ISRCTN ISRCTN75118772
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN75118772
Secondary identifying numbers OKM/66/626/2016
Submission date
11/09/2018
Registration date
01/03/2019
Last edited
14/10/2022
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Other
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
It has been suggested that physical activity, and especially physical activity integrated into the school day, may be beneficial for attention, executive functions and school performance. The effects of prolonged physical activity interventions on children’s learning are, however, largely unknown. This trial will act as a pilot study for a larger randomized controlled trial, which will examine the effects of physical activity integrated into academic lessons on learning outcomes, engagement and motivation and motor skills. This pilot study is an 8 week intervention and will examine the usability and the effectiveness of physically active math lessons. Children’s and teachers’ experiences will also be examined. We hypothesize that physically active math lessons will enhance children's enjoyment, learning motivation and learning outcomes.

Who can participate?
Third grade teachers and their classes

What does the study involve?
The design will involve comparison of three groups exposed to different teaching during math lessons:
1. Group 1 will receive physically active math lessons in which physical activity is integrated into learning goals
2. Group 2 will receive physically active math lessons with breaks including physical activity not related to learning goals
3. Group 3 are the control group and will receive typical, traditional math lessons.
The intervention lessons will be taught instead of regular math classes for a period of 8 weeks, while the control group will receive typical sedentary classroom lessons.
Children's math performance will be measured before, during and after the 8 weeks teaching period. Children's physical activity will be measured with accelerometers at baseline and during the intervention. Children's enjoyment, motivation and experiences will be measured with questionnaires and interviews. Teachers experiences will be measured with questionnaires and interviews.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
This pilot study will increase the knowledge about the usability of teaching materials and different techniques increasing physical activity in a classroom. In addition, this study will increase the scientific understanding of the effects of physical activity on math learning and motivation.
There are no known risks of participating in this study.

Where is the study run from?
LIKES Research Centre for Physical Activity and Health (Finland)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
March 2017 to December 2018

Who is funding the study?
The Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture (Finland)

Who is the main contact?
Dr Heidi Syväoja
heidi.syvaoja@jamk.fi

Study website

Contact information

Dr Heidi Syväoja
Scientific

LIKES
JAMK University of Applied Sciences
Piippukatu 2
Jyväskylä
FI-40100
Finland

Phone +358400248133
Email heidi.syvaoja@jamk.fi
Dr Tuija Tammelin
Scientific

LIKES
JAMK University of Applied Sciences
Piippukatu 2
Jyväskylä
FI-40100
Finland

ORCiD logoORCID ID 0000-0002-1771-3977
Phone +358400247998
Email tuija.tammelin@jamk.fi

Study information

Study designInterventional cluster randomised controlled trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)School
Study typeQuality of life
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use contact details to request a participant information sheet
Scientific titleMoving Maths: a pilot study examining the effects of physically active maths lessons
Study objectivesPhysically active maths lessons will enhance children's enjoyment, learning motivation and learning outcomes.
Ethics approval(s)Ethics Committee of the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, 28/08/2018 (no reference number available)
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedSchool-based physical activity
InterventionThis is a cluster-randomized controlled trial, in which five third grade teachers are invited to participated into the study. Volunteers are randomly assigned to use different teaching methods by using lottery. Before randomisation, children in teachers’ classes are invited to participate into the study, and the intervention group, in which they belong to, is determined by the randomisation of teachers.
The design will involve comparison of three groups exposed to different teaching during math lessons:
1. Intervention group 1: Physically active maths lessons, in which physical activity is integrated into learning goals (improving the automatisation of basic arithmetic skills such as addition, subtraction and multiplication through active learning games and tasks)
2. Intervention group 2: Physically active maths lessons with breaks including physical activity not related to learning goals (breaks that include physical activities that increase the heart rate and train motor skills)
3. Intervention group 3: Control group: usual maths lessons
The classes will be randomly assigned to Intervention Group 1 (n=25 pupils), intervention Group 2 (n=25 pupils), or control Group 3 (n=25 pupils). The intervention lessons will be taught instead of regular maths classes for a period of eight weeks, while the control group will receive typical sedentary classroom lessons.
There will be no follow-up period.
Intervention typeBehavioural
Primary outcome measureMath performance, assessed using a math test including additions, subtractions, multiplications and divisions at the baseline, during and after the intervention.
Secondary outcome measures1. Physical activity, assessed:
1.1. Objectively using accelerometers at the baseline and during the intervention
1.2. Subjectively using questionnaires (custom-made for the study) at baseline
1.3. The parent or the child’s main caregiver will complete a questionnaire (custom-made for the study) concerning children’s physical activity at the baseline
2. Children’s experiences about the physically active math lessons, assessed using an interview after the intervention
3. Children's own competence and motivation in mathematics and enjoyment of math classes, assessed using questionnaires (custom-made for the study) at the baseline and after the intervention
4. Teacher's own competence and enjoyment to keep a physically active math lesson, assessed using a diary filled in by the teachers after every math class
5. Children’s motivation, concentration and peaceful learning environment, assessed using a diary filled in by the teachers after every math class
6. Teacher’s experiences about the physically active math lessons, assessed using an interview after the intervention
7. Family background, assessed using a questionnaire (custom-made for the study) filled in by the parent or the child’s main caregiver at the baseline
8. Children’s learning difficulties, assessed using questionnaires (custom-made for the study) filled in by the teacher and the parent or the child’s main caregiver at the baseline
Overall study start date24/03/2017
Completion date31/12/2018

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Healthy volunteer
Age groupChild
SexBoth
Target number of participants75
Key inclusion criteriaThird grade students (mean age of 9 years)
Key exclusion criteriaN/A
Date of first enrolment06/09/2018
Date of final enrolment17/09/2018

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Finland

Study participating centre

LIKES Research Centre for Physical Activity and Health
Rautpohjankatu 8
Jyväskylä
FI40700
Finland

Sponsor information

LIKES Research Centre for Physical Activity and Health
Research organisation

Rautpohjankatu 8
Jyväskylä
FI40700
Finland

Phone +358400247998
Email tuija.tammelin@likes.fi
Website https://www.likes.fi/en
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/03mahcv92

Funders

Funder type

Government

Opetus- ja Kulttuuriministeriö
Government organisation / National government
Alternative name(s)
Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland
Location
Finland

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date31/12/2019
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot expected to be made available
Publication and dissemination planThe preliminary results will be reported in international and national congresses in 2019. Manuscripts for international high-impact peer-reviewed journals will be prepared in 2019–2020.
IPD sharing planThe datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are not expected to be made available due to ethical restrictions, as the data contains information that could compromise research participant privacy/content, and due to pilot nature of the study and small sample size.

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Results article results 10/12/2020 14/01/2021 Yes No

Editorial Notes

14/10/2022: Contact details updated.
14/01/2021: Publication reference added.
12/04/2019: This is the trial record for the pilot of the Moving Maths study. The trial record for the full trial is detailed in ISRCTN71844310.
08/03/2019: Internal review.