Systematic implementation of Energizers improves on-task behavior during academic instruction in third- and fourth-grade students¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r2 · q3 · i1 small
Currency · newest study 2006 · checked against its sources 2026-10-17 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i1 On-task behavior improved by 8% between pre-Energizers and post-Energizers observations, a statistically significant moderate effect (ES = 0.60). → Mahar 2006

Evidence¶

Mahar 2006¶

Mahar, M. T., Murphy, S. K., Rowe, D. A., Golden, J., Shields, A. T., & Raedeke, T. D. (2006). Effects of a Classroom-Based Program on Physical Activity and On-Task Behavior. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 38(12), 2086-2094. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000235359.16685.a3

q3 · i1 · causal · r2

A multiple-baseline across-classrooms design with 62 third- and fourth-grade students (37 and 25) evaluated on-task behavior before and after Energizers activities; a repeated-measures ANOVA showed "the improvement in on-task behavior of 8%" was significant with ES = 0.60.

"The improvement in on-task behavior of 8% between the pre-Energizers and post-Energizers observations was statistically significant (P < 0.017), and the difference was moderate (ES = 0.60)."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Classroom physical activity increases children's on-task behaviour, with no consistent gain on attention or other cognitive tests — the general claim this finding bears on, with the studies behind it
• The least on-task students show the largest improvement after Energizers activities, improving on-task behavior by 20% — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• A classroom-based physical activity program (Energizers) increases children's daily in-school physical activity compared with no program — related
• Classroom energizers improved on-task behaviour, but PA during a classroom task showed no improvement — related