Preschoolers´ Physical Activity and Time on Task During a Mastery Motivational Climate and Free Play

Authors

  • Danielle D Wadsworth School of Kinesiology, Auburn University, United States
  • Mary E Rudisill School of Kinesiology, Auburn University, United States
  • Peter A Hastie School of Kinesiology, Auburn University, United States
  • Korey L Boyd School of Kinesiology, Auburn University, United States
  • Mynor Rodriguez-Hernandez School of Kinesiology, Auburn University, United States

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15359/mhs.11-1.3

Keywords:

Mastery climate, physical education, time on task, young children,

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of a structured, mastery motivation physical education climate and an unstructured physical activity climate on time spent on task in a small sample of preschool children. Children enrolled in a public, federal-subsidized childcare center (N= 12) participated in two 45 minute physical activity programs within the school day. The structured climate consisted of a biweekly program of motor skill instruction that was based upon the key principles of a mastery motivational climate. The unstructured program was a daily 45 minute free play environment. Actigraph accelerometers monitored children’s participation in physical activity and time-on task was observed by a momentary time sampling technique. Results showed that time on-task significantly improved following a mastery motivational climate, and children spent 36% of their time in moderate-to-vigorous activity in this climate.  In contrast, time on-task did not significantly improve following participation in a free play environment and participants spent a majority of their time in sedentary behavior and accumulated no vigorous physical activity. Our results indicate that participation in physical activity impacts a preschooler’s ability to stay on task and the amount of physical activity accumulated during physical activity programming is dependent upon the climate delivered.

References

Brown, W. H., Pfeiffer, K. A., McIver, K. L., Dowda, M., Addy, C. L., & Pate, R. R. (2009). Social and environmental factors associated with preschoolers’ nonsedentary physical activity. Child Development, 80(1), 45-58. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2008.01245.x

Butte, N. F., Wong, W. W., Lee, J. S., Adolph, A. L., Puyau, M. R., & Zakeri, I. F. (2014). Prediction of energy expenditure and physical activity in preschoolers. Medicine and

Science in Sports and Exercise, 46(6), 1216-1226.

https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000209

Cardon, G. M. & de Bourdeaudhuij, I. M. M. (2008). Are preschool children active enough? Objectively measured physical activity levels. Research Quarterly for Exercise & Sport, 79(3), 326-332. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2008.10599496

Clark, J., Clemmons, R., Guddemi. M., Morgan, D., Pica, R., Pivarnik, J., Rudisill, M. E., Small, E., & Virgilio, S. (2002). Active Start, Physical Activity Guidelines for Birth to Five. Reston, VA, AAHPERD Publications.

Coe, D. K., Pivarnik, J. M., Womack, C. J., Reeves, M. T., & Malina, R. M. (2006). Effect of physical education and activity levels on academic achievement in children. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 38(8), 1515-1519.

https://doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000227537.13175.1b

Epstein, J. (1989). Family structures and student motivation: A developmental perspective. In C. Ames and R. Ames (eds). Research on motivation in education (Vol. 3), pp.259-

New York: Academic Press.

Erwin, H., Fedewa, A., Beighle, A., & Ahn, S. (2012). A quantitative review of physical activity, health, and learning outcomes associated with classroom-based physical activity interventions. Journal of Applied School Psychology, 28(1), 14-36. https://doi.org/10.1080/15377903.2012.643755

Fisher, A., Reilly, J. J., Kelly, L. A., Montgomery, C., Williamson, A., Paton, J. Y., & Grant, S. (2005). Fundamental movement skills and habitual physical activity in young children. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 37(4), 684-688. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.MSS.0000159138.48107.7D

Hastie, P. A., Rudisill, M. E., & Wadsworth, D. D. (2013). Providing students with voice and choice: lessons from intervention research on autonomy-supportive climates in physical education. Sport, Education and Society, 18(1), 38-56. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2012.701203

Mahar, M. T., Murphy, S. K., Rowe, D. A., Golden, J. A., Shields, T., & Raedeke, T. D. (2006). Effects of a classroom-based program on physical activity and on-task behavior. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 38(12), 2086-2094. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000235359.16685.a3

Martin, E. H., Rudisill, M. E., & Hastie, P. A. (2009). Motivational climate and fundamental motor skill performance in a naturalistic physical education setting. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 14(3), 227-240. https://doi.org/10.1080/17408980801974952

Morgan, K., Sproule, J., & Kingston, K. (2005). Teaching styles, motivational climate and pupils' cognitive and affective responses in physical education. European Physical Education Review, 11(3), 257-286. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X05056651

National Association for Sport and Physical Education. (2009). Active start: A statement of physical activity guidelines for children from birth to age 5 (2nd ed.). Oxon Hill, MD, AAHPERD Publications.

Pate, R. R., McIver, K., Dowda, M., Brown, W. H., & Addy, C. (2008). Directly observed physical activity levels in preschool children. Journal of School Health, 78(8), 438-444. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2008.00327.x

Pate, R. R., Baranowski, T., Dowda, M., & Trost, S. G. (1996). Tracking of physical activity in young children. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 28(1), 92-96. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-199601000-00019

Reilly, J. J., Jackson, D. M., Montgomery, C., Kelly, L. A., Slater, C., Grant, S., & Paton, J. Y. (2004). Total energy expenditure and physical activity in young Scottish children: Mixed longitudinal study. Lancet, 363(9404), 211-212. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(03)15331-7

Seefeldt, V. (1980). Developmental motor patterns, Implications for elementary school physical education. In C. Nadeau, K. Newell, G. Roberts, & W. Halliwell (Eds.) Psychology of motor behavior and sport. Champaign, IL, Human Kinetics

Shephard, R. J. (1997). Curricular physical activity and academic performance. Pediatric. Exercise Science, 9(2), 113-126. https://doi.org/10.1123/pes.9.2.113

Sibley, B. A., & Etnier, J. L. (2003). The relationship between physical activity and cognition

in children: A meta-analysis. Pediatric Exercise Science, 15(3), 243-256. https://doi.org/10.1123/pes.15.3.243

Taylor, R. W., Murdoch, L., Carter, P., Gerrard, D. F., Williams, S. M., & Taylor, B. J. (2009). Longitudinal study of physical activity and inactivity in preschoolers: The FLAME study. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 41(1), 96-102. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181849d81

Tucker, P. (2008). The physical activity levels of preschool-aged children: A systemic review. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 23(4), 547-558. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2008.08.005

Tessier, D., Sarrazin, P., & Ntoumanis, N. (2010). The effect of an intervention to improve newly qualified teachers’ interpersonal style, students motivation and psychological need satisfaction in sport-based physical education. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 35(4), 242-253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2010.05.005

Ulrich, D.A. (2000). The test of gross motor development (2nd Ed.). Austin, TX: Pro-ed.

van Cauwenberghe, E., Labarque, V., Gubbels, J., De Bourdeaudhuij, I., & Cardon, G. (2012). Preschooler’s physical activity levels and associations with lesson context, teacher’s behavior, and environment during preschool physical education. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 27(2), 221-230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2011.09.007

Valentini, N., & Rudisill, M. (2004). Motivational climate, motor-skill development, and perceived competence: two studies of developmentally delayed kindergarten children. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 23(3), 216-234. https://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.23.3.216

Valentini, N. C., & Rudisill, M. E. (2004). An inclusive mastery climate intervention and the motor skill development of children with and without disabilities. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 21(4), 330-347. https://doi.org/10.1123/apaq.21.4.330

Wadsworth, D. D., Robinson, L. E., Rudisill, M. E., & Gell, N. (2013). The effect of physical education climates on elementary students' physical activity behaviors. Journal of School Health, 83(5), 306-313. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12032

Downloads

Published

2014-08-31

How to Cite

Wadsworth, D. D., Rudisill, M. E., Hastie, P. A., Boyd, K. L., & Rodriguez-Hernandez, M. (2014). Preschoolers´ Physical Activity and Time on Task During a Mastery Motivational Climate and Free Play. MHSalud: Revista En Ciencias Del Movimiento Humano Y Salud, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.15359/mhs.11-1.3

How to Cite

Wadsworth, D. D., Rudisill, M. E., Hastie, P. A., Boyd, K. L., & Rodriguez-Hernandez, M. (2014). Preschoolers´ Physical Activity and Time on Task During a Mastery Motivational Climate and Free Play. MHSalud: Revista En Ciencias Del Movimiento Humano Y Salud, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.15359/mhs.11-1.3

Comentarios (ver términos de uso)