Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
The concept that “Healthy children learn better” is being promoted in schools based on various
research papers over the last 50 years whose results suggest that there is a positive correlation
between physical performance and academic performance. However, the results showed
statistical significance rather than practical one: the researchers investigated academic
performance of students in grades three, five, six and eight measured by Iowa Tests of Basic
Skills and physical fitness, measured by performance on President’s Challenge and calculated
the correlation of mean physical and academic percentile score 0.19, p < .05. According to this
research only 3.6 % of the variance in academic performance may be explained by physical
fitness. Thus, physical education programs should not be said to promote academic achievements
in students. Some investigators claim that physical activity rather than physical education is
related to cognitive performance and achievement.
Studies into the relationship between academic achievement and physical fitness have produced
mixed results in both college students and school children. When it comes to college students,
Weber (1953) found correlation between fitness, using Iowa Physical Proficiency profile with
entrance exam scores and grade point average for 246 male college students. Hart and Shay
(1964) investigated the relationship between verbal scores and mathematics SAT scores, and
Physical fitness Index of 60 college women and come up with r values .068 and 0.146
respectively, but they were not at the .05 significant level.
When it comes to school children, many researchers analyzed the aforementioned correlation.
Clark and Jarman (1961) found that children in the high fitness group had higher means on both
standard achievement tests and grade point average. A more recent study involving 1,767
students in second, fourth and sixth grades analyzed the relationship between various cognitive
performance tests of Georgia and various fitness tests and found, for both boys and girls, low,
but significant relationship between reading and mathematics ability and the combination of
eight motor performance measures, five of which were fitness measures.
Winn (1993) examined the relationship between scores on California Test of Basic Skills
(reading and mathematics) and physical performance on AAHPERD President’s Challenge using
national norms. The average overall correlation between the total scores was .213. Later on,
similar research was conducted in Australia in 2001. Dwyer et al. examined 7,961 students aged
from 7 to 15 in terms of scholastic ability and performance on various fitness measure including
sit-ups, push-ups and 1.6 kilometer run and found significant, but weak correlations (ranging
form .1 to .27) between fitness and academic performance.
In addition, two similar studies emerged from the California Department of Education. In the
first one in 2002 students in grades 5, 7, and 9 were investigated for their physical fitness
according to six test items and got one point for every item in which they were in the ‘healthy
zone’. In all three grades higher fitness levels were related to higher academic achievement,
especially in mathematics. In the second study in 2005 physical and academic achievement of
1,036,386 students in grades 5, 7, and 9 were compared, and the results were similar to the 2002
study, but higher scores in fitness tests were also correlated with higher scores in English-
language arts. However, only means were reported in study and as a result no standard deviations
were given for the groups compared, nor was practical significance of the differences observed
between groups.
To sum up, various research examining the relationship between academic achievement and
physical fitness resulted in inconsistent findings. Two of the studies conducted in California had
barely or no statistical analysis. The focus of the remaining studies was whether a statistically
significant finding was observed. In order for these pieces of research to be more significant, the
practical significance of the findings must be considered.
There will probably be more research of this type in the future and hopefully they will
incorporate the practical significance as well. Nevertheless, physical fitness remains one of the
most important aspects of a healthy lifestyle. People, notwithstanding their age, should
incorporate physical activity in their everyday life, since the benefits from it surpass just
cognitive and academic ones. Regular physical activity has beneficial effects on overall health.
That is even a bigger reason why physical education programs should be developed and
incorporated into the National curriculum.