School Physical Activity Research Articles

Co-Creation of a School-Based Motor Competence and Mental Health Intervention: Move Well, Feel Good.

Low motor competence (MC) and inhibited psychosocial development are associated with mental health difficulties. Improving children's MC through school-based physical activity interventions emphasising psychosocial development may therefore be a mechanism for promoting positive mental health. This study describes and provides reflective insights into the co-creation of 'Move Well Feel Good', a primary school physical activity intervention to improve children's MC and mental health. Class teachers, school leaders, physical activity specialists, and children (aged 8-9 years) participated in a series of co-creation workshops. Stakeholders' knowledge and experiences were integrated with existing research evidence using creative methods (e.g., post-it note tasks, worksheets, and drawings) to facilitate discussion. The co-creation process culminated in stakeholder consensus voting for one of three proposed intervention ideas. Children cited physical and mental health benefits, enjoyment with friends, and high perceived competence as motives for being physically active. Opportunities to develop MC across the different segments of the school day were identified by adult stakeholders, who perceived children's lack of resilience, an overloaded curriculum, and poor parental support for physical activity as barriers to intervention implementation. The chosen intervention idea received six out of a possible twelve votes. Co-creation projects are specific to the contexts in which they are implemented. This study reinforces the complex nature of school-based intervention development and highlights the value of engaging with stakeholders in co-creation processes.

Facilitators and barriers to physical activity among English adolescents in secondary schools: a mixed method study.

It is evident that physical activity (PA) programmes implemented in schools were not effective in improving PA behaviours among adolescents. This study investigated students' perceptions of barriers to PA among inactive English adolescents in secondary schools based on the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, and Behaviour (COM-B) model, the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW), and Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). The study compared barriers faced by inactive and active groups participating in sports and PA in secondary schools to identify sources of behaviour contributing to inactivity. A pre-intervention online survey was distributed to affiliated schools by 233 Teaching Schools Alliances (TSAs) as part of the monitoring and evaluation of the Secondary Teacher Training study. Data were cross-tabulated to analyse activity levels and behavioural barriers for active and inactive groups, using the COM-B domains. The research team followed a seven-step process to categorise barriers based on their relevant domain in the TDF mapped to the COM-B. The findings were derived from one of the most extensive surveys of adolescents ever undertaken involving 200,623 active and 8,231 inactive respondents. The study identified 52 barriers and 68 behaviours that prevent adolescents from participating in PA. Psychological and social barriers were found to affect all activity levels, genders, and ethnic groups, with a lack of confidence and self-consciousness being the most prevalent. Certain demographic groups, such as those from minority ethnic groups and disabled individuals, were found to be overrepresented among inactive populations. The finding of the study indicated that there were common barriers that affected both inactive and active groups, with further similarity when examining barriers between active and inactive girls. The study also found that girls were more likely to experience the main barriers compared to boys, while inactive boys were more likely to encounter these barriers compared to active boys. The findings suggest that common barriers could be addressed across the population, while recognising some differences in demographics, and the need to provide personalised support. Targeted interventions are also suggested for all girls and inactive boys. This study highlights the range of barriers that impact adolescents and provides insight into potential mechanisms for behaviour change, including intervention functions, policy categories, and evidence-based behaviour change tools. The study highlights the need for further research to address the barriers to PA among adolescents, particularly those who are inactive. Utilising the findings of this study, future research should investigate the effectiveness of novel digital exercise interventions and policies in increasing PA levels among children and adolescents. Complex digital exercise interventions, including conversational AI solutions, could provide personalised tools to identify and revolutionise support around the multitude of barriers that impact adolescents globally."For the purpose of open access, the author has applied a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising from this submission."

Participation and physical activity in organized recess tied to physical education in elementary schools: An interventional study

Maintaining physical activity habits is important for long-term health benefits. Many children do not achieve the World Health Organization (WHO) benchmark of 60 min Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA) daily. Comprehensive school physical activity programs (CSPAP) target all opportunities at school for children to be physically active. The purpose of this intervention study was to investigate boys’ and girls’ voluntary participation and MVPA in physical activity recess sessions during and after these were connected with the content of physical education.147 (55 girls, 92 boys; mean age = 8 years) second grade children from seven different schools received a 10-lesson parkour unit in physical education and were concurrently offered five parkour recess sessions. After the parkour unit in physical education (i.e., maintenance) another five parkour sessions in which children could voluntarily participate were organized. Systematic observation tools were used to assess children’s MVPA.Overall participation in parkour recess was 64% for both boys and girls. Participation decreased from intervention to maintenance phase for both boys (75% vs 54%; p < .001) and girls (80% vs 49%; p < .001). MVPA was higher for boys compared to girls in parkour recess (64% vs 58%; p = .002) and traditional recess (49% vs 39%; p = .006), but not in physical education (40% vs 37%).One aspect of physical activity promotion is to connect recess activities with the content taught in physical education, which could contribute up to 20% of the daily recommended MVPA. Positive effects maintained when the connection between physical education and recess stopped.

청소년기 비만에 영향을 미치는 요인 분석

Objectives Obesity is the second most important problem after smoking in many countries around the world, causing various and serious problems. The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors that affect obesity as the obesity rate of Korean adolescents increases every year, and to seek action plans to prevent obesity. Methods For this purpose, the data on adolescent health behaviors surveyed from 2018 to 2021 were used and analyzed. Of the 234,694 adolescents from the first grade of middle school to the third grade of high school who participated in the survey, 221,036 were analyzed, excluding those with missing values in major independent variables such as body mass index, eating habits, and physical activity. (Rao-Scott X2test) was conducted and multi-factor logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the influencing factors. Results As a result of the study, gender, grade level, economic status, city size, academic level, soda intake, missing breakfast and fast food intake, and exercise for more than 60 minutes were associated with obesity. Conclusions As a way to prevent obesity, it is necessary to improve eating habits and promote physical activity, which should be considered not only in individuals and families, but also in schools. It will be necessary to prepare an environment for promoting physical activity in school and to have a balanced diet and management for a healthy diet. This suggests the need for policies to prevent obesity, such as educational programs.

Classroom Teachers’ Perceived Barriers to Implementing Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs (TPB- CSPAP): Instrument Development

ABSTRACT Although physical education teachers generally act as the physical activity champion and promote adherence to whole-school physical activity programs, classroom teachers manage the majority of students’ access to movement throughout the school day. Purpose: To support the adoption of a whole-school physical activity program, this study developed an instrument that identifies barriers perceived by classroom teachers related to adopting this type of program in their school. Method: A four-step process provided the conceptual framework for this instrument development (literature review, expert review, quantitative evaluation, and validation). The final validation phase (N = 520 teachers) included two individual analyses to separately evaluate respondents from elementary (K-5) and secondary levels (6-12). Each group was randomly split to run exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the models. Results: CFA results support models with adequate fit to the data for barriers for elementary, e.g., (SRMR = 0.0726; Bentler CFI = 0.92.79) and secondary (SRMR = 0.0813; Bentler CFI = 0.9374) teachers for whole-school programming. Conclusion: This instrument can be used by school personnel and researchers to understand perceived barriers for classroom teachers to implement a whole-school physical activity program in their context and then follow up to remove or reduce the barriers.

Barriers to Physical Activity for Australian Students with Vision Impairment

ABSTRACT Physical activity (PA) is important for fitness and psychological health, and a way for young people to make friends and socialise. Young people with vision impairment (VI) are, however, are less likely to engage in PA. A range of personal, social, and environmental barriers prevent equitable participation for young people with VI. There is a dearth of research focused on the experiences of young people with VI and their participation in PA in Australia. Using the Physical Activity Barriers Questionnaire for children with Visual Impairments (PABQ-VI), this study identified barriers to PA from the perspectives of school-aged Australians with VI. Results demonstrated that despite holding positive views about PA and being motivated to be physically active, participants experienced many of the same barriers and lack of opportunities reported by children with VI around the world. These experiences place limits on the development of motor skills and impact self-confidence. Despite the swathe of legislation designed to protect the rights of people with disability, the findings suggest that there is much work to be done to create inclusive opportunities for youth with VI (particularly girls) to access PA and sport in Australian schools and communities.

Excess Body Weight and Physical Education: Opportunities Are at Hand

Childhood overweight and obesity concerns continue to frame much of the discussion about physical activity in schools and school-based physical education. There are multiple factors impacting childhood obesity rates. Genetics, ethnicity, guardian education level, health-care access, food costs, cultural beliefs, policy, and energy-balance inequalities have all played a role in the current state of childhood overweight and obesity. Since schools are an ideal place to interact with children and adolescents of all body compositions, multiple researchers have attempted to design, implement, and evaluate school-based physical activity interventions. Many of the interventions have produced significant results. Overweight and obesity is not physical education’s problem, but it does present an opportunity for physical education to grow as an academic discipline as new interventions and curricula are developed and disseminated. This article focused on the large-scale, school-based, physical activity interventions that needs to be designed, implemented, and evaluated using rigorous standards and policymaker and educational community support.

The Relationship Between Policy Strength and Physical Activity Practices in Arizona Public Elementary Schools.

Many school-based physical activity statutes and regulations have been enacted, with the expectation that schools will comply. However, policy alone does not equate to implementation, and many policies fail for a variety of reasons. The purpose of the study was to determine whether the strength of reported state, district, and school-level physical activity policies were associated with reported recess, physical education, and other school-based physical activity practices at elementary schools in Arizona. A modified Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program(CSPAP) Questionnaire was administered to staff at elementary schools across Arizona (N = 171). Summative indices of the number of school physical activity policies and best practices at the state, district, and school levels were created. Relationships between policy strength and best practices were examined using linear regression analyses stratified by recess, physical education, and other school-based physical activity practices. Stronger physical activity-related policies were associated with a greater number of recess (F1,142 = 9.87, P < .05), physical education (F4,148 = 4.58, P < .05, Adj. R2 = .09), and other school-based physical activity (F4,148 = 4.04, P < .05, Adj. R2 = .07) best practices at all levels while controlling for school-level demographic factors. The strength of policies may improve opportunities for comprehensive physical activity for children in schools. Strengthening policy language (eg,specifying duration and frequency) may contribute to better physical activity practices in schools, improving children's health at the population level.

Effects of an Environmental Intervention on High School Students’ Expanded Physical Activity Programming Participation and Activity Levels

Partial Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programming (CSPAP) has been studied extensively in recent years. However, there is little evidence on the efficacy and feasibility of such interventions in high school settings. Physical education teacher education (PETE) programs have been slow in preparing future physical educators for CSPAP implementation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the effects of PETE interns implementing a partial CSPAP intervention in high schools. Methods: Data were collected at three high schools during before- and during-school time periods using a direct observation instrument. The intervention consisted of PETE interns providing access to physical activity areas, equipment, and supervision with assistance from the schools’ resident teachers. A hybrid multiple baseline research design was used to assess the effects of the intervention on high school students’ participation and moderate to vigorous physical activity levels during the partial CSPAP sessions. Data were analyzed using both standard visual analysis of graphically plotted data and supplementary statistical treatments. Data were deemed credible based on interobserver agreement data collected across experimental phases and schools; the data were deemed trustworthy. Results: Experimental control was established as the total number of students engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity during the partial CSPAP sessions increased substantially upon the start of the intervention. Compared with girls, boys demonstrated higher amounts of moderate to vigorous physical activity. Discussion/Conclusion: High school students respond similarly to a partial CSPAP intervention as do elementary and middle school-aged students, thereby strengthening the generalization of CSPAP-type interventions. Moreover, PETE interns can be successful in implementing a partial CSPAP in high school settings.

Understanding Cultural Perceptions of Health in Middle School Females for Obesity Prevention: A Case Study

The purpose of this study was to understand acculturation and race/ethnicity influences in the home and school environment that affect physical activity and nutrition in female adolescents attending middle school. A convenience sample of eight female adolescents (&lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 2 Asian American, &lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 2 Black, &lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; =2 Latinx/Hispanic, and &lt;em&gt;n&lt;/em&gt; = 2 White) was interviewed individually via Zoom. Responses regarding acculturation, physical activity, and nutrition in the home and school environment were analyzed using qualitative case study analysis. Three themes were identified: 1) experiences related to home, health, and culture, 2) the intersection between school meals and personal culture, and 3) the intersection between school physical activity and personal culture. Study findings can inform policies on school nutrition and physical activity and lead to opportunities for students and families to collaborate with schools to improve adolescent health.

School-based physical education, physical activity and sports provision: A concept mapping framework for evaluation.

Physical education, physical activity and sports provision are important factors in whole school health promotion, however, a standardised evaluation framework to evaluate the contribution of these components is lacking. A framework that accounts for the distinct structures and associated factors, that impact upon provision would facilitate a more coherent evaluation. A concept mapping methodology, involving the generation of factors relevant to school physical education, physical activity and sports provision and their subsequent thematic and numeric rating and sorting was utilised. Concept mapping effectively gathers, integrates, and visually and numerically represents the composite thinking of a group of relevant and expert stakeholders around a complex social phenomenon. Following a review of the extant literature and synthesis among 20 expert stakeholders, a list of 95 factor statements relevant to school physical education, physical activity and sports provision were developed. Each factor statement was rated and sorted by 197 multi-disciplinary participants. An eight-cluster framework that demonstrated good validity (stress value: 0.266), was derived from the data based on: 1. Partnerships and Pupil Centered Physical Education; 2. Physical Activity and Sports; 3. School Demographics; 4. Equipment, Facilities and Budget; 5. Extra Costs; 6. Curriculum and Policy; 7. School Management and 8. Timetable. Statements within the cluster on school management received the highest mean importance and modifiability ratings while statements within the cluster on school demographics received the lowest mean importance and modifiability ratings. Eight overarching structures which account for school physical education, physical activity and sports provision have been identified. Within each of these, structures and overall factors of greatest importance and modifiability have been illuminated. Findings stemming from this rigorous methodology, provide the foundation for the development of a national provision evaluation index to inform both school-level and national policy and actions. It is recommended the current methodology is replicated in other nations to gain corresponding insights.

Effects of a daily physical activity intervention on the health-related fitness status of primary school children: A cluster randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT An important barrier for a nationwide implementation of a daily physical activity (PA) at primary schools is the lack of spatial and human resources. Therefore, we developed a PA intervention that can be implemented without additional spatial resources or changes in school curricula. In the intervention group, children received a daily PA unit consisting of physical education lessons and simultaneous academic content over a 9-month period. The control group received conventional (physical education) classes. Body weight, height, waist circumference and health-related fitness parameters were measured. Of 412 children (9.7 ± 0.5 years) included, 228 participated in the intervention group. In regression analysis adjusted for baseline, gender, school location, sports club membership (total only) with standardized outcome variables, the intervention group showed a reduction in waist-to-height ratio (B = 0.30, p < 0.001) and an increase in several fitness parameters (cardiorespiratory endurance: B = 0.20, p = 0.037; lower body muscle strength: B = 0.11, p = 0.041; lower body muscle endurance: B = 0.12, p = 0.027; flexibility: B = 0.19, p = 0.019) compared to the control group. Intervention effects for cardiorespiratory endurance and flexibility were more pronounced in the group of children without sports club membership. Thus, especially children with no sport club membership seem to benefit from daily PA in school (Trial registration: DRKS00025515).

Physical Education: At the Centre of Physical Activity Promotion in Schools.

Whilst recognising and advocating for the role and importance of schools and whole school approaches to the promotion of physical activity in schools, this paper argues that physical education (PE) should be at the centre of and driving schools' efforts to promote physical activity. Various reasons are given for this, with these broadly centring on the unique goal, nature, and responsibilities of the subject with respect to promoting physically active lifestyles and health-related learning. Furthermore, there have been positive strides in recent years to support this endeavour and that serve to highlight, strengthen, and reinforce the focus and responsibility of PE in the promotion of physical activity. In light of these, it is suggested that it is a pivotal time for PE. Equally, it is accepted that PE faces some longstanding challenges that are hindering and raise questions concerning the subject's physical activity promotion efforts. Despite this, it is contended that these should not be unsurmountable, and more recent developments should also help the subject to realise its physical activity promoting potential moving forwards. In particular, the critical importance of high-quality PE that has young people at the core is highlighted. It is concluded that it is both time and timely for the PE profession to be bold, have confidence, and grasp these opportunities and ensure that high-quality PE is central to the explicit planning and co-ordination of meaningful, coherent, relevant, and sustainable physical activity opportunities for young people in schools.

Differences in Physical Activity Patterns among Korean Adolescents during and after COVID-19.

Due to the COVID-19-induced social distancing restrictions, adolescents' physical activity declined and their level of health and fitness decreased. In March 2023, the Korean government established the beginning of the post-COVID-19 era by declaring that indoor masks were now "recommended" rather than "mandatory". Consequently, adolescents, whose physical activity decreased during COVID-19, began to participate in such activities again. This study aimed to verify the differences in adolescent physical activity during COVID-19 and after COVID-19. To achieve the study's purpose, an online survey was conducted twice, using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, for 1143 Korean adolescents in 2022 and 2023. The following results were derived through frequency analysis, descriptive statistical analysis, and an independent variables t-test. First, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was higher during the post-COVID-19 period than during COVID-19 (p = 0.018). Second, high-intensity (p = 0.018), moderate-intensity (p = 0.030), and low-intensity (p = 0.002) physical activities and total leisure-time physical activities (p = 0.003) were all higher during the post-COVID-19 period than during COVID-19. Third, high-intensity (p = 0.005), moderate-intensity (p = 0.003), low-intensity (p = 0.003) activities and total physical activities in school (p = 0.001) were all higher during the post-COVID-19 period than during COVID-19. Fourth, there was no difference in the commuting times for cycling (p = 0.515) and walking (p = 0.484) and the total physical activities during commuting (p = 0.375) during and after COVID-19. Based on these results, the methods to help adolescents form correct habits for leading a healthy life are discussed.

Physical Activity Programs in Shanxi Province Schools in China: Effects of In-School and After-School Delivery on Students’ Motivational and Social Outcomes

Effective physical activity (PA) programs may enhance students’ awareness, competence, and motivation to participate in PA in the future for their health and mental well-being. The most effective way to accomplish this is through in-school and after-school activities. However, certain obstacles (traditional ways) may prevent some students from gaining these benefits. By eliminating these and other barriers, transforming after-school PA programs into in-school PA programs can enhance access to PA services. Despite this, the change in learning context from after-school to in-school may affect student engagement and program effectiveness by altering the interaction between students and teachers. Self-determination theory was employed to explain how the learning context affects motivation and social outcomes in PA programs for primary school students. The study involved 513 students from 12 different schools in Shanxi Province, China, in 2022. They represented 46.24% girls and 53.76% boys, ranging in age from 9 to 12. Teachers conducted PA programs to motivate students to participate in healthy activities. Assessment of student–teacher interactions, psychological needs satisfaction, and motivation was conducted among PA students through questionnaires. Relationships between students and teachers were incorporated into a structural equation model as direct and mediated determinants of motivation for attendance PA programs. There is agreement between the results and the hypothesized model, which predicts higher levels of psychological need satisfaction and higher levels of intrinsic motivation. In addition, the learning context only negatively affects less-self-determined motivations. Results confirm that positive perceptions of teachers by students play a significant role in promoting incentives for PA program participation in more self-determined manners. Furthermore, innovative strategies to reduce the detrimental effects of long-standing institutional structures and procedures should be considered and incorporated into in-school programs that motivate students to participate in these programs.

학교체육활동 참여로 인지되는 재미 관련 요인에 대한 메타분석

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to conduct a meta-analysis of the relationship between the fun of participants in school physical activity and various factors.BR Method: In this study, academic journals published in Korea that examined the relationship between fun and related variables of participants in school physical activity were analyzed. Data analysis was performed using the CMA, ver 4.0 program. To conduct the meta-analysis, we performed Effect Size calculation, Test of Homogeneity, Subgroup Analysis, and Verification of Publication Bias.BR Results: Firstly, the overall correlation effect size between the fun of school physical activity participants and related variables was found to be of moderate magnitude (ESr=.376). Secondly, as a result of analyzing the effect size of the correlation coefficient between the fun of physical education class and related variables, the class immersion (ESr=.556) showed a high degree of correlation coefficient effect size. Thirdly, the results of analyzing the effect size of the correlation coefficient of the fun of physical education class and all related variables by age group showed that the correlation coefficient was in the order of children (ESr=.546), adults (ESr=.373), and adolescents (ESr=.229). Effect sizes were observed. Class satisfaction for children, school life for adolescents, and exercise commitment for adults showed the highest correlation coefficient effect size. Fourthly, in the correlation between fun and related variables, ‘continuity of sports activity’ was a variable that shows relevance in common in all age groups.BR Conclusion: The fun of school sports activities is a factor that should be actively considered in terms of increasing the sports participation rate and will be a catalyst for lifelong sports practice.

How to select interventions for promoting physical activity in schools? Combining preferences of stakeholders and scientists

BackgroundThe failure to scale-up and implement physical activity (PA) interventions in real world contexts, which were previously successful under controlled conditions, may be attributed to the different criteria of stakeholders and scientists in the selection process of available interventions. Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate and compare the criteria applied by local stakeholders and scientists for selecting amongst suitable school-based PA interventions for implementation.MethodsWe conducted a three-round repeated survey Delphi study with local stakeholders (n = 7; Bremen, Germany) and international scientific PA experts (n = 6). Independently for both panels, two rounds were utilized to develop a list of criteria and the definitions of criteria, followed by a prioritization of the criteria in the third round. For each panel, a narrative analysis was used to rank-order unique criteria, list the number of scorers for the unique criteria and synthesize criteria into overarching categories.ResultsThe stakeholders developed a list of 53 unique criteria, synthesized into 11 categories with top-ranked criteria being ‘free of costs’, ‘longevity’ and ‘integration into everyday school life’. The scientists listed 35 unique criteria, synthesized into 7 categories with the top-ranked criteria being ‘efficacy’, ‘potential for reach’ and ‘feasibility’. The top ranked unique criteria in the stakeholder panel were distributed over many categories, whereas four out of the top six criteria in the scientist panel were related to ‘evidence’.ConclusionsAlthough stakeholders and scientists identified similar criteria, major differences were disclosed in the prioritization of the criteria. We recommend an early collaboration of stakeholders and scientists in the design, implementation, and evaluation of PA interventions.

A tailored physical education program enhances elementary students' self‐efficacy, attitudes, and motivation to engage in physical activity

AbstractAchieving adequate physical activity is an important health goal that many elementary school students are not meeting during the school day. The physical activity leadership (PAL) Program was designed to provide individually tailored supports to improve the quantity and quality of physical activity in schools, as well as promote improvements in self‐efficacy, attitudes, and motivation for physical activity. Self‐efficacy, attitudes, and motivation are three key factors in predicting increases in physical activity, and consequently serve as the cognitive‐affective variables examined in the present study. A sample of 117 fourth‐ and fifth‐grade students and 22 teachers completed several quantitative and open‐ended feedback measures before and after a district‐wide physical activity intervention. Results indicated the PAL Program was highly beneficial to all participants, and several key measures (negative attitudes, motivation to exercise, and perceptions of physical ability) were significantly impacted in the anticipated direction. Open‐ended feedback data collected from teachers involved also suggests that the program was well‐received and was perceived as beneficial. This study provides additional evidence in support of individually tailored physical education interventions.

Fishing Downstream: Does CSPAP Promotion During PETE Transfer to Teaching Practice by K–12 Physical Educators?

ABSTRACTPhysical Education Teacher Education (PETE) training has the potential to influence graduates’ decisions as physical educators. Utilizing themes from Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations and Lawson’s Occupational Socialization theories, we focused on graduates from a single PETE program which, beginning in 2007, began integrating content, expectations, and experiences relating to an expanded role of the physical educator such as in comprehensive school physical activity programs (CSPAPs). Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine transfer in terms of university training leading to teaching practices in expanded physical activity programming. Method: An electronic questionnaire was sent to 335 graduates from May 2000 through May 2019. Sixty-seven graduates’ questionnaires were investigated looking at perceptions of CSPAP as an innovation, current expanded physical activity (PA) offerings, and memories of PETE. Additionally, 13 participants participated in a school visit and interview which acted as a fidelity check for self-reported levels of expanded PA programming reported in the questionnaire. Results: All 67 graduates included some amount of expanded PA programming. Positive correlations were found with perception of CSPAP as an innovation, for both year of graduation and memory of PETE programming, thus students exposed to CSPAP programming during PETE were implementing components at their schools at higher levels. Conclusion: There is positive potential for professional socialization to influence graduates’ practices. Perceptions of CSPAP as an innovation were positive and support the promotion of triability and starting small when PETE programs encourage expanded PA programming.

Students’ Perspectives on School Sports Trips in the Context of Participation and Democratic Education

School sports trips, as a part of extracurricular physical education (PE), are a very important addition to regular PE, with benefits for not only physical activity behavior, but also for personal development and social inclusion. To better understand the relevance for students, the aim of this study was to look at their perspectives on school sports trips in terms of involvement, active participation, and co-designing opportunities. Therefore, 14 group interviews with 47 students (age: M = 13.9; SD = 0.9 years) were held in three exemplary secondary schools in Austria. The following six topics were derived from a qualitative text analysis: (a) the relevance for the students, (b) the motives for (non-) participation, (c) positive experiences, (d) barriers and challenges, (e) desired changes and ideas of the students, and (f) feedback opportunities. The results indicate that students are highly motivated to put forward their ideas for designing school sports trips in terms of physical activity and social components. This can further be considered for the planning and implementation of extracurricular PE, to make this an enjoyable experience for both students and teachers, promoting the relevance of physical activity in schools and beyond.