teacher perceived barriers to implementing regular daily physical activity in simcoe county elementary schools
abstract
background:
teachers in ontario are expected to implement 20 minutes of daily physical activity
(dpa) into their daily programming, due to the ministry of health promotion guidelines adapted
in 2006. this study examined whether or not teachers perceived barriers to implementing the
daily 20 minutes of dpa, and if so what those barriers were. this study also examined potential
solutions to these barriers in order to enable teachers to successfully implement the dpa into
their programs.
methods:
a survey was distributed to a convenience sample of 137 certified elementary school
teachers from a public school board in simcoe county. participants were asked to rank several
previously identified barriers to dpa and possible solutions using a five-point likert-scale.
participants were also asked two open-ended questions in order to gain further information on
any other perceived barriers not mentioned in the survey, and also on any other solutions not
mentioned in the survey. the quantitative data was analysed and the open-ended questions were
transcribed, examined, and themes were generated.
results:
teachers reported four main barriers to dpa implementation: lack of time due to other
curriculum pressures, lack of resources, lack of space, and lack of staff and student “buy in” to
dpa. participants also indicated many possible solutions to dpa barriers, including: activities
that utilize minimal equipment, music resources, exercise videos, whole school dpa approach.
and student leaders for dpa.
conclusion:
many of the solutions indicated by participants are inexpensive, easy to implement, and
will be successful in reducing the effect of many of the important barriers to dpa examined in
this study.
collections
- retrospective theses [1604]