Version User Scope of changes
Nov 30 2011, 2:40 PM EST (current) dmccall 15 words added
Sep 9 2011, 12:43 PM EDT dmccall 184 words added

Changes

Key:  Additions   Deletions
The International School Health Network, Global Alliance for Physical Activity and other partners are calling for editors, writers, contributors, reviewers and sponsors to develop a series of webinars, wiki-based summaries and other resources that define and describe several topics on the promotion of physical activity through schools.

The development of this series of topics is being guided by a group of experts and practitioners This group of experts and practitioners includes Trevor Shilton (Global Alliance on Physical Activity and Claire Blanchard (International Union for Health Promotion and Education).

As with other topics in this program and in this web site, it is expected that each topic will eventually, over the course of several months, have a Glossary term (1-2 paragraphs), an Encyclopedia Entry (1-2 pages), a Handbook Section (10-15 pages with sub pages for case studies and a Bibliography or Toolbox that lists web-linked research articles, reports and resources such as educational programs, training tools and policy documents. The summaries on topics could eventually form part of an e-book that could be prepared from materials in this knowledge exchange program.

The following lengthy list of potential topics are relevant to the broad issue of physical activity and schools. (Note: This list of topics is also open for amendment). There are some topics on this list with active links to "rough draft", "first draft" or "first editions" because they had been started or adapted with permission from another project or source. The topics are organized within the outlines we use within this encyclopedia. Where appropriate, we have added links to other summaries in this Encyclopedia that relate to these topics. Just follow the items listed under "Also see". Individuals and organizations interested in becoming a writer, contributor or sponsor for any one or more of these topics should contact dmccall@internationalschoolhealth.org

The deadline for responding to this call is open, because the list of topics is lengthy and the topics on the list are open for continued discussion.

An initial list to start the discussion

The editorial group leading these online discussions has identified this list of beginning topics for their focus starting out. If you or colleagues would like to lead the discussion on another topic, please contact dmccall@internationalschoolhealth.org.

  • Comprehensive approaches, coordinated agency-school programs and whole of school strategies to PA (evidence and effective programs)
  • Fundamental Movement Skill development (evidence, effective programs)
  • Advocating for school PE and Health
  • Ensuring PE classes are attractive to and active for all
  • Walking and Cycling to school: Active transport to school (evidence, effective programs)
  • Physical activity and mental health in schools
  • Links between physical activity and cognitive development and academic achievement
Longer List of Potential Topics
In this web site, we have developed a general outline for these collections and then adapt that outline to each issue, population, context or intervention. This framework or outline on broad health and social issues includes these sections (which we apply to physical activity in the sub-pages attached:
A. Understanding the Problem of Inactivity among Young People: (Prevalence, nature, importance, aspects of the problem, behaviour theories that explain it)
B. Impact, Role of the School on Physical Activity (Influence of the physical and social environment, school organization & practices)
C. Effects of Multi-Intervention Comprehensive Approaches, Programs or Strategies including Comprehensive Approaches (Multi-issue, multi-level, multi-system approaches) Coordinated Agency-School Programs and Services (School-Agency Programs on the Issue) and Whole School Strategies (Educator Only Programs)
D. Effects of Individual Evidence-based Interventions (Including Policy, Instruction, Services, Social Support, Physical Environment Interventions)
E. Implementation, Capacity, Sustainability and Systems Change to Promote PA (Including Evidenced-based, Practical and Strategic Implementation Strategies, diffusion or education change theories, Capacity-building/Continuous Improvement and Strategic Consideration of System/Agency/School Characteristics
F Consideration of Local Community and Country Contexts in Promoting PA (Including rural, cultural, disadvantaged, faith etc)
G. Consideration of and Integration within the Constraints and Educational Mandate of the School in Promoting Physical Activity
H Questions related to Future and Current Research in School Promotion of Physical Activity (Methods, link to educational outcomes, cost-effectiveness etc)



 Specific Topic Glossary Terms
(1-2 paragraphs)		 Encyclopedia Entry
(Two pages)		 Handbook Section
(15 pages, with embedded or linked recorded webinars, slide presentations, videos,case studies practice stories etc)		 Bibliography/Toolbox (Links to research and planning, educational resources
A. Understanding the Problem






A-1 What is Prevalence, Perceptions & Nature of the Problem of Physical Inactivity Among Young People (Including holistic understanding of the problem and comprehensive approaches to program/policy/practice development)





  • Global trends, national reports on the prevalence of PA among young people





A-2 What are the Specific Strengths, Problems/Risks, Behaviours, Conditions, Social Influences, Determinants, Chronic/Genetic Factors, Sub-Populations, Stages in Life Course related to PA? (These can be a focus on higher risk populations or particularly important factors relevant to the issue)




  • Protective factors, assets





  • Risk factors





  • Influence of neighbourhood conditions





  • Social Influences (Media, Social Media, Norms, Normative Beliefs, Stigma, Family, Peers, etc)





  • Social Determinants (Socioeconomic status, parental educational achievement, gender, race, ethnicity, discrimination, language, religion/spiritual beliefs etc)





  • Genetic Factors, Intelligence, Personality Traits






  • Specific Sub-Populations related to the issue (Families & students, students at higher risk from the issue, students with disabilities etc Also see the section on community contexts)






  • Stages in Life Course Related to the Issue (Early Childhood, Middle Childhood, Puberty/Adolescence, Transition to Young Adult, Transitions between levels of schooling, Transitions to Work)






  • Intersections with other Health and Social Issues (Mental Health, nutrition, safety/crime, etc)





A-3 Behavioral Theories that Explain the Issue or Approaches to Promotion/Prevention (These can also include a focus on higher risk populations or particularly important behaviours or conditions relevant to the problem) These could include: social learning, risk reduction, planned behaviour, stages of change/transtheoretical model, cognitive behaviour thoery and others)





A-4 Rationale for Addressing this Issue




  • Impact of PA on health and social development of children/youth





  • Economic & social burden of inactivity





  • Effect of physical inactivity on educational achievement





B. Influence of the School on the Issue
This section examines the impact of the natural social and physical environment of the school on the problem or behaviour. This sub-section is not focused on interventions that can be delivered through the school but rather on the regular features of the school in its normal state or operations.




B-1 Influence of the School Social Environment on the Problem (This includes student-teacher conduct & relationships, co-curricular and after-school clubs and activities, staff morale, relationships between the school and parents, overall school climate/ethos and more)




B-2 Influence of the School Physical Environment on the Problem (This includes school grounds, transportation routes to school, gymasia and playgrounds, lighting, proximity to fast-food restaurants, exposure to advertising, municipal parks, busy city streets, high crime areas or natural green areas, access to municipal and other cultural facilities, age of the building, natural light, easy access to and quality of the water )





B-3 Influence of School Organization, Practices
(These include age/grade groupings, physical size, location and facilities of the school, age/experience/mobility of the teachers, basic school operations such as transportation/busing, lunches, recesses, and important social rituals in the school such as school assemblies, proms, graduation ceremonies, parent/teacher nights and more.)





B-4 Influence of the School related Transitions
(These include transitions from other schools, family/pre-school into primary school, between primary and secondary schools, secondary schools to post-secondary education/training or into the work force.)




C. Effectiveness of Multi-Intervention Comprehensive Approaches, Coordinated Agency-School Programs, Whole School Strategies on the Problem, Aspects of the Problem
This section includes research reviews and studies that specifically report on multi-intervention approaches and programs only. Many research reviews do not differentiate between multi-intervention and single intervention programs. Those reviews are reported under Section D (which examines the effect of single intervention programs)
(Please note the differences between comprehensive approaches (multi-issue, multi-level, multi-agency programs), coordinated agency-school programs (involving personnel from several agencies and professions in implementation) and whole-school Programs (HPS) involving only school-based personnel)





C-1 Consensus Statements, Published Multi-Intervention Plans, Models and Frameworks





C-2 Effectiveness of Comprehensive Approaches (These approaches looking at the whole child, not just one or a few health/social problems. all children (especially vulnerable), developmental stages/life course, clusters of behaviours and conditions(eg mental health, crime, tobacco, sexual risk-taking, dropouts), community and systems context analysis, synergistic combinations of strategies and initiatives (eg police officers, safe schools, character education, early childhood programs), multi-level , intersectorial strategies, programs and policies




  • comprehensive approaches combining physical activity and nutrition





  • Multi-level national or state/provincial PA policies, programs /campaigns





  • Evidence of effect on overall health, levels of physical activity





  • Evidence of effect on specific aspects (eg weight loss/obesity, mental health, family health, etc





C-3. Effectiveness of Coordinated Agency-School Programs and Services








  • On physical activity and/or health





  • On aspects of PA





C-4 Effectiveness of Whole School (HPS) Strategies (involving only school-based personnel in delivery)




  • Effect on PA and/or overall health





  • Effect on specific aspect of PA





D. Effectiveness of Individual Evidence-based Interventions (Try to differentiate among primary, secondary, tertiary prevention of health promotion, prevention, assistance, rehabilitation etc)
General (Including reviews, studies and resources that do not specify which interventions are being examined)





D-1 Policy Interventions (Includes laws, by-laws, professional guidelines, ministries policies, school board, health authority and other agency policies and school procedures)




D-2 Instructional Interventions (Focus on general PA knowledge, skills, beliefs etc as well as specific skills, specific functional knowledge, normative beliefs, teacher skills, support for instruction, better scope/sequence of curricula, teaching/learning materials, teaching methods, teacher education and training, parent involvement in at-home learning, web-based learning etc)




  • PE Curricula and curriculum design





- teaching movement skills





- Ensuring all students enjoy and are active in PE classes (girls, non-athletic students etc)





- PE for students with disabilities





- Schools for elite athletes





  • Instructional Programs and Curriculum Supplements/Resources





  • Applications of Learning Theory/ (Active learning, constructivist pedagogy, project-based learning, etc)






  • Providing or securing administrator support for instruction





D-3 Health, Social Services, Educational, Recreation/Municipal, Sportsand Other Services Interventions




  • Working with community-based sports programs





D-4 Social Support Interventions




  • Use of pedometers to increase awareness





  • Use of regular elementary classroom time & activities





  • Including physical activity in after school programs





  • Intra-mural sports programs





  • Inter-school sports programs & teams





  • Parent information, involvement, education/training, support on the issue





  • Campaigns and activities to reduce the "screen time" (TV, games, social media) of young people





D-5 Physical Environment Interventions (Including access to practical resources)




  • Active recess (extension of time, encouragement to be active)





  • Reversal or extension of lunch schedule to permit PA





  • Modifications to the school grounds to address the issue





  • Modifications to school buildings and facilities to address the issue (incl alternatives to gyms)






  • Modifications to school transportation methods, routes to address the issue





  • Provision of specialized equipment or facilities to address the issue