Decisive Factors for a Physically Active School Day in Denmark—A Multi-Stakeholder Delphi Process

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction In 2014, the Danish Educational Act introduced daily physical activity (PA) as a part of a varied and physically active school day (PASD) to promote health and support motivation and learning. Implementation of PASD in Denmark has been slow, and schools meeting the legal requirement have decreased since 2017. Schools are complex systems with many stakeholders and different functions; however, evaluation of PASD often focuses on one group. This study aimed to identify the most important factors to succeed in implementing PASD as part of a varied school day in Danish schools through dialogue between stakeholders from all parts of the school system. Methods Stakeholders (n = 57) from all parts of the Danish school system participated in a Delphi study. Based on 449 inputs from practitioners, experts, and a literature review, 169 factors were identified. In two online surveys, stakeholders rated and prioritized factors within 12 themes related to the school system. This resulted in 136 factors which qualified as important for further discussion at two workshops where stakeholders prioritized factors within each theme through dialogue and experience exchange across the system. Results The panel identified 36 decisive factors for implementing PASD across all 12 themes representing the whole school system. Central themes included a common understanding of PA in PASD that aligns with teachers’ professional purposes. Also, leadership ensuring continuous evaluation and prioritizing time and resources to develop competencies and collegiate support was highlighted, along with a PASD culture where teachers and students feel competent and comfortable engaging in PA. Conclusion School systems are complex, and decisive factors related to all parts of a system indicate that they are interrelated, and all must be engaged to support the success of a PASD culture. The present findings can inform future actions for all stakeholders.