Movement and Learning May Improve Executive Brain Function

Researchers Vazou and Smiley-Oyen wanted to find out what effect a math lesson that incorporated physical movement would have on executive brain function as well as student ratings of satisfaction with the lesson when compared with a sedentary math lesson. The researchers examined the possible effects on both overweight and average-weight students.

A total of 35 students between the ages of 9 and 11 participated in the study. Twenty-four of these were of normal weight and eleven were overweight. Researchers used the Standard Flanker test to assess elements of frontal lobe brain functioning, such as inhibition of irrelevant stimuli, short-term memory, attention-switching, and selective attention. The students' satisfaction with the lesson was assessed with the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale, which was shortened and adapted to be age-appropriate. The study also looked at the intensity of the physical activity by tracking students' heart rates as well as student ratings of difficulty using the Children's OMNI Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale.

Prior to the start of the experiment, the students visited the lab and were given an orientation to the study and practiced the procedures. On their next visit, half of the students participated in the experimental session and half in the control session. After a 6-8 day hiatus, the participants attended the other session (either experimental or control). On both days students were set up with a device to monitor heart rate and then they participated in a short reading comprehension activity so that their brain functioning was slightly exhausted as it would be during a school day. Following this, students' executive function was pre-assessed with the Standard Flanker test. Then they did ten minutes of math facts practice, either with physical movement (experiment) or seated (control). For the physically active math practice, they had to move back and forth between two tables across the room from each other, each with its own stack of flash cards. Students had to move in a specified way (i.e. skipping, crab walking) back-and-forth between the two tables. Each time they reached a table, they had to pick up a flash card and answer it before crossing to the other table. Following the math practice, students rated their exertion levels and their enjoyment of the practice. Then they completed the post-test of executive functioning.

The researchers found several differences between the sedentary math practice and the active math practice. Student ratings of exertion were higher during the active math practice. The average heart rate during the active math practice was 143.26 beats per minute and the peak heart rate averaged 169.54 beats per minute, which are much higher than the average heart rate during the sedentary practice: 90.06 beats per minute. Students practiced a similar number of math facts during both the experimental and control sessions. There was also no significant difference in students' accuracy between the two sessions. Students rated the active math practice as more enjoyable than the sedentary practice.

As for the assessment of executive functioning after each math practice, researchers found that overweight children experienced a decrease in accuracy after the sedentary practice but not during the active practice. For average-weight participants, there was increased accuracy after both types of math practice. There was a significant improvement in response time from the pre-test to post-test after the active math practice and not following the sedentary math practice for all students regardless of weight.

This experiment demonstrates that bringing movement into academic activities, such as practicing math facts, can have many benefits to students. Students experience elevated heart rates during active lessons, which could contribute to improved cardiovascular health. The study suggests that they also have improved response time in their executive functioning after being active. Overweight students may also be able to perform executive functioning tasks with higher accuracy after being active (although no such effect was found with normal-weight children). All participants found the active math practice more enjoyable, which might improve their motivation to learn. There don't seem to be any negative effects of bringing movement into the classroom, whereas the benefits to physical health, enjoyment and brain functioning are many.

Vazou, S & Smiley-Oyen, A. (2014). Moving and academic learning are not antagonists: Acute effects on executive function and enjoyment. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 36, 474-485. doi: 10/1123/jsep.2014-0035

Movement and Motivation in Learning

One study from Crete, Greece took a different approach to exploring the benefits of a physically active classroom. This study wanted to find out what effect integrating physical movement into elementary lessons might have on the learner's intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is when a task is found to be rewarding in and of itself, unlike external motivation in which some other motivator is attached to the task. Researchers found that incorporating physical activity into lessons can indeed increase the intrinsic motivation of students.

One hundred forty-seven fourth through sixth graders from fifteen different classrooms took part in the two week study. For six consecutive lessons in the subjects of language arts, math or social studies,, students' motivation was measured using the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory. The first, second, fourth and sixth lessons were taught with no change to the normal routine as a control. The third and fifth lessons incorporated ten minutes of physical activity into the lesson. These physical activities required few, if any, materials and were designed to be enjoyable and accessible for all students.

Researchers used the a simplified version of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory to gauge students' levels of motivation in the last five minutes of each lesson. They used four out of the five different categories of the measure: Interest/Enjoyment, Perceived Competence, Effort, Value/Usefulness and Pressure/Tension. During the intervention lessons, student's reported levels of "Interest/Enjoyment" significant increased when compared to the regular lessons. The Perceived Competence and Effort measures also significantly increased during the lessons that incorporated physical movement. The measure found no negative effects from the intervention lessons. The measure found no feelings of increased pressure from these lessons, and the Perceived Value of the lessons did not decrease when compared to the non-movement lessons.

This study has important implications for the benefits of integrating physical movement into the classroom. While other studies have found that physical activity during learning can increase achievement, this study discovered that movement can also serve to motivate learners. Years of education research have supported the connection between intrinsic motivation and learning. This study may explain the root cause of why incorporating movement into lesson can increase achievement: because students find this lessons more enjoyable and engaging. I am excited to see whether integrating physical movement into my own lessons will have the same effect for my students.

Vazou, S., Gavrilou, P., Mamalaki, E., Papanastasiou, A., & Sioumala, N. (2012). Does integrating physical activity in the elementary school classroom influence academic motivation? International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 10(4), 251-263. doi: 10.1080/1612197X.2012.682368