After delimiting religious and spiritual modes of experience, this article addresses Coubertin's "religio…

Longitudinal studies on adolescents' enjoyment in physical education (PE) are lacking. This study examined students' self-reported enjoyment and predictors of enjoyment in PE in school among students from age 14 to 19, using questionnaires and interviews. From the results, enjoyment in PE increases among girls during high school, while students…

This study analyzed emotional self-regulation in relation to K-9 and K-10 school children's emotional intelligence defined on three dimensions: Emotional attention, clarity of feelings, and emotional repair. The objective was to analyze the students' perceptions of skills and capacities that promoted the awareness of emotions when performing…

Research has shown that students who are healthier and have access to opportunities for physical activity may achieve improved academic achievement. However, challenges with classroom and behavior management can be disruptive to learning opportunities in physical education classes. A combination of a comprehensive school physical activity program…

The Project Fit America (PFA) curriculum was initiated in 1990 with a mission to create and provide quality opportunities for American school children to be active, healthy, and fit. This study assessed the effect of the PFA curriculum and outdoor fitness equipment on fitness testing scores of elementary school students. Participants were 4th- and…

Given the rapid growing number of the ageing population worldwide, it has been questioned how health and wellbeing in old age can be improved, especially for women in socially vulnerable contexts. Research have shown that social aspects are key determinants for older-age groups' engagement in an active life. It is crucial to understand older…

In recent years, primary physical education has received increased attention across a range of political, professional and academic contexts. Much of this attention has largely been due to a growing perception that formative physical education experiences have the potential to address many of the concerns regularly raised about children's health…

Recent studies, supported by the European project "Europe Engage -- Developing a Culture of Civic Engagement through Service-Learning within Higher Education in Europe," suggest that service-learning (SL) is an effective approach to develop personal and social learning linked to real contexts. This particular case study analyses the…

From an ecological perspective that understands health behaviours to be the result of interactions between personal, psychosocial and environmental factors, different authors have described patterns and correlations between physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviours (SB) in physical education (PE). However, to our knowledge there have been no…

Background: Assessment can have various functions, and is an important impetus for student learning. For assessment to be effective, it should be aligned with curriculum goals and of sufficient quality. Although it has been suggested that assessment quality in physical education (PE) is suboptimal, research into actual assessment practices has…

Regular participation in physical activity during childhood and adolescence is critical to the development of healthy habits that will continue into adulthood. Research suggests that children who lead sedentary lives are more likely to continue those habits later in life. A key goal of physical education (PE) is to educate students on the…

Background: Literature suggests that physical education programmes ought to provide intense instruction towards basic movement skills needed to enjoy a variety of physical activities. Fundamental movement skills (FMS) are basic observable patterns of behaviour present from childhood to adulthood (e.g. run, skip and kick). Recent evidence indicates…