Smartphone applications for physical activity promotion from physical education.

Smartphone applications (apps) are thought to be an adequate instructional strategy not only to improve the quality of the teaching in physical education (PE), but also to effectively promote leisure-time physical activity (PA) of adolescent students in this context. Although the use of smartphone apps has been generalized in PE, little is known about the curricular approach of smartphone apps to be implemented by teacher to teach specific curricular contents in PE lessons. Therefore, the aim of this research was threefold: a) to conduct a systematic search for smartphone apps focused on PA and sport; b) to assess the features, content and quality of every included smartphone app; and c) to analyze the relationships between every selected app and the secondary PE curriculum. Systematic searches were completed on Google Play Store from January 2021 to March 2021. Apps were included when they met: main goal focused on PA and sport; permitted use by underage; they are free; user scores of at least 4. The app selection process was carried out by several reviewers and concordance measures were estimated. Additionally, an app quality assessment was independently conducted by three reviewers. A total of 18 apps focused on PA were included. Particularly, eight apps were suitable for fitness, health and quality of life curricular content; two for sports content; four for body expression content; and four apps for outdoor PA content. The mean quality score was 4.00. Apps could be helpful for teachers to implement the secondary PE curriculum and effectively promote PA among adolescent students.

Evaluation of a Proposal for Movement Integration in the Teaching-Learning Process in Early Childhood Education.

Physical activity is essential to child development, but studies show that children are increasingly inactive. Due to schools being considered privileged environments to promote physical activity, the aim of this study was to increase the physical activity performed by early childhood education children during the school day by integrating movement into academic content and analyze this process. The amount and intensity of physical activity performed by a group of 24 3-4-year-old children in three different weeks were measured by accelerometry: one week with the methodology they had been following (week 1); and two weeks in which movement was integrated into the content through a specific proposal (week 2) and the same improved proposal (week 3). The results reveal that the application of a movement integration program not only allowed students to work on academic content in a physically active way, but also significantly increased the amount of physical activity that children performed during the school day. However, it was necessary to carry out several interventions the same day, or make movement integration the reference methodology, to meet the minimum recommended physical activity levels. In addition, to increase their effectiveness, interventions should be continually reviewed and improved to increase the motor engagement time.

Teaching Methodologies and School Organization in Early Childhood Education and Its Association with Physical Activity.

Early childhood represents a crucial period for child development. Physical activity is essential in this process, but studies show that children are very inactive and do not meet the recommended minimums. Due to the large proportion of time they spend at school, it is necessary to examine active and sedentary behaviors in these environments. The aim of the study is to analyze the amount and intensity of physical activity in preschool children during the school day according to the methodology used. Using accelerometry, the amount and intensity of physical activity and sedentary behavior of 156 children aged 4-6 years at different times of the school day were evaluated. The results revealed that preschoolers spend most of their class time sedentary, with children participating in active methodologies registering the highest amount and intensity of physical activity. Recess and specific motor sessions are the most active times, although the latter should increase the time of intense activity that they imply. To increase physical activity during the school day, it is necessary to establish movement integration methodologies, while increasing the number and adjusting the duration of specific motor sessions and of recesses, so that the maximum possible use is made of them.

Programa educativo de integración del movimiento mediante el juego en Educación Infantil / Educational play-based movement integration program in Early Childhood Education: evaluation and analysis

Los métodos educativos de integración del movimiento son reconocidos como potenciadores de la actividad física, de las funciones ejecutivas y del aprendizaje. Sin embargo, el impacto de estas metodologías sobre la cognición y la actividad física en Educación Infantil ha sido poco estudiado. El objetivo de la investigación fue analizar el efecto de un programa educativo de integración del movimiento basado en el juego en esta etapa, evaluando sus efectos sobre los niveles de actividad física de los niños. Participaron 134 alumnos de 5 años de la provincia de Málaga. Se diseñó e implementó un programa de integración del movimiento basado en actividades de juego motor semi-dirigido que cambiaban cada quince minutos, en las cuales se trabajaron contenidos académicos. Se evaluó la cantidad e intensidad de actividad física mediante acelerometría (Actigraph GT3X). Durante su participación en el programa, los niños realizaron una media de 45,65 minutos de actividad física moderada-vigorosa. El porcentaje más alto corresponde a la actividad sedentaria y a la actividad moderada-vigorosa respectivamente, lo cual concuerda con estudios que afirman que la actividad de los niños pequeños consiste en ráfagas cortas de actividad moderada-vigorosa intercaladas con períodos de menor intensidad. Los datos muestran que el juego como método de integración del movimiento contribuye a alcanzar los niveles de actividad recomendados por las organizaciones internacionales. Nuestros resultados apoyan el uso del juego semi-dirigido como una herramienta especialmente útil para la mejora del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje en Educación Infantil y para el aumento de la actividad física del alumnado

Educational movement integration methods have been recognized as enhancers of physical activity, executive functions and learning. However, the impact of these methodologies on cognition and physical activity in Early Childhood Education has been little studied. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of an educational play-based movement integration program at this stage, evaluating its effects on children's physical activity levels. A total of 134 5-year-old students from the province of Malaga participated. We designed and implemented a movement integration program based on semi-directed motor play activities that changed every fifteen minutes, in which academic content was worked on. The amount and intensity of physical activity was evaluated using accelerometry (Actigraph GT3X). During their participation in the program, children carried out an average of 45.65 minutes of moderate-vigorous physical activity. The highest percentage corresponds to sedentary activity and moderate-vigorous activity respectively, which is consistent with other studies that state the activity of young children consists of short bursts of moderate-vigorous activity interspersed with less-intensity periods. Data shows that play as a movement integration method contributes to reaching the activity levels recommended by international organizations. Our results support the use of semi-directed play as an especially useful tool for the improvement of the teaching-learning process in Early Childhood Education and for increasing students' physical activity

Evaluación de la coordinación motora en alumnado de Educación Infantil. El Trastorno de Coordinación Motora / Assessment of motor coordination in students of Early Childhood Education. Developmental Coordination Disorder

El escaso desarrollo y adquisición de habilidades de coordinación, conocido como Trastorno de Coordinación Motora (TDC) o dispraxia del desarrollo, es un trastorno motor no atribuible a ningún tipo de discapacidad o trastorno neurológico de alteración del movimiento, pero que afecta a funciones tales como el habla, el lenguaje, la escritura o la atención. Se estima que su incidencia es del 5-15% en niños en edad escolar, siendo la prevalencia mayor en varones. En el estudio participaron 91 alumnos de 5 años (x=5,83; SD=0,33) de la provincia de Málaga. Se evaluaron los niveles de adquisición de habilidades de coordinación motora, identificando los niños en situación de normalidad, en riesgo de disminución psicomotora o con sospecha de padecer TDC, y se analizaron las diferencias de desempeño motor en función del sexo. Para la valoración de la coordinación motora se recurrió a la versión española de la batería de evaluación del movimiento para niños (Movement Assessment Battery for Children) MABC-2. Los resultados identifican a un 6,56% de los niños como TDC y un 4,67% en situación de riesgo. En cuanto a las diferencias asociadas al sexo, las niñas alcanzaron puntuaciones significativamente más altas en las áreas de destreza manual y de equilibrio, mientras que los niños logran puntuaciones mayores, aunque no de manera significativa, en el área puntería y atrape

The lacking in coordination skills development and acquisition, known as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) or developmental dyspraxia, is a motor disorder not attributable to any type of disability or neurological disorder of movement alteration, but which affects functions such as speech, language, writing or attention. Its influence is estimated to be 5-15% in school-age children, with the highest prevalence in boys. A total of 91 5-year-old students (x= 5.83; SD=0.33) from the province of Malaga participated in the study. Acquisition levels of motor coordination skills were evaluated, identifying children in a normal situation, at risk of psychomotor decline or with suspected DCD, and the differences in motor performance according to sex were analyzed. For the assessment of motor coordination, the Spanish version of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children - Second Edition (MABC-2) was used. The results identify 6.56% of children as DCD and 4.67% at risk. Regarding the differences associated with sex, girls achieved significantly higher scores in manual dexterity and balance areas, while boys achieved higher scores, although not significantly, in aiming and catching area