Department of Exercise, Sport and Lifestyle Medicine

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Browsing Department of Exercise, Sport and Lifestyle Medicine by Subject "Academic achievement -- Effect of exercise on"

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    The effect of a physically active academic intervention on physical fitness and academic performance of Grade 1 learners
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-03) Fisher, Carynne Alison; Africa, Eileen Katherine; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Sport Science.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY : The importance of Physical Education (PE) has been well established over the years; however, it is no longer viewed as vital aspect of the South African school curriculum. In a South African context, the curriculum does not meet the time of 60 minutes of physical activity (PA) per day recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Teachers no longer find the time to conduct PA lessons because of the emphasis placed on academic subjects by the Department of Education (DoE). With that said, the link between academic achievement and PA has been extensively researched over the years and it was found PA has beneficial effects on academic achievement, such as time on task, attention, memory and improvements in academic subjects such as reading, spelling, mathematics and the sciences. However, limited research has been conducted to determine how including physical fitness (PF) into academic lessons can benefit PF and academic achievement. Recent research has found that combining PA into academic lessons improved academic achievement and PF. Nevertheless, because this field of study is still in its infancy and findings are inconsistent because of various factors. Furthermore, in a South African context little is known as to whether these types of intervention have been beneficial. The main aim of the current study was to determine the effects of an intervention integrating PF and into academic lessons on academic achievement and PF of Grade 1 learners. The study also studied gender differences and the role gender played in academic performance and physical fitness. This thesis followed a research article format with precise aims studied in each article. Research article one studied the effects that a physically active academic intervention had on mathematical performances and physical fitness of Grade 1 learners. The effects of a physically active academic intervention on reading and spelling performance, physical fitness and gender differences of Grade 1 learners were the aims of research article two. Research article one found that after a 16- week physically active academic intervention the experimental group’s strength improved significantly compared to the control group, which was similar to findings of other studies. Other than the control group, the mathematical skills of the experimental group improved significantly, which is also in agreement with findings in literature. These findings suggest a strong association between PF and mathematics achievement, which is suggested by other studies and proves to be an effective way to address the low mathematical achievement and PF in South African schools. Research article two found that after the 16-week physically active academic intervention the experimental group’s reading and strength improved significantly in comparison to the control group. This is in agreement with previous studies. Findings suggested there were no significant differences between gender, PF and academic achievement. This revealed that current type of intervention was effective regardless of gender in young children and therefore, it is ideal to address low PF and academic achievement that can be enjoyable for learners and teachers. This is in agreement with studies that have been conducted in countries outside of Africa. These findings indicate the beneficial effects of combining PF with academic lessons in a South African context. It is cost effective, contributes to the findings of this field of study and solidifies the association between physical fitness and academic achievements in learners. The fact that gender played no significant role indicates that the current intervention can be beneficial to all Grade 1 learners. The findings of the current study can guide future research and education programmes into new ways to teach academics skills, while increasing PF inside and outside the walls of school classrooms.