Differences in physical activity at recess and school-related social factors in four Finnish lower secondary schools

School Children's Physical Activity and Preferred Activities during Outdoor Recess in Estonia: Using Accelerometers, Recess Observation, and Schoolyard Mapping

Studies about recess have found that children have higher physical activity (PA) during outdoor recess compared to indoor recess, and well-constructed schoolyards play an important role in stimulating PA in children. This study aimed at investigating the affordances of schoolyards and outdoor recess PA in two urban and two rural primary schools in Estonia. Schoolyards were described with the geographical mapping method, children's activities during outdoor recess were registered by using observations, and PA levels were measured with accelerometers. Students from grades two to six (8-13-year-olds) were included in the study. All observed schoolyards had different spaces including various ball game areas, climbing facilities, and slacklines. The natural environment dominated in the rural schools, and artificial surfaces dominated in the urban schools. Boys in the study tended to enjoy more sport-related activities, whereas girls preferred more social and less active activities. Students participating in outdoor recess spent about twice as much time (20.4%) on moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) compared to indoor recess (9.5%), although boys were more active than girls (22.9% vs. 17.3%). All schoolyards afforded more MVPA during outdoor recess compared to indoor recess, whereas schoolyards with more space per child and natural environment elements generated more varied PA and higher MVPA. These findings confirm the importance of schoolyard design and quality for the variety and intensity of students' PA during outdoor recess.

Shaping Physical Activity through Facilitating Student Agency in Secondary Schools in the Netherlands

Schools can enable students' capability for lifelong physical activity (PA) by providing a physical, social and pedagogical context fostering students' agency. This entails allowing them to develop their autonomy and ability to shape PAs according to what they value. This paper explores whether, and, if so, how, school practices provide the conditions for developing and employing PA-related student agency. We followed a multiple case study design, partnering with six secondary schools in the Netherlands. We based our qualitative content analysis on the schools' policy documents and transcripts of interviews and focus groups with school management, teaching staff and supporting sports professionals. First, we analysed the space provided for PA-related student agency using the whole-of-school framework. Next, we used a social practice theory perspective to understand how each school practice allows for student agency. Results suggest that schools offer sufficient and varied PA opportunities but have not embedded deliberation with students on their meaningfulness and transfer to other contexts in their practices. We conclude that for schools to promote lifelong PA for students, there is a need for a pedagogical approach involving students' perspectives, participation and reflections, enabling them to transfer PAs to other (future) life settings.

Understanding whole school physical activity transition from a practice theory perspective

Purpose

In this study, the authors offer a practice theory framing of school physical activity transition with conceptual and managerial contributions to whole school approaches (WSAs).

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a literature overview of the limitations of WSA, ecological and systems theorisation and a practice theory framing of physical activity, the authors introduce a model that identifies signs of practice transition and conceptualises the relationship between signs and practice reconfigurations. To exemplify insights from the model, the authors provide illustrations from three cases from the national Estonian “Schools in Motion” programme.

Findings

The signs of practitioner effort, resistance and habituation indicate how practice ecosystem transition is unfolding across a spectrum from practice differentiation to routinisation. Several signs of transition, like resistance, indicate that reconfigured practices are becoming established. Also, there are signs of habituation that seemingly undermine the value of the programme but should instead be celebrated as valuable evidence for the normalisation of new practices.

Practical implications

The article provides a model for WSA programme managers to recognise signs of transition and plan appropriate managerial activities.

Originality/value

The practice theory framing of school physical activity transition advances from extant theorizations of WSAs that have failed to account for the dynamic ways that socio-cultural change in complex school settings can unfold. A model, based on a practice ontology and concepts from theories of practice, is proposed. This recognises signs of transition and can help with the dynamic and reflexive management of transition that retains the purpose of systemic whole school change.