Search Results (213)

Childhood obesity increases chronic disease risk, but no comprehensive synthesis has evaluated the impact of school-based combined nutrition education and physical activity interventions on cardiometabolic biomarkers in children aged 3 to 12 years. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251085194). Five databases were systematically searched through June 2025. Twelve randomized controlled trials involving 18,231 children were included and assessed using the PEDro scale. Ten trials demonstrated significant improvements in at least one cardiometabolic biomarker. Blood pressure (8 studies) outcomes showed systolic reductions of 1.41–6.0 mmHg in six studies. Glucose metabolism (5 studies) improved in two studies with reductions of 0.20–0.22 mmol/L. Lipid profiles (7 studies) improved in three studies, including total cholesterol (−0.32 mmol/L). Insulin levels (5 studies) decreased significantly in two investigations. Anthropometric improvements included BMI and body fat. Physical activity increased by >45 min/week and dietary habits improved significantly. Programs with daily implementation (90-min sessions 4x/week), longer duration (≥12 months), family involvement (parent education), and curriculum integration (classroom lessons) showed superior effectiveness. Interventions targeting children with overweight/obesity demonstrated higher changes compared to the general population. However, methodological limitations included a lack of assessor blinding, absence of subject/therapist blinding, and inadequate retention rates. School-based interventions combining nutrition and physical activity can produce significant improvements in cardiometabolic biomarkers, supporting comprehensive, sustained multicomponent programs for early chronic disease prevention. Full article

The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development centers on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Among these goals, two address climate change education: Goal 13, Climate Action, and Goal 4, Quality Education. In order to build a more sustainable future, climate change education is critical. In 2022, New Jersey became the first state in the US to integrate climate change into learning standards across subjects and grade levels K-12. In an effort to better understand the way in which teachers began to include climate change in their instruction, 50 teachers were observed implementing a lesson of their choosing that included climate change throughout the 2023–2024 academic year. Though most of the observed lessons featured science, many subject areas were included in the dataset, such as art, technology, history, and physical education. Teachers engaging in climate change instruction tended to use a variety of instructional practices. In nearly all cases, a multitude of methodologies were used in each lesson. However, small group instruction was featured in nearly all observed lessons. Quantitative descriptions of the findings are followed by three vignettes of exemplar instruction to provide a clearer understanding of the context of this work. These findings provide a scope for how climate change can be integrated in instructional settings at scale and suggestions for leveraging the experiences of early adopters of this innovation to support widespread implementation. Full article

Analyses of teaching behaviors in physical education (PE) classrooms are critical for evaluating teaching quality. Traditional evaluation methods primarily rely on manual analysis, which suffers from complex coding procedures, low efficiency, and suboptimal accuracy, hindering long-term sustainability in teaching quality improvement. Artificial intelligence (AI) technology offers a novel approach by enabling real-time data collection, automated annotation, and in-depth analysis of teaching behaviors, thereby supporting sustainable PE teaching optimization. Leveraging the CogVLM2-Video model, the research presents a system for real-time data collection, automated annotation, and in-depth analysis of teaching behaviors. It consists of four key modules: The perception layer handles data acquisition and input providing foundational data for analysis. The platform layer manages data processing and storage, ensuring integrity and security for long-term evaluation. The model layer focuses on behavior recognition and analysis, employing advanced algorithms for precise interpretation of teaching behaviors. The application layer delivers real-time feedback and adaptive recommendations, promoting sustained teaching improvement. The system architecture was initially validated using 50 basketball lesson videos. Then, the recognition model was trained on a Kinetics-400 subset, achieving 92% accuracy and 95% consistency with manual annotations. These results demonstrate the system’s practical value and long-term applicability, offering an efficient, precise solution for PE classroom teaching behavior assessment. Full article

This study explores the development of reflective thinking among Physical Education Teachers (PETs) through a professional development program grounded in Paralympic values and inclusive education. Employing a qualitative action research design, the study involved seven PETs teaching in Greek primary schools. The intervention lasted ten weeks and comprised 20 Physical Education lessons, during which data were collected via semi-structured interviews, reflective journals, and non-participatory observation. The findings indicate a progressive shift in the teachers’ reflective thinking—from Technical Reflection to Practical and Critical Reflection—as defined in van Manen’s theoretical model. Most participants initially demonstrated a practical orientation but gradually developed a critical stance, incorporating values such as fairness, inclusion, and respect for diversity into their pedagogical thinking. Furthermore, the results revealed increased student sensitivity toward inclusive practices and a more democratic classroom climate. These findings suggest that targeted professional development programs can foster deeper reflective engagement and promote inclusive practices within Physical Education. This study highlights the potential of Paralympic values as meaningful educational content and reinforces the role of Physical Education as a catalyst for social inclusion and teacher professional growth. Full article

Ensuring healthy living and promoting well-being (Sustainable Development Goals 3) is a key goal of school Physical Education. As many students in Poland perceive these lessons as unengaging and ineffective, there is a need to explore new educational strategies. One such approach is teaching through interaction, which emphasises the quality of teacher–student relationships. This study aimed to adapt and validate the Classroom Assessment Scoring System—Secondary for use in Polish Physical Education settings, considering the cultural context of Polish schools and the challenges of applying interaction-based frameworks in a traditionally structured education system. Fifty teachers from 24 schools recorded two lessons each, resulting in 100 video recordings. Lessons were analyzed using a structured observational protocol. Teacher–student interactions were recorded and coded by two trained observers. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed excellent model fit (χ²/df = 1.158; CFI = 0.996; TLI = 0.998), and internal consistency was supported by Cronbach’s alpha. Inter-rater reliability was high, with intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from 0.928 to 0.946. The modified tool is both valid and reliable. Its application can enhance the evaluation and professional development of Physical Education teachers and support the integration of health- and education-related goals in school practice and contribute to achieving SDGs 3 and 4. Full article

(1) Background: The under-representation of women in STEM fields, particularly in areas such as physics and computing, is far from being resolved. This gender gap has complex causes. This research was carried out to understanding how physics teachers in Portugal are aware of the existence of a gender gap and how they use or are willing to use girl-friendly strategies in their lessons; (2) Methods: A sample of 55 Portuguese physics and chemistry teachers from the third cycle of basic education and secondary education and an 8-item survey were used. (3) Results: The results show that most teachers perceive girls’ participation in physics as satisfactory, and that girls do not perceive a gender gap and are interested in the subject, but may not be aware of the concept and application of girl-friendly strategies. (4) Conclusions: No correlation was found between gender or years of service and interest in the topic of girl-friendly strategies. Further research with a more diverse sample is needed to generalize these findings. Full article

A wide variety of requirements can be placed on tasks that deal with education for sustainable development in mathematics lessons. They should be as authentic as possible, use real problems as the mathematical learning material, and stimulate action, among other qualities. This article discusses the role of self-efficacy and the experience of self-efficacy when working on modelling tasks that are geared towards a sustainable future. High school students in Germany worked in a STEM learning environment on different aspects of climate change and species extinction, including plastic waste, recycling, rainforests, and their deforestation. These aspects were analysed from a geographical, biological, physical, and mathematical perspective. In mathematics, specifically, tasks were used to address the learners’ self-efficacy. After completing the tasks, a questionnaire was distributed to assess the interest and motivation of the learners. The results show that even a slightly different use of self-efficacy, whether by focusing on what has already been achieved (sustainable successes that promote positive emotions) or on what can still be achieved, can influence the learners’ interest in completing the tasks. The learners’ experience of self-efficacy seems to have a positive influence on their willingness to solve tasks. Additionally, the results indicate a complex relationship between motivation and interest on the one hand and self-efficacy on the other. Full article

This study analysed the frequency and nature of verbal feedback given by physical education (PE) teachers in a secondary school, focusing on the influence of teacher gender, experience, and student learning stage. Eight PE teachers (four male, four female) were observed across 24 lessons, with each teacher observed three times. Feedback was systematically coded using a structured framework for evaluating coaching practises. The results revealed variations in feedback patterns based on teacher experience, gender, and student age. Female teachers provided more specific positive feedback (28%) compared to male teachers (23%). Younger, less experienced students received more corrective feedback (years 7 and 8: 18.7%; years 9 and 10: 12.7%), highlighting the importance of targeted instruction in early learning stages. Additionally, less experienced teachers used less corrective feedback (15%) than their more experienced counterparts (25.6%), suggesting a need for professional development in feedback strategies. These findings emphasise the role of tailored feedback in PE to optimise student learning and engagement. Full article

The development of situation-specific skills in prospective physical education (PE) teachers is crucial for effective inclusive PE. While research emphasizes the need for such competencies, there is a gap in understanding how school internships contribute to their development. The present study evaluates the impact of a teaching sequence, combining a seminar with a supervised school internship, on the situation-specific skills of prospective PE teachers in inclusive PE. Building on the Qualification of Prospective PE Teachers for Inclusive PE (QiPE) project, this study employs a quasi-experimental longitudinal design with an intervention group (IG) and a control group (CG) across three measurement points (t0, t1, t2). The intervention consists of a university seminar (t0–t1) followed by a supervised school internship (t1–t2). Situation-specific skills are assessed using three scales—Recognition; Individual Support; and Participation—developed based on video-recorded PE lessons and expert evaluations. Statistical analyses include mixed-model ANOVAs and robust Welch’s tests to determine the effectiveness of each intervention phase. The seminar (t0–t1) significantly improved situation-specific skills in the IG across all three scales: Recognition (η²_p = 0.17), Individual Support (η²_p = 0.04), and Participation (η²_p = 0.13). The supervised internship (t1–t2) showed a sustained effect for Participation, stabilized the effect for Recognition, but led to a slight decrease in Individual Support. A teaching sequence combining a seminar and a school internship can effectively promote situation-specific skills for inclusive PE, with the seminar demonstrating a strong initial impact. The supervised school internship particularly enhances skills related to Participation. Further research is needed to optimize the internship component, especially for Individual Support, and to explore the influence of mentor support and beliefs on skill development. Full article

Military schools primarily aim to prepare young people for the admission procedures of military academies. In this specific environment, the high overall load can generate burnout in cadets and the consequent failure to achieve scholastic and military objectives. The present study investigated how a training protocol based entirely on internal load and a reflective approach in a military-type school context affects participants’ physical efficacy, efficiency, and psychological outcomes. For this study, 63 cadets who were 17 years old from an Italian military school were recruited. Twenty-two of them were allocated into a control group (CG), twenty-one were allocated into a group exercising based on external load (EG), and twenty we allocated into a group exercising based on internal load (IG). All groups performed tests of physical efficacy (maximal tests) and physical efficiency (self-perception-based submaximal test) and answered psychological questionnaires to assess motivation, self-efficacy, and enjoyment. Group participants attended eight weeks of interventions in which physical education lessons were led as follows: the EG performed a circuit training at 50% of maximal repetitions, the IG performed a circuit training at value six on Borg’s scale, and the CG attended curricular physical education lessons. Tests were then repeated. The IG increased physical efficacy more than the EG and CG, while only the IG increased physical efficiency. The IG and EG improved in psychological variables more than the CG. Education in self-perception and self-regulation could help cadets better manage their psychophysical status, allowing them to reach the physical demands for academic admission. Full article

Objectives: This scoping review aims to fill research gaps by exploring four guiding research questions. First, we aim to understand the major barriers encountered by U.S. menstruating college students in accessing menstrual health products at their educational institutions, households, and community. Second, we aim to identify social determinants of health (SDoH) that significantly influence and contribute to menstrual health inequities experienced by U.S. college students. Third, we aim to explore the measurement tools that have been used to assess menstrual health inequities experienced by U.S. menstruating college students. Lastly, we aim to determine the lessons learned and recommendations to improve overall menstrual health outcomes in U.S. menstruating college students. Study Design: This scoping review followed the Arksey and O’Malley framework (2005) and incorporated recommendations from the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) for the extraction, analysis, and presentation of results. Methods: The four databases searched were PubMed, Embase (Ovid), Web of Science, and Cochrane Library (Medline). Included articles were (1) published between 2000 and 2023, (2) focused on menstruating college students in the United States, (3) addressed menstrual health, menstrual equity, and period poverty in college campuses in the U.S., and/or (4) explored challenges encountered by menstruating college students in accessing menstrual health products. Results: A total of seven studies were retained for assessment. The most frequently cited Healthy People 2030 categories were economic stability (n = 5) and social and community context (n = 5). The most-cited barriers were sorted into the “Financial Constraints and Accessibility” (n = 13) theme category. Conclusions: Our study highlights practical applications and several recommendations for the future design, adoption, implementation, and evaluation of effective evidence-based interventions to address period poverty and subsequent barriers imposed by menstruating college students specific SDoH. More research is needed to further explore the health implications of menstrual health on mental, physical, and socioeconomic outcomes of menstruating individuals, particularly young adults experiencing different challenges as they venture into college and build their careers. Full article

(1) Background: Research has consistently demonstrated that regular physical activity (PA) is associated with several benefits among adolescents. However, PA levels among adolescents are low worldwide and tend to decrease with age. Consequently, researchers aim to identify psychological antecedents of PA to inform effective interventions, including in physical education (PE) settings. PE lessons provide an ideal environment for conveying health-related messages to adolescents. (2) Methods: This project aims to develop a three-month face-to-face and web-based intervention program for PE teachers to increase autonomy-, competence-, and relatedness-supportive behavior toward their students (main trial phase 1: min n = 78; main trial phase 2: min n = 116) and to avoid the respective need-thwarting behaviors toward their students. The effectiveness of the intervention program is examined at multiple time points during the three-month period. (3) Results: After the intervention program, it is expected that the experimental group students demonstrate significantly higher intrinsic motivation toward PA and are significantly more physically active, as measured by accelerometers, compared to control group students. Additionally, the unique effects of autonomy, competence, and relatedness support interventions on students’ intrinsic motivation and PA will be investigated. (4) Conclusions: This project provides highly valuable insights for PE teacher training to increase students’ intrinsic motivation and their overall PA. Full article

This study examined the impact of an Information Communication and Technology (ICT) intervention program on teaching and learning in Physical Education (PE). The research involved 47 PE teachers from 47 Singapore schools and 838 students across primary and high schools. Teachers with little or no ICT experience (n = 24) and their students (n = 430) were placed in the intervention group. Data were collected using accelerometers, the Activity Perception Questionnaire, a K-12 rubric assessing psychomotor, cognitive and affective domains, an ICT integration rubric, and lesson videos. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to analyse the intervention’s effects. The results showed that ICT use did not reduce students’ physical activity time or motivation levels. However, teachers’ ability to design meaningful ICT-integrated lessons significantly improved, as did students’ affective domain. The findings underscore the importance of incorporating both theoretical and practical components in PE teacher training, using contextualised examples and flexible learning modes. School leaders and policymakers should enhance professional development opportunities and support teachers in integrating ICT effectively, thereby improving student engagement and learning outcomes. Full article

The increasing complexity of healthcare delivery and the advancements in medical technology have highlighted the necessity for improved training in nursing education. While traditional training methods have their merits, they often encounter challenges such as limited access to clinical placements, static physical simulations, and performance anxiety during hands-on practice. Virtual reality (VR) has been increasingly adopted for immersive and interactive training environments, allowing nursing students to practice essential skills repeatedly in realistic, risk-free settings. This study presents NursingXR, a VR-based platform designed to help nursing students master essential clinical skills. With a scalable and flexible architecture, NursingXR is tailored to support a variety of nursing lessons and adapt to evolving curricula. The platform has a modular design and offers two interactive modes: Training Mode, which provides step-by-step guided instruction, and Evaluation Mode, which allows for independent performance assessment. This article details the development process of the platform, including key design principles, system architecture, and implementation strategies, while emphasizing its utility and scalability. A mixed-methods evaluation involving 78 participants—both novices and experts—was conducted to evaluate the platform’s usability and user satisfaction. The results underscore NursingXR’s effectiveness in fostering an effective and engaging learning environment as well as its potential as a supplementary resource for nursing training. Full article

Background/Objectives: Low physical activity (PA) and excessive sedentary time negatively impact health, contributing to obesity. Physical education (PE) can help reduce the risk of obesity in schoolchildren. This cross-sectional study objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time during PE in Türkiye, examining the influence of weight status and gender. Method: Accelerometers measured MVPA in 274 children and adolescents (ages 10–14, 49.6% girls). Sedentary time and MVPA were classified based on accelerometer count per 15 s (sedentary: <25; MVPA: ≥574). A two-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) assessed body mass index (BMI) and gender effects on MVPA and sedentary time. Results: Students spent 44.5% of PE time sedentary and 43.2% in MVPA, below the recommended 50% of PE in MVPA. Only 45.6% met this target (44.2% males and 47.1% females). Overweight/obese students had higher sedentary time, while normal-weight students engaged in more MVPA (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Students did not meet the recommended 50% of PE in MVPA. Increasing MVPA and reducing sedentary time during PE is particularly important for overweight/obese students. Physical education intervention should target students in co-educational classes. Full article