Study of an Integrative Training Model to Increase Children’s School-Based Physical Activity
Collin A. Webster, Ph.D., Principal Investigator Department of Physical Education and Athletic Training
Introduction
Researchers in the Departments of Physical Education and Athletic Training, Exercise Science, and Psychology at the University of South Carolina are conducting a study of physical activity promotion in elementary schools. The school district is neither sponsoring nor conducting this research. The results of this study will help to inform researchers, school professionals, and policy makers about how best to increase physical activity opporutnities for students during the school day.
The integrative training model used in this study will involve introducing elementary classroom and physical education teachers to evidence-based strategies for increasing children’s physical activity during the school day. The training will be held during a regularly scheduled professional development workshop in January 2016 and will focus on strategies for increasing children’s physical acitivity in general education classrooms and during physcial education lessons. Following the training, teachers will receive three booster sessions in February/March 2016, also scheduled during regular professional development workshops. The researchers will collect data on teachers’ physical activity promotion and child physical activity before (October/November 2015) and after the training/booster sessions (April/May 2016). The researchers will also collect data on the teachers’ perceptions of the training/booster sessions, and on implementing the strategies from the training/booster sessions, at the end of the semester (May 2016).
Some participating schools will initially receive the training/booster sessions while others will be given the opporutunity to receive the the training/booster sessions at a later date. However, an important part of the study is determining the status of physical activitiy promotion and current level of physical activity participation at all schools in the study. Classes in different grades were randomly selected and your class was one of the classes selected to participate in the study. You are being invited to participate in this study, in which we may ask you to participate in the trainings/booster sessions, use physical activity strategies from the trainings/booster sessions, be observed several times while you are teaching during the Spring 2016 academic semester, and participate in a survey and an interview about your experiences with the study. Please read this notification letter carefully so that you fully understand the study’s purpose, procedures, risks, and
Collin Webster, any questions that you may have before making a decision whether or not to participate. As this form contains important information that may be needed for future reference, please retain a copy for your personal records.
Purpose of Study
The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of an integrative training model on increasing teachers’ physical activity promotion and increasing children’s school- based physical activity.
Description of Study Procedures
1) Classes in different grades at your school were randomly selected to partcipate in the study. All children in each of these classes and their teachers are elligible to participate in this study.
2) The research team team may provide you with our integrated training/booster sessions during the Spring 2016 academic semester. The training/booster sessions would take place during your regularly scheduled professional development workshops. The training/booster sessions focus on evidence-based strategies to increase children’s physcial activity during the school day.
3) If your receive the training/booster sessions, you will be asked to implement the strategies during the Spring 2016 academic semester. None of the strategies should interrupt your students’ academic learning time or result in decreased academic
performance. Based on previous research, it is possible that the strategies may increase your students’ classroom performance and academic achievement.
4) If you receive the training/booster sessions, members of the research team will observe you up to four times while you are teaching during the Spring 2016 academic semster. Observations will be as disruptive as possible; only one researcher will conduct each observation and will quietly sit in the back of your learning space (e.g., classroom, gym). 5) If you receive the training/booster sessions, you will be asked to complete a 15-minute survey and participate in a 45-minute interview about your experiences with the study and with school-based physical activity promotion in general. The None of the activities will interrupt academic learning time. The anticipated duration of the study is
approximatley three academic years.
6) Children in your class may be asked to wear a motion sensor, attached at the hip, on days that observations are conducted. You may be asked to put on/take off the motion sensors with oral instructions from our research staff. The research team will take full responsibility for damaged or lost motion sensors during the course of the study. 7) The researchers will analyze data collected from the observations, survey, and interviews, and motion sensors.
Risks of Participation
The only foreseeable risk associated with participating in this study are breech of
confidentiality. Measures will be taken to protect participatnt confidentiality to the extent that it is possible. These are described in the "Confidentiality" paragraph below.
Benefits of Participation
Through participation in the study, you may learn new strategies that enhance your teaching and your students’ school performance.
Confidentiality of Records
All data will be securely stored at the Blatt Physical Education Center in a locked laboratory that only the research team has access to. Participants (schools, teachers, and students) will be assigned number identifiers and only the numbers will be used to data entry, analysis, and reporting purposes. The results of this research study may be
presented at meetings or in publications; however, data will be reported in aggregate and your identity will not be disclosed.
Contact Persons
For more information concerning this research you should telephone the principal investigator, Dr. Collin Webster, at (803) 719-2266 or email him at
If you have any questions about your rights as a research subject, you may contact: Thomas Coggins, Director. Office of Research Compliance, University of South
Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, Phone – (803) 777-4456, Fax – (803) 576-5589, E-Mail – [email protected].
Voluntary Participation
Participation in this study is voluntary without negative consequences. You are free not to participate or to withdraw at any time, for whatever reason. There is no penalty for not participating. In the event that you do withdraw from this study, the information you have already provided will be kept confidential.