A Whole-School Approach for the Promotion of Physical Activity: An Evaluation of Stakeholders’ and Educators’ Perceptions About Education in Six European Countries

Abstract

Research has shown that a whole-school approach (WSA) is needed to increase student physical activity. There is a lack of empirical data on teachers’ opinions and needs regarding the implementation of a WSA approach to encourage physical activity. Our study aims to address this gap by identifying teachers’ and academics’ beliefs about the usefulness, content, and delivery mode of a WSA in fostering physical activity. To address the research aim, an exploratory mixed methods design was employed. Initially, a qualitative study with academics and stakeholders was conducted, followed by a quantitative investigation with teachers and school employees. In the first study, seven participants working in education took part in one-to-one interviews concerning their views on the usefulness, content, and delivery of whole-school education. The participants stressed the importance of the WSA and urged that educational authorities should consider the needs of children and the school community, promote teacher collaboration, pursue longevity, and engage with stakeholders and institutions throughout the process. In the second study, 160 school teachers and staff answered a survey about the content and delivery mode of an educational material for the promotion of WSA to fostering physical activity. The analyses indicated that participants preferred a three to six hours course, a hybrid mode of delivery, inclusion of best practices, and knowledge on how to implement a WSA. The study’s findings reveal several implications and recommendations for educators creating comprehensive school-based physical activity programs.

1. Introduction

Health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) is a persistent issue of utmost importance for all nation states, with a special emphasis on young individuals who represent the forthcoming generation of adults within our society. Over recent years, physical inactivity rates worldwide have been generally stable, or even increasing. For example, according to the 2018 Eurobarometer, the percentage of citizens who exercise or participate in physical activity has decreased from 58% in 2013 to 54% in 2018, while the physical inactivity rate has increased from 30% to 35%, which is expected to have severe health consequences in the future. This trend was further supported by the 2022 Eurobarometer, although it has been ascribed to COVID-19 pandemic. This evidence signifies that the existing approaches and efforts are not adequate enough to promote HEPA. Therefore, it is imperative to identify approaches that would be more effective in promoting HEPA. In this direction, WHO (2019) introduced its Global Action Plan for Physical Activity (GAPPA) with a global objective to decrease physical inactivity by 10% by 2025 and by 15% by 2030. GAPPA outlines four primary objectives and proposes 20 policy initiatives that can be implemented in diverse contexts, including educational environments. The establishment of whole system approaches is among the initiatives that are supported by GAPPA. In educational environments, a whole-school approach (WSA) reflects such a systemic approach to promote HEPA. Although several school system approaches have been developed (Erwin et al., 2013; McMullen et al., 2015; Russ et al., 2015), at the moment there is no evidence on the educational needs and the content of relevant education that would enable teachers implement a WSA to promote HEPA. To address this gap, this study aims to record the perceptions of stakeholders and educators about their educational needs and the content of education for a WSA to addressing HEPA in schools.

Childhood and adolescence constitute critical developmental periods during which individuals form habits, and school serves as a primary environment for engaging with the majority of children and adolescents. Hence, it is logical to assert that educational institutions, primary and secondary schools, and their physical education programs, have the potential to foster the development of physical activity habits and cultivate favorable attitudes towards engaging in health-promoting physical activities. However, this has not been achieved so far. Existing evidence demonstrates that school and school physical education have the potential to promote HEPA if they are structured in certain ways (e.g., adoption of an autonomy supportive class climate, active recess, physical activity before and after school, liaison with parents and community) and focus on specific outcomes (Barkoukis et al., 2021; Erwin et al., 2013). Still, although scientific evidence exists, this has not been put into practice. Hence, another important need in the promotion of HEPA is to identify ways to inform education practitioners and educational authorities about the potential of school, and not only school physical education, to promote HEPA.

With respect to the usefulness of focusing on school, there exists a significant body of research that provides data supporting the significance of physical activity in promoting physical and psychological health and overall well-being throughout all stages of life (e.g., Hale et al., 2021; Posadzki et al., 2020). Nevertheless, it is worth noting that a substantial amount of research has emphasized the insufficient level of physical activity among young individuals in industrialized cultures, which is believed to be crucial for promoting good health (Guthold et al., 2020; Rawal et al., 2020). For instance, a study conducted by Gerovasili et al. (2015) revealed that there is a notably low percentage of both male and female individuals in Greece and Cyprus who engage in moderate or vigorous physical activities during their free time. On the other hand, scholarly investigations indicate that children who engage in regular physical activity are more likely to maintain an active lifestyle throughout adulthood (Ekblom-Bak et al., 2018).

The school context offers an optimal setting for enhancing the levels of physical activity among students (Kibbe et al., 2011; McMullen et al., 2015). Schools offer opportunities for intervening with children and teachers serve as influential role models for promoting health and physical activity among children. Also, there is also a significant amount of time that children spend within the school environment. In addition, the physical education lesson is a school subject devoted to the promotion of physical activity (Hills et al., 2015; McMullen et al., 2015). Although physical education curriculum requirements may vary considerably, previous studies have provided consistent evidence suggesting that class motivational climate is an important factor for the promotion of actual physical activity behavior (Barkoukis et al., 2021; Hagger & Chatzisarantis, 2016). According to Messing et al. (2019), physical education has been recognized as an effective platform for disseminating health promotion messages aimed at encouraging the uptake of physical exercise among young individuals. Undoubtedly, a key objective of physical education is to equip adolescents with the essential skills, understanding, and proficiency to make informed decisions and engage in physical activities that promote health during their free time (Hills et al., 2015; Watson et al., 2017). Physical education holds a favorable position in terms of providing physical activity experiences and promoting the advantages of out-of-school physical activity due to its ability to reach and engage in physical activity young students (Hunt et al., 2015; Lewallen et al., 2015).

Nevertheless, the physical education lesson alone may not effectively promote HEPA in primary or secondary education. According to GAPPA (WHO, 2019), a systems approach involving the whole school, is expected to amplify the potential of the physical education lesson in achieving this objective. Paradoxically, the school environment often posits obstacles to the development of physical activity by setting different priorities to students that can undermine the efforts made in physical education lessons (Chatzisarantis et al., 2016a, 2016b). Therefore, there is a substantial need to adopt a whole-school culture in favor of physical activity (Hills et al., 2015). A WSA involves three essential components: (a) the curriculum, teaching, and learning processes, (b) the school climate and promoted ethos, and (c) collaboration with students’ families and local communities (Goldberg et al., 2019). These components interact in order to extend learning outside the school context, notably at home and in the local community. Integrating families and local communities inside a WSA fosters the synergy between school and personal time, hence broadening learning possibilities across the two primary environments where children allocate the majority of their time (Goldberg et al., 2019). In this respect, the key agents of a whole-school approach are the school staff (e.g., educators, managers, and administration), students, parents, and the local community (Cavanagh et al., 2024). In order to ensure the success of such an approach, specific teaching practices must be applied. The implementation of suitable pedagogical strategies and educational frameworks has the potential to enhance individuals’ motivation and inclination to participate in physical activities during their leisure time, as well as their actual engagement in physical activity (Barkoukis et al., 2021; Hagger & Chatzisarantis, 2016). It is evident that programs aimed at promoting physical activity in young individuals should be guided by theoretical research in order to ascertain the key factors that influence their engagement in physical activity (Lewallen et al., 2015).

One example of a physical activity program implemented within a school setting is the integration of active breaks into the school program (e.g., the “TAKE 10!” program; Goh et al., 2016). Active breaks help students maintain energy equilibrium by incorporating physical activity into academic lectures. According to Kibbe et al. (2011), the feasibility of incorporating physical movement into elementary school classrooms is evident. This integration not only aids children in maintaining attention on their academic pursuits, but also facilitates an increase in their physical activity levels and aligns with the objective of schools to fulfill wellness policies. Stewart et al. (2004) advocated that the program seamlessly integrates into the existing school system. Results of active breaks programs over a period of 10 years indicated that incorporating physical activity within the classroom setting is both practical for elementary school instructors and beneficial for the health and physical engagement of students (Kibbe et al., 2011).

Overall, it is apparent that schools in primary and secondary education have the potential to facilitate engagement in physical activities. However, specific practices must be implemented in a systematic manner to effectively accomplish this objective. These measures encompass not only the physical education lesson but also other academic disciplines within the school, as well as the broader organizational structure of the institution. Existing research indicates that the implementation of a comprehensive whole-school approach is necessary to successfully enhance physical activity levels among students (Dobbins et al., 2013; Haapala et al., 2017). To date, there exists a scarcity of empirical information about the educators’ opinion about the optimal organization, dissemination to educational authorities and instructors, and subsequent implementation among students, of the comprehensive whole-school approach aimed at efficiently fostering physical activity. Daly-Smith et al. (2020) and Morris et al. (2023) suggested that schools include complex adaptive sub-systems, and in order to create effective interventions a multi-stakeholder input is essential. By employing this methodology, creating active schools (CAS), they devised and implemented a comprehensive framework for the entire school, which can serve as a blueprint for informing future policies, research endeavors, and practical applications aimed at integrating sustainable physical activity interventions inside educational institutions. Helme et al. (2024) suggested that the CAS methodology can provide a blueprint for the development of whole-school interventions that are expected to be accepted by relevant target groups, feasible and sustainable. Based on this methodology, our study aims to identify teachers’ needs for education on the promotion of physical activity through a whole-school approach. In order to effectively address this gap, the study has the following objectives: (a) identify experts’ beliefs about the usefulness, the content and delivery mode of education promoting a whole-school approach in promoting health-enhancing physical activity, and (b) identify teachers’ beliefs about the content and delivery mode of education promoting a whole-school approach in promoting health-enhancing physical activity. To address these two objectives an exploratory mixed method design was used; a qualitative study with academics and stakeholders and a quantitative study with teachers and school staff working on the field. Due to lack of existing evidence, this approach was selected to initiate qualitative data collection, identify the central variables for examination, and narrow the tested variables for the quantitative analysis, thus gaining the benefits of both research approaches (Pluye & Hong, 2014). Furthermore, according to Wickramasinghe and Perera (2010), there is a need to establish evidence on educators’ needs across a variety of institutions and countries. In this respect, this study involved stakeholders who represented both universities and education providers from six different European countries, including Belgium, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Finland, and Wales, as part of a project sponsored by the European Commission.

2. Study 1

2.1. Method

2.1.1. Participants and Procedure

Participants were selected from the project partners. More specifically, each partner indicated the person(s) who participated in the interview. A total of 7 academics and stakeholders from the partner organizations working on the academia and the school community took part in personal interviews. Six of the participants were participating in the educational activities in their countries and one participant was a physical activity expert with long experience in the promotion of physical activity. More specifically, two of the participants were active teachers with more than 15 years of service, at the time of the study, working with a regional educational authority that supervise and coordinate more than 150 schools; two participants were academics who were responsible for the professional development of teachers at a national level in their countries; two of the participants were academics responsible for their students’ practice in schools and held close collaboration with the school authorities and teachers in their regions; and one participant was a physical activity expert with a long experience in the development of educational programs for the promotion of physical activity. Five partner countries were represented with one participant each; one country was represented by two participants. Participants took part in semi-structured interviews in order to provide their beliefs about the role of a whole-school approach in promoting health-enhancing physical activity. Participants were informed of the aims and objectives of the interview and voluntarily participated in the study, providing oral consent. Participants received reassurances about the anonymity and confidentiality of their responses and their right to withdraw from the study at any point without any cost to them. The interviews were conducted online by an experienced researcher, through Zoom, and lasted 35 min.

2.1.2. Interview Matrix

With respect to the qualitative study, participants responded to questions related to the usefulness of a whole-school approach (i.e., Is a whole-school approach (WSA) important for the promotion of Physical Activity? What do you think are the core characteristics that would make a WSA successful? How can be applied to a school setting? Who should be engaged in its application? How can teachers contribute in order to make a WSA successful?) and the content and delivery mode of appropriate education towards educating teachers about a whole-school approach in promoting HEPA (i.e., What should be the content of the training? How should the training be delivered? How long do you think the training should be in order of it to be efficient? How should the teachers be trained? Who should deliver the training?).

2.1.3. Data Analysis

Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns, themes, and meanings within the dataset. The six-steps procedure described by Braun et al. (2016) was used to identify patterns in the beliefs and views of the participants. One of the authors initially identified several topics through an inductive approach. Consistent with the recommendations of Morse (2015), these first patterns were subsequently examined by two other authors of the article, who served as discerning assessors. The themes were thoroughly reassessed and, in certain instances, modified or given new names in order to better align with the dataset. Themes were chosen based on various criteria, including their contribution to a better comprehension of the concept being studied, the integration of feedback and insights from the two critical evaluators during the data analysis stage, the alignment of interview content with the study’s objectives, and the potential to derive practical implications from the data (Smith, 2018). In order to attest the rigor of the analysis, two proficient researchers from the team, different from those who examined the interview transcripts, acted as discerning evaluators to minimize researchers’ biases. They assessed the coding process, initial identification of themes, and subsequent discussions and comparisons (Morse, 2015).

2.2. Results

The results of the analysis revealed four main themes titled importance of a whole-school approach, key features of a successful whole-school approach, people engaged in the application of the whole-school approach, and development of the content of the training. These main themes included seven subthemes.

2.2.1. Importance of a Whole-School Approach

All participants agreed on the great importance of a whole-school approach in the promotion of PA, since short interventions with specific populations have no impact on sustainable PA. Specifically, they supported that it is the best solution as a systemic approach that involves all actors is more efficient and powerful in order to make the schools and the community in general more physically active and promote the nurturing of the body and the mind. For instance, participant 6 said ‘But if something like this is going to happen, then all teachers should be involved and the schools at a higher level, teachers, staff, and so on. But there should also be suggestions from higher authorities, from the Department of Primary Education, to the Ministry. It cannot be done only internally within the school.’ They stressed the great need of co-operation between teachers and organizations that will contribute to a change on the mentality of those that are reluctant to change, as the sharing of goals and values enables the adherence to specific behaviors and new habits. Participant 4 said ‘Since we are talking about interdisciplinary teaching, we should promote it. I say that physical education is physics. But it is also mathematics, it is also language. Shouldn’t teachers collaborate? Isn’t physical activity related to biology, to anatomy?’. They expect that a health-promoting school will not only promote the physical and mental health of children and adolescents but will also act as a protective factor against bullying and will result in children being happier and hence perform better in their classes. More specifically, when bullying was brought in the discussion, participant 1 stated ‘Absolutely, I think it is a matter of also changing ideas, attitudes, norms, and so on. And in this way, we can also foster the changing of the mind, of the mentality in the people who are more reluctant to change or the new habits.’.

2.2.2. Key Features of a Successful Whole-School Approach

Specific to the needs of the students and the school community: According to participants, the most important feature of a successful WSA is for it to be specific to the needs of the students, the school, and the community in which it belongs. They suggested that students are engaged actively in the development of the approach and are not just passive receptors of an external action. Hence, they should be asked to propose their opinion in terms of what they consider healthy habits or how they can influence their peers in order to change their habits. Especially for secondary school and high school children it is important to hear their voices and let them suggest ideas, implementing some participatory processes on the students’ side as this is the best way to reach them. Participant 1 strongly advocated for this by saying ‘I would start trying to hear the students’ voices and try to let them suggest us which is the best way to reach them, to reach the mates. Yeah. So one part is the teacher and the second is the student.’

This should also be applied to the school community, namely observe and understand what is working well and disseminate this knowledge on a whole-school approach, listen to the teachers’ voices, and receive feedback on how the materials could be evolved. This will not only ensure that they are actively engaged in the design of the relevant policies, but also that they will feel more comfortable as everything will be built on what they have already done and will not be new to them. Participant 4 echoed this by saying ‘We should meet and discuss (with the teachers). We will get ideas from them. We can describe the program to them. We can describe our vision and what we want to achieve. They will give us ideas. Ideas that have practical value. Not only will they give us ideas, they will be able to implement them because they will come from them.’ Furthermore, it is important to get information from authorities and schools to better understand the needs of each school by identifying the existing resources and the staff’s relevant knowledge so the approach fits the specific school and is equitable. Participant 7 suggested ‘I think that a guidance should come from above (schools and educational authorities such as the Ministry) to see how each school can shape it in its own environment, implement it, and so on.’.

Collaboration with the teachers: According to the participants, in order for an approach to be successful, it is crucial that teachers of all disciplines are approached and informed about the goals of the WSA and the outcome that is meant to be achieved. They suggested conducting focus groups with teachers in each country in order to have a clear idea of their expectations, involve them in the development of the material, and ask them to share their ideas and suggestions. Participant 4 emphasized this by saying ‘So, we should involve them in the process of creating education, but also during the delivery of the education. It should be more interactive.’ It is crucial to increase teachers’ motivation and encourage and tempt them to implement a WSA, to try new things and co-operate in order to promote a good quality of life for everyone.

Longevity: Moreover, participants argued that it is important to seek longevity and be realistic on the goals that will be achieved in the short term. In order to achieve longevity, it is vital to disseminate the actions and the changes that are happening, otherwise people might not notice them, as well as to ensure the continuous engagement and commitment of the community. Participants also suggested some specific actions to make a school look active, such as posters on the wall, bicycles rack full of bicycles, things painted on the playground floor to encourage movement, and healthy food in the cafeteria.

2.2.3. People Engaged in the Application of the Whole-School Approach

In regards to the people that should be engaged in the application of the WSA, participants suggested a variety of people and institutions coming from different backgrounds. They highlighted that PA does not only concern the physical educator, and that one classroom cannot solve the problem. Instead, it is everyone’s responsibility, and exercise should be an integral part of everyday life (e.g., walk to school). Thus, they argued that it should concern all teachers of all disciplines, and engage schools from all over the country. Also, it should involve parents with whom a partnership throughout the whole procedure should be developed. Apart from school-related people, sports associations should also be engaged, as there is a strong focus on competitive sport from an early age. As participant 1 noted ‘I think there is a lot, a big work to be done also with the sport associations, because for what I see in my experience here, but also in the rest of the country, there is a strong focus on competition’. Participants also highlighted the need to engage the local community, because the school is a part of it and it will facilitate the process of promoting a healthy community (encouraging walking and biking), as well as the local and regional authorities, senior managers, and key national government organizations. As participant 3 said ‘But in order to promote physical activity and to create an active culture, a culture for physical activity, we need the whole school, the whole school community and parents and everyone involved, the wide network connected to schools to boost and to promote that same goal.’.

2.2.4. Development of the Content of the Training

Goals: Participants argued that the content of the training should serve some goals, such as implementing more hours of physical education, encouraging a different kind of physical education other than competitiveness, and achieve changes that are sustainable. In addition, it should be kept sensitive to the social dynamics or the psychological aspects, because some people are uncomfortable with their body or their movement.

Characteristics: In regard to the characteristics of the content, it was suggested that it should expose participants to new ideas, and be visible, straightforward, and acceptable. Participants highlighted the need for a content that teachers feel comfortable with. In order to achieve this, it is essential to develop an interactive training that makes room for teachers to express their suggestions and share their experiences, and gives them the opportunity for initiatives. For example, teachers should be asked how they can take the ideas forward and implement them in practice and actions that they can commit to at schools. According to the participants, it is important for teachers to see that it is something very easy to do, nothing complex, nothing that would totally change their didactic approach.

Content: Concerning the content itself, it was suggested that it should include a broad overview of the implication of physical education, especially in pre-adolescents, but also incorporate some practical guidelines as teachers seem to fear theoretical information. As participant 1 noted ‘And I would give something very practical because teachers fear theoretical things like lions fear the fire.’ Participants proposed a mixture of information from experts and some more practical information from people working in the field who could show some practical activities with movement.

Participants also argued that there should be some general information and guidelines for all countries, but they should be adapted to the needs of each country. Hence, it should include different tips and examples that are culturally and geographically relevant but have an international curriculum. General guidelines could include the need of being inclusive (e.g., think of different levels of coordination, different levels of efficacy for the body), mitigating the idea that only those who are already athletes engage in physical activity, and understanding how movement is connected to learning and school performance (e.g., sitting for a lot of hours without moving). A corner in the class to move, jump, etc. in order to refocus the attention or to lower the frustration was suggested. In addition, participants argued that the educational material should be a reflective practice tool in which teachers answer questions that promote the way of thinking about PA. For example, they suggested that key questions are included that promote learning, and that at the end of each part there are basic questions (e.g., “how would this apply to you?”) so students think of how this will impact their selves, their relationship to physical activity, and the whole-school approach, or how they changed their way of thinking.

Delivery of the training program: About the delivery of the training, most participants suggested an online education using YouTube, PowerPoint, Prezi, or other online apps. The online material could consist of asynchronous webinars, videos with an educator, or animated videos that keep participants’ attention. They suggested that these be combined with synchronous interaction with a tutor that will answer questions, provide supervision, and encourage discussion. In addition, the participants suggested the inclusion of an introduction, some activities or small tasks, as well as a preparation for the next session. About the language to be used, it was suggested that the videos be presented in each country’s language, in order to make it easier for the trainees. In regards to the duration of the training program, the participants suggested approximately six sessions.

Lastly, the participants proposed that the training should be delivered by a combination of experts (e.g., professors from the university, practitioners) and also a local person that is familiar to the teachers that could contribute to the interaction part of the program. It was also suggested to have an educator they know as an ambassador, someone they can trust and with whom teachers can have a critical conversation.

3. Study 2

3.1. Method

3.1.1. Participants and Procedure

School teachers and school staff working in primary or secondary education were randomly recruited in each partner country and were asked to complete a short survey about the content and delivery mode of education addressing a whole-school approach in promoting health-enhancing physical activity. Teachers were randomly selected through lists of teachers provided by regional primary and secondary educational authorities. Overall, 160 school teachers and school staff took part in the study. The demographic characteristics of the sample are presented in the Results section. Participants were informed of the aims and objectives of the study, and they provided written consent to voluntarily participate in the study. Participants received re-assurances about the anonymity and confidentiality of their responses and their right to withdraw from the study at any point without any cost to them. The completion of the survey lasted approximately 15 min.

3.1.2. Measures

With respect to the quantitative study, the teachers responded to questions related to the content and delivery mode of appropriate education towards educating teachers about a whole-school approach in promoting health-enhancing physical activity. Following a text describing the concept of a whole-school approach, teachers were asked to rank the importance of the elements of an educational course (e.g., knowledge about the benefits and how to use a WSA in promoting health-enhancing physical activity, practical strategies, evidence-based examples, case studies, etc.), report their preferred type of education (e.g., synchronous, asynchronous, independent study, etc.), duration of the course (e.g., 3–6 h, etc.), duration of sessions (e.g., 60 min, etc.), content of the course (e.g., video tutorials, assignments), and delivery mode (e.g., online, face to face, etc.). At the end of the survey participants were presented with the option to report anything else they thought should be included in the training material (i.e., Please let us know if there is anything specific you think we should include in the training material or if you have any other comments). All subscales used included categorical or ordinal scales; hence, there was no need for psychometric validation. The development of the scale followed a systematic process including: (a) definition of content and delivery of the educational training as core concepts of the measure according to the objectives of the study, (b) development of an initial pool of items with educators, (c) assessment of the items by a panel of experts (educators and academics), and (d) decision of the final items based on the feedback of the experts’ assessment.

3.2. Results

Characteristics of the participants: Participants were recruited from Cyprus (n = 16), Finland (n = 35), Greece (n = 46), Italy (n = 40), and Wales (n = 23). The majority of the participants were female (N = 105), and worked in primary education (89, 53.3%). The roles which participants held included school teachers (132, 79%), senior managers (21, 12.6%), teaching assistants (3, 1.8%), after school/extra curricula activity coordinators (3, 1.8%), and school cook/chef/catering assistant (1, 0.6%). Most participants had a degree from Physical Education and Sport Science Departments (90 having a PE degree and 48 not having a PE degree).

Preferences for the educational course: The results of the descriptive analyses indicated that the majority of the participants (75, 44.9%) would prefer a 3 to 6 h course, whereas a smaller percentage suggests a 7 to 10 h course (47, 28.1%). The majority of participants suggested that each session should last up to 90 min (66, 39.5%) whereas a large percentage suggested a duration of up to an hour (59, 35.3%). With respect to the type of interaction, responses were mixed (i.e., 26.3% for video tutorials, and 20.4% for assignments) but a need to include discussion forums emerged (35.3%).

The majority of the participants suggested that a hybrid mode, including both online and in-person delivery of the course would be more suitable (96, 57.5%). Mixed responses were found with respect to the method of teaching with combination of in-person and online (25.1%) and synchronous and asynchronous (22.2%) teaching being favored by the participants as their first preference. This pattern was observed with respect to their second and third preference.

With respect to the content of the educational course, participants were asked to rank their preferences. Case studies of schools that effectively use a whole-school approach in promoting health-enhancing physical activity (21.6%) and knowledge on how to use a whole-school approach in promoting health-enhancing physical activity (16.8%) were the more favorable preferences. In addition, knowledge about the benefits of a whole-school approach in students’ academic and personal development (15.6%) emerged as a favorable preference to be included in the educational course. The same pattern of responses was observed in the participants’ second preference, with the addition of recommended tips for implementing a whole-school approach in your school (17.4%) that emerged as important to be included in the educational course. In the third preference, knowledge on how to use a whole-school approach in promoting health-enhancing physical activity (33.5%) was the information that the majority of the participants would like to be included in the educational course.

In the subsequent preferences that were offered to participants to rank the content of the educational course, knowledge about the benefits of a whole-school approach in students’ academic and personal development remained high among participant preferences (24%), while evidence-based examples on how to use a whole-school approach in promoting health-enhancing physical activity (19.8%) and practical strategies on how to use a whole-school approach in promoting health-enhancing physical activity (18%) emerged as the next important information to be included in the educational course.

The information that was reported as important at the participants’ fifth choice was recommended tips for implementing a whole-school approach in their school (22.2%), followed by case studies of schools that effectively used a whole-school approach in promoting health-enhancing physical activity (21%). A similar pattern of responses emerged in the sixth preference of the participants.

4. Discussion

Encouraging physical activity in the school setting is of utmost importance in improving the general health and wellness of students (Messing et al., 2019). In order to successfully execute a comprehensive school-wide strategy aimed at encouraging physical activity, it is imperative to gain insight into the attitudes and perspectives of educators with respect to the instructional material. As Penuel (2019) pointed out, involving teachers in the design of the curriculum can foster their learning as well as innovation, material sustainability, and incorporation of technology in the classroom. The objective of this study was to investigate the perspectives of stakeholders and educators regarding the material of an academic program centered on a whole-school approach for the promotion of physical activity. The results of this study shed light on the particular subject matters and data that instructors give precedence to, providing significant discernments for formulating efficacious educational initiatives.

This study yielded compelling data regarding educators’ inclinations towards the material of an educational curriculum centered on the whole-school approach. The results of the study revealed that participants exhibited a strong preference for case studies of schools that have successfully implemented the whole-school approach, as well as for information on how to effectively implement this approach. Furthermore, the respondents demonstrated a strong inclination towards comprehending the advantages of implementing a holistic school-wide strategy on the individual growth of pupils. The educational course was deemed to have significant components, including practical strategies, evidence-based examples, and recommended tips for implementing the whole-school approach.

The prevalence of case studies in the preferences of the respondents indicates that educators place significant importance on practical illustrations of effective holistic school methodologies. Through the analysis of case studies, educators can acquire practical insights and inspiration from educational institutions that have successfully incorporated best practices within their academic setting (Tejedor et al., 2019). The case studies serve as exemplars for educators, providing them with a framework for conceptualizing how to modify and execute comparable strategies within their respective educational institutions (Bonney, 2015).

The prioritization of knowledge pertaining to the implementation of the whole-school approach by the participants is consistent with the notion that educators are inclined towards seeking practical guidance and proficiency in the practical application of theoretical concepts (El-Harakeh et al., 2020). Acquiring specialized knowledge on the implementation of the comprehensive school approach to promote physical activity that enhances health empowers educators to design focused interventions that respond to the distinct requirements and obstacles of their students and school setting (Hordern, 2021).

The current interest in comprehending the advantages of implementing a whole-school approach towards students’ academic and personal growth underscores the acknowledgement of educators regarding the extensive influence of physical activity on diverse facets of students’ existence. There is a growing recognition among educators that the promotion of physical activity can have a beneficial impact not only on the physical health of students, but also on their cognitive abilities, academic performance, and general sense of well-being. Research data have consistently shown that a sedentary lifestyle and physical inactivity lead to obesity (Silveira et al., 2022), metabolic and endocrine diseases (Kerr & Booth, 2022), several non-communicable diseases (Menhas et al., 2021), and poor mental health (Reyes-Molina et al., 2022). Overall, there is robust evidence suggesting that sedentary lifestyle and physical inactivity lead children and adults to low levels of physical and mental health. The aforementioned evidence underscores the significance of prioritizing the comprehensive advantages of physical activity while developing instructional programs for educators.

The inclination of the participants towards practical tactics, substantiated illustrations, and best practices mirrors the educators’ aspiration for practical insights that can expedite the execution of the comprehensive school methodology. The integration of physical activity promotion into the school curriculum poses practical challenges for educators. Equipping individuals with practical strategies and evidence-based examples enables them to effectively surmount challenges and implement the whole-school approach. The provision of suggested guidelines serves to reinforce the educators’ requirement for practical direction, providing them precise recommendations for executing the comprehensive school strategy within their individual school environments (Horntvedt et al., 2018).

5. Conclusions

This study is not free of limitations. Firstly, the sample of the study is rather small, especially in some countries, and thus the findings may not generalize to the full population. Future studies should involve larger samples of educators and school staff. In addition, the study relied on cross-sectional and descriptive data. Future studies would benefit from including experimental designs testing for the efficacy of educational approaches in increasing educators’ capacity in implementing a whole-school approach for the promotion of physical activity. Nevertheless, our study provides various implications and recommendations that can guide the creation of educational programs for educators centered on the comprehensive school approach to encourage physical activity. Incorporating case studies of educational institutions that have effectively implemented the whole-school approach can serve as a valuable element of the educational curriculum. The case studies presented herein can serve as potent exemplars of how the comprehensive-school approach can be efficaciously implemented in diverse educational contexts, thereby stimulating and motivating educators to emulate similar methodologies. Furthermore, it is imperative that the educational curriculum equips educators with a thorough understanding of the implementation of the whole-school approach. The aforementioned comprises instructions on strategizing, coordinating, and maintaining physical activity endeavors within the educational setting. Educators should be provided with practical, systematic guidelines and strategies to facilitate the execution of the implementation process.