Attitudes towards Classroom-Based Physical Activity in pre-service and in-service elementary (primary) school teachers

Lynch, Gary (2021) Attitudes towards Classroom-Based Physical Activity in pre-service and in-service elementary (primary) school teachers. Ed.D thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore attitudes towards Classroom-Based Physical Activity (CBPA) in Pre-Service Classroom Teachers (PCTs) and In-Service Classroom Teachers (CTs) who have experience in an Elementary (Primary) Teacher-Training Program (ETTP). Specifically, I wanted to understand research participants’ perceptions about the benefits and barriers of incorporating CBPA into their practice. I also wanted to learn more about the coverage of CBPA in an ETTP, including within university courses and the schools that students attend during their teacher training. Relatedly, I wanted to explore research participants’ views concerning how this ETTP could better prepare PCTs to implement CBPA. I also sought to examine research participants’ knowledge and self-efficacy to incorporate CBPA into their practice based on their experiences in the ETTP. While these topics were the primary focus of this research, I also wanted to develop a more comprehensive understanding of CBPA, which is a relatively new approach to increasing school-age students’ Physical Activity (PA) during school hours.
The outcomes of this research suggest that CBPA is viewed as a beneficial teaching practice by PCTs and CTs, primarily within the context of improving factors related to academic performance, such as increasing on-task behaviour and enhancing the effectiveness of academic instruction. However, CBPA is considered an ‘ancillary’ or ‘optional’ teaching practice by many educational stakeholders. Subsequently, neither PCTs or CTs are provided with adequate training to utilise CBPA on a consistent basis. They would benefit both from additional resources and ideas about how CBPA may be used to teach core academic subjects, as well as more guidance relating to the potential objectives and implementation of CBPA.

• Item Type: Thesis (Ed.D)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Colleges/Schools: College of Social Sciences > School of Education
• Supervisor's Name: Wardle, Dr. Georgina
• Date of Award: 2021
• Depositing User: Mr. Gary Lynch
• Unique ID: glathesis:2021-82167
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 12 May 2021 14:10
• Last Modified: 05 Dec 2022 12:03
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.82167
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/82167