A mixed method investigation of teacher-identified barriers, facilitators and recommendations to implementing daily physical activity in Ontario elementary schools
Abstract Background Fewer than 17% of children worldwide are meeting the international recommendations for daily physical activity. Since most children are in school for the bulk of their day, the classroom has been identified as an ideal space to incorporate physical activity opportunities. In Onta...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-10-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14359-3 |
| _version_ | 1811223532933218304 |
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| author | Lauren Martyn Hannah Bigelow Jeffrey D. Graham Michelle Ogrodnik Deborah Chiodo Barbara Fenesi |
| author_facet | Lauren Martyn Hannah Bigelow Jeffrey D. Graham Michelle Ogrodnik Deborah Chiodo Barbara Fenesi |
| author_sort | Lauren Martyn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Fewer than 17% of children worldwide are meeting the international recommendations for daily physical activity. Since most children are in school for the bulk of their day, the classroom has been identified as an ideal space to incorporate physical activity opportunities. In Ontario (Canada), the Daily Physical Activity (DPA) policy aims to ensure all elementary school children receive a minimum of 20 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity each school day during instructional time. However, a 2015 evaluation found that only half of Ontario teachers were meeting this expectation; this work advocated for additional research to monitor implementation and its predictors and to further identify fidelity recommendations. Thus, the current study investigated contemporary factors influencing DPA fidelity in Ontario elementary schools and provides teacher-identified recommendations to support DPA implementation. Methods The first part of the study was a quantitative approach surveying 186 elementary school teachers across Ontario. Descriptive statistics including frequencies and means were used to characterize barriers, facilitators, and recommendations to DPA implementation. Spearman’s correlations were used to assess the relation between the likelihood of DPA implementation and intrapersonal factors of gender, teaching experience, prior DPA training and personal physical activity participation. The second part of the study consisted of a qualitative approach using teacher interviews to explore in-depth teachers’ recommendations to support DPA implementation. A thematic analysis was used to analyze the transcripts and identify recommendations for DPA. Results Survey results showed that only 23% of teachers met the mandated 20 min of DPA per day. Barriers to implementation included space and time constraints, inadequate training, student behavioural issues and low self-efficacy. Gender, teaching experience and prior DPA training were not related to the likelihood of DPA implementation. Teachers who rated themselves as more physically fit were more likely to implement DPA. Teacher interviews elucidated key areas for improving DPA implementation including greater DPA training opportunities, resources, community partnerships, accountability and strategies that support school-wide implementation. Conclusion The current study demonstrated that fidelity to the DPA policy in Ontario elementary schools is on the decline. This work highlights unique factors implicated in DPA fidelity and brings to the forefront teacher recommendations to improve DPA implementation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T08:34:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a0df886d1b144e058512b189ac2366b0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T08:34:17Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-a0df886d1b144e058512b189ac2366b02022-12-22T03:40:03ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582022-10-0122111510.1186/s12889-022-14359-3A mixed method investigation of teacher-identified barriers, facilitators and recommendations to implementing daily physical activity in Ontario elementary schoolsLauren Martyn0Hannah Bigelow1Jeffrey D. Graham2Michelle Ogrodnik3Deborah Chiodo4Barbara Fenesi5Faculty of Education, Western UniversityFaculty of Education, Western UniversityFaculty of Social Sciences, Brock UniversityDepartment of Kinesiology, Faculty of Science, McMaster UniversityFaculty of Education, Western UniversityFaculty of Education, Western UniversityAbstract Background Fewer than 17% of children worldwide are meeting the international recommendations for daily physical activity. Since most children are in school for the bulk of their day, the classroom has been identified as an ideal space to incorporate physical activity opportunities. In Ontario (Canada), the Daily Physical Activity (DPA) policy aims to ensure all elementary school children receive a minimum of 20 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity each school day during instructional time. However, a 2015 evaluation found that only half of Ontario teachers were meeting this expectation; this work advocated for additional research to monitor implementation and its predictors and to further identify fidelity recommendations. Thus, the current study investigated contemporary factors influencing DPA fidelity in Ontario elementary schools and provides teacher-identified recommendations to support DPA implementation. Methods The first part of the study was a quantitative approach surveying 186 elementary school teachers across Ontario. Descriptive statistics including frequencies and means were used to characterize barriers, facilitators, and recommendations to DPA implementation. Spearman’s correlations were used to assess the relation between the likelihood of DPA implementation and intrapersonal factors of gender, teaching experience, prior DPA training and personal physical activity participation. The second part of the study consisted of a qualitative approach using teacher interviews to explore in-depth teachers’ recommendations to support DPA implementation. A thematic analysis was used to analyze the transcripts and identify recommendations for DPA. Results Survey results showed that only 23% of teachers met the mandated 20 min of DPA per day. Barriers to implementation included space and time constraints, inadequate training, student behavioural issues and low self-efficacy. Gender, teaching experience and prior DPA training were not related to the likelihood of DPA implementation. Teachers who rated themselves as more physically fit were more likely to implement DPA. Teacher interviews elucidated key areas for improving DPA implementation including greater DPA training opportunities, resources, community partnerships, accountability and strategies that support school-wide implementation. Conclusion The current study demonstrated that fidelity to the DPA policy in Ontario elementary schools is on the decline. This work highlights unique factors implicated in DPA fidelity and brings to the forefront teacher recommendations to improve DPA implementation.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14359-3Daily physical activityClassroom physical activityPhysical activity policy |
| spellingShingle | Lauren Martyn Hannah Bigelow Jeffrey D. Graham Michelle Ogrodnik Deborah Chiodo Barbara Fenesi A mixed method investigation of teacher-identified barriers, facilitators and recommendations to implementing daily physical activity in Ontario elementary schools BMC Public Health Daily physical activity Classroom physical activity Physical activity policy |
| title | A mixed method investigation of teacher-identified barriers, facilitators and recommendations to implementing daily physical activity in Ontario elementary schools |
| title_full | A mixed method investigation of teacher-identified barriers, facilitators and recommendations to implementing daily physical activity in Ontario elementary schools |
| title_fullStr | A mixed method investigation of teacher-identified barriers, facilitators and recommendations to implementing daily physical activity in Ontario elementary schools |
| title_full_unstemmed | A mixed method investigation of teacher-identified barriers, facilitators and recommendations to implementing daily physical activity in Ontario elementary schools |
| title_short | A mixed method investigation of teacher-identified barriers, facilitators and recommendations to implementing daily physical activity in Ontario elementary schools |
| title_sort | mixed method investigation of teacher identified barriers facilitators and recommendations to implementing daily physical activity in ontario elementary schools |
| topic | Daily physical activity Classroom physical activity Physical activity policy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14359-3 |
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