Increased physical activity does not negatively affect academic performance, but academic performance is not caused solely by increased physical activity¶
Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · quant-synthesisr3·q3
Currency · newest study 2020 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person
Subclaims¶
Reading the evidence codes
q is the design tier, i the impact, n the sample, and the kind with its r
the rigour judged within that kind: what each code means.
This claim: no standardized effect is recorded in observations/ for it yet, so no benchmark reading is possible.
q3 i? The analysis shows physical activity itself does not negatively affect academic performance, and changes in academic performance are not caused solely by increases in the frequency and/or duration of physical activity. → Sember Vedrana 2020
Evidence¶
Sember Vedrana 2020¶
Sember Vedrana, Jurak Gregor, Kovač Marjeta, Morrison Shawnda A., Starc Gregor. (2020). Children's Physical Activity, Academic Performance, and Cognitive Functioning: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Public Health. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00307
q3 · i? · quant-synthesis · r3
Conclusion drawn from the random-effects meta-analysis of 44 interventions. The article states "PA itself does not negatively affect AP" and that intensity of PA must also be considered, since most studies did not report intensity.
"The present analysis shows that PA itself does not negatively affect AP; moreover, there are positive, (although relatively small) relationships between the two, and that changes in AP itself is not caused solely by an increase in frequency and/or duration of PA"
Discussion¶
Learner Variables¶
- Physical Well-Being — predictor: learners who differ on it differ in outcomes
Related Claims¶
- School-based physical activity interventions have a small positive weighted population effect on children's academic performance (rw = 0.181)
- Classroom physical activity increases children's on-task behaviour, with no consistent gain on attention or other cognitive tests — related
- Including behavior change techniques in acute physical activity interventions is the only moderator associated with larger academic effects (g = 0.54 vs 0.23) — related
- Whether PA itself causes the positive mathematics effects remains unclear, with engagement, attention from adults and innovative teaching proposed as alternative explanations — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
- Physical activity interventions delivered by staff with higher professional qualifications show larger academic performance effects than those delivered by less qualified staff — related
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