Inquiry Template - Liam and Grayden

Topic​: Physical Education

Inquiry Question:​ To what extent should physical education be prioritized amongst other
school subjects?
Sub Question #1:​ Why is physical education important in schools when there are rising obesity
rates, problems with nutritional awareness and more youth inactivity?
Results and Conclusions:
Education has always had the power to change lives and continues to hold that power.
Primary education can have a massive impact on youth and often creates a long lasting
memory. One part of many memories is physical education (PE) class in primary schools. What
some kids call the ‘best’ class and what others refer to it as the ‘worst’ class. Whether you like it
or not, PE class plays a tremendous role in shaping children's future levels of activity and
lifestyle. One trend that continues to emerge in the most recent years is the fact that obesity
rates continue to rise in children, adolescents and adults. This is a trend that no one wants to
continue with but in fact would rather try and stop. This all begins with​ ​children. If we start to
shift a focus towards encouraging youth to engage in healthy lifestyles the results will​ ​follow.
The only thing that is stopping this from going forward is the school systems who time and time
again cut PE and health classes because of the budget or physical space. Children have
become so accustomed to inactivity in schools that it does not seem odd to them if gym class is
cancelled for a few days or a week.
A study in 2007 run by Sollerhed and Ejilertsson investigated the relation between BMI
and time/frequency of physical education class in Swedish schools (BMI stands for body mass
index, which is often used to asses obesity). In their study they looked into 2 schools​:​ one
school has 2x 40 min gym classes a week and the other school was given 4x 40 min gym
classes per week. As they​ ​expected, the school that experienced more frequent physical activity
classes had more of a positive effect on BMI than the other school. This continues to prove our
point in why physical education is important in school systems and is something that can be
carried with throughout life.
In regard to obesity and diabetes unhealthy eating is the number one source of why
problems may occur (Copeland, et al., 2009). Although children are not able to control every
factor, such as working parents, low socioeconomic status and aspects that are out of their
reach children are often able to foster a sense of belief/hope. Children will almost always take
what they learned at school with them home and try to engage in it. For an example if we are
able to get children to bring a healthy snack to school or even try and follow the food guide they
will in turn bring that to their house and try to implement it there. This is really important in
addressing the obesity problems in all ages, if we can get people more educated on topics like
these then it will cause more of a stir in the community allowing for larger impacts to take place.
 In conclusion, physical education and health classes are crucial parts in primary schools
and need to be protected as much as possible. We have seen rising obesity rates and poor
nutritional intake in the better half of the last generation and the way to change that trend is
through children. Making sure that children are active and understand that it is important to take
care of your bodies so they can function as well as possible. There are no disadvantages to
more physical education time (Sollerhed & Ejilertsson, 2007) and as we become more educated
in the topic of physical education it should become a priority for all ages in years to come.
Sub Question #2:​ What are some of the benefits that students can experience by incorporating
more physical education/activity into schools?
Results and Conclusions:
Physical benefits:
● Activity and fitness levels in childhood tend to track into adulthood (Sollerhed &
Ejlertsson, 2007)
● Many studies indicate that children and adults have become less physically active in
recent decades (Sollerhed & Ejlertsson, 2007)
○ the frequency of P.E. lessons in school has been shown to be less than desirable
(Sollerhed & Ejlertsson, 2007)
○ Current guidelines for children’s daily physical activity state that children should
participate in 60 min or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity (Sollerhed
& Ejlertsson, 2007)
● “The physical inactivity problem does not begin at the school gate and does not end on
the way out of school. However, school physical education is the societal program
responsible for training and socializing the nation’s youth to be physically active.”
(Sollerhed & Ejlertsson, 2007)
● there is suggestive evidence of a distinctive role for P.E./school sport in the acquisition
and development of children’s movement skills and physical competence.
○ It can be argued that these are necessary, if not deterministic conditions of
engagement in lifelong physical activity (Bailey, et al., 2009), the role of PESS in
promoting engagement in lifelong physical activity has become widely accepted
(Bailey, et al., 2009)
○ it has been suggested that young people need to gain the appropriate
knowledge, understanding and behavioural skills to ensure physical activity
becomes a regular part of their daily life (Bailey, et al., 2009)
● the key recommendation is the accumulation of at least one hour of physical activity per
day (less for inactive children) and, as a secondary recommendation, twice-weekly
strength and flexibility activities. Critically, the guidelines recommend that the physical
activity performed can be of a general nature as opposed to a planned exercise regime,
can be accumulated in different ways and can vary in type, setting, intensity, duration
and amount. (Bailey, et al., 2009)
○ physical activity does not need to be strenuous, but of at least moderate intensity,
such as brisk walking. (Bailey, et al., 2009)
Social, affective and cognitive benefits:
● Some other benefits: leadership, the involvement of young people in decision-making,
an emphasis on social relationships, and an explicit focus on learning processes.
(Bailey, et al., 2009)
○ It is claimed that purposeful engagement in PESS has the potential to engender
positive social behaviours (such as cooperation, personal responsibility and
empathy) in young people and to address a number of contemporary social
issues relating to problematic youth behaviour, such as depression, crime,
truancy and alcohol or drug abuse (Bailey, et al., 2009)
○ the value of PESS lies in the acquisition and accumulation of various personal,
social and socio-moral skills which, in turn, can act as social capital to enable
young people to function successfully (and acceptably) in a broad range of social
situations (Bailey, et al., 2009)
● there is some evidence to suggest that PESS programmes can help to improve pupils’
attendance, behaviour and attitude within school as well as reduce their engagement in
antisocial or criminal behaviour (Bailey, et al., 2009)
● the claims made for the social benefits of PESS centre on developing young people’s
abilities to interact positively with others that can, as a consequence, result in wider
gains for themselves, their schools and communities. (Bailey, et al., 2009)
○ The social element of participation and, more specifically, the need for individuals
to work collaboratively, cohesively and constructively, is believed to encourage
(and necessitate) the development of a number of skills such as trust , a sense of
community, empathy, personal and corporate responsibility and cooperation.
Moreover, there is a belief that such skills can function as a form of social capital
for individuals, and help them to develop resiliency against difficult life
circumstances (Bailey, et al., 2009)
● the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education claims that PESS
helps children to develop respect for the body – their own and others’, contributes
towards the integrated development of mind and body, develops an understanding of the
role of aerobic and anaerobic physical activity in health, positively enhances
self-confidence and self-esteem, and enhances social and cognitive development and
academic achievement (Bailey, et al., 2009)
○ In a similar vein, a Council of Europe report suggests that PESS provides
opportunities to meet and communicate with other people, to take different social
roles, to learn particular social skills (such as tolerance and respect for others),
and to adjust to team/collective objectives (such as cooperation and cohesion),
and that it provides experience of emotions that are not available in the rest of life
(Bailey, et al., 2009)
● It has been claimed that ‘physical activity improves psychological health in young people’
and a range of international policy documents have alluded to the perceived association
between physical activity and psychological well-being. (Bailey, et al., 2009)
○ The World Health Organisation asserted that sports participation improves
self-esteem, self-perception and psychological well-being (Bailey, et al., 2009)
○ a Council of Europe report stressed the important contribution sport makes to
processes of personality development. (Bailey, et al., 2009)
 ○ another report concluded that physical activity is positively associated with good
mental health, and the psychological benefits of regular physical activity include
reduced stress, reduced anxiety and reduced depression (Bailey, et al., 2009)
Effect on other school subjects?
● Learning to perform physical activities demands concentration and requires the learner
to be disciplined in a similar way to scholars of other subjects. (Bailey, et al., 2009)
● French study where schools incorporated more physical education in place of other
academic subjects. Here’s the findings:
○ the claim was made that even when up to 90 minutes per day was spent on
PESS, pupils performed at least as well in their academic subjects as those who
had not received the enhanced PESS (Bailey, et al., 2009)
○ Researchers reduced ‘academic’ curriculum time by 26 per cent, replacing it with
PESS, yet academic results did not worsen and there were fewer discipline
problems, greater attentiveness and less absenteeism. (Bailey, et al. 2009)
○ Despite the loss of 45 to 60 minutes of classroom teaching time each day, there
were no signs of an adverse effect on numeracy and literacy. (Bailey, et al.,
2009)
● More recent studies have found small improvements for some children in academic
performance when time for PESS is increased in their school day (Bailey, et al., 2009)
○ A review of three large-scale studies found that academic performance is
maintained and occasionally enhanced by an increase in a student’s levels of
PESS, despite a reduction in the time for the study of academic material (Bailey,
et al., 2009)
○ It has also been found that PESS and physical activity levels are higher in
relatively high-performing schools than in low-performing schools (Bailey, et al.,
2009)
● It might be the case that any improvement in academic performance following physical
activity reflects changes in cognitive functioning, such as increases to blood flow in the
brain, increased levels of arousal and stimulated brain development (Bailey, et al. 2009)
● Some well-designed studies have found a positive relationship between increased
physical activity and concentration (Bailey, et al., 2009)
● increased levels of PESS do not interfere with pupils’ achievement in other subjects
(although the time available for these subjects is consequently reduced)
Overall Conclusions:
● Physical Education should be seen as equally important as other academic school
subjects.
● We should try to incorporate more nutrition related concepts into PE classes so that
students are able to take that knowledge into the community
● There are numerous physical, social and cognitive benefits to incorporating more
physical education into a school setting.
● Even if schools allocate more P.E. time at the expense of other subjects, it has been
shown that it does not decrease academic performance.
Sources
● Bailey, R., Armour, K., Kirk, D., Jess, M., Pickup, I., Sandford, R., & Bera Physical
Education And Sport P. (2009). The Educational Benefits Claimed for Physical
Education and School Sport: An Academic Review. ​Research Papers in Education,
24(​ 1), 1-27. doi:10.1080/02671520701809817
● Copeland, K., Short, Blackett, & Gardner. (2009). Vascular health in children and
adolescents: Effects of obesity and diabetes. ​Vascular Health and Risk Management,
973. Doi:10.2147/vhrm.s7116
● Researchers Say Lack of Physical Education is Harming Kids. (2000, September 17).
Medical Letter on the CDC & FDA.​ Retrieved from
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A66461275/HWRC?u=leth89164&sid=HWRC&xid=c
bb376d3
● Sollerhed, A., & Ejlertsson, G. (2007). Physical Benefits of Expanded Physical Education
in Primary School: Findings From a 3-year Intervention Study in Sweden. ​Scandinavian
Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports,​ ​18(​ 1), 102-107.
doi:10.1111/j.1600-0838.2007.00636.x