Enhancing physical activity in the classroom with active breaks: a mixed methods study

Educators who integrate physical activity (PA) into the classroom stimulate their students and create an engaging environment. The objective of this study was to verify the result of an active methodology programme based on activity breaks to demonstrate: a) the effect of the strategies proposed by the teacher, b) the characteristics of the physical exercises proposed and c) the responses produced in the students during the period of physical activity. A tutor-teacher (6th year of Primary Education) from an educational centre in the Murcia region and a total of 26 students between 11 and 13 years old (M = 11.95; SD = 0.63) took part. The programme was administered for 12 weeks using various procedures during school hours (12 sessions/week). The mixed methods approach allowed combining the quantitative analysis of the implementation of the active break, with an assessment check list and qualitative analysis of the result of the interactive behaviours that appeared, using systematic observational methodology (OM). The results showed that the active break involved the students intensively through a combination of motor skills, postural variations and varied interrelationships. At the same time, it was found that the teacher applied the strategies to promote physical activity more frequently in the classroom when they were: an interruption of the class, movement as social interaction, a proposal with a concrete structure, active participation and cooling down. It was concluded that the activity break programme may be suitable to increase motor participation, as well as the social and cognitive interaction of students during class.