creativity in physical education

• Research article
• Open access
• Published: 12 March 2020

Physical activity and creativity of children and youths

• Nitita Piya-amornphan   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5469-4827 1 ,
• Anoma Santiworakul 1 ,
• Salila Cetthakrikul 1 &
• Phatcharawadee Srirug 1  

BMC Pediatrics volume  20 , Article number:  118 ( 2020 ) Cite this article

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Childhood is an important period for developing maturity in thinking. Accumulating evidence shows the association between physical activity and cognitive function. Although both the intelligence quotient and emotional quotient have been reported to be associated with physical activity, there is a limited amount of published research regarding the association between physical activity and cognitive function in children and youths. With respect to creativity, an important skill for the twenty-first century, little evidence on the creative quotient promotion in childhood is available. The present study, therefore, is designed to explore the correlation between physical activity and creativity.

The participants included 1447 students with different age groups in 34 schools from Southern Thailand. Age groups were categorized according to Thailand’s 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth, where 521 students were aged 6–9 years, 487 students were aged 10–13 years, and 439 students were aged 14–17 years. Creativity was measured through the use of the Test for Creative Thinking-Drawing Production (TCT-DP). Active play, time with family and peers, and sedentary behavior were monitored by the Thailand Physical Activity Children Survey-the Student Questionnaire (TPACS-SQ).

The correlation between the TCT-DP score representing creativity and active play was noticed in adolescents ( r  = 0.148, p  = 0.001), but not found in participants aged 6–13 years. Active play was associated with time with family and peers in all age groups ( r  = 0.485, p  <  0.001).

Conclusions

The present data supports the idea that optimal physical activity is required during childhood for developing thinking process. Promotion of active play with family and peers may facilitate creativity skills.

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Physical activity is known to affect health outcomes throughout one’s life [ 1 , 2 ]. The optimal level of physical activity can improve health status and reduce the incidence of chronic diseases (e.g. cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and depression) [ 2 , 3 ]. The World Health Organization recommends that adults should perform aerobic physical activity for at least 150 min at moderate intensity or 75 min at vigorous intensity throughout the week, whereas children and youths should accumulate at least 60 min of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity daily [ 3 ]. In children and youths, the nine common indicators related to physical activity have been identified by the global matrix of grades. The indicators include the following five behaviors: 1) overall physical activity, 2) organized sport participation, 3) active play, 4) active transportation, and 5) sedentary behavior; and the following four key influences: 1) family and peers, 2) school, 3) community and built environment, and 4) government strategies and investments [ 4 ]. Literature showed that active play, sedentary behavior, and time with family and peers have been frequently studied. Physical activity has been markedly achieved through active play, active play was reported to increase physical activity and prevent childhood obesity [ 5 , 6 ]. Family and peers provide the social support for promoting physical activity, it includes situations and conditions in which parents/peers facilitate physical activity for their children/friends [ 7 ]. Family and peers have a strong impact on physical activity during childhood. There is evidence showing that parenting practices are associated with how children prefer to play [ 7 , 8 ], peer relationships enhance an engagement in team sports and other physical and leisure activities as well [ 9 , 10 ]. Sedentary behavior has been classified as behavior that falls under the screen-time guidelines [ 11 ]. In contrast to indicators potentiating physical activity (i.e. active play and time with family and peers), sedentary behavior is a global health risk leading to an increased rate of premature death, especially from non-communicable diseases [ 11 ]. Although active play, time with family and peers, and sedentary behavior have significantly affected physical activity in children and youths, the association among these indicators are still elusive. Whether they interact with each other should be clarified.

Besides health improvement and disease prevention, physical activity among young people is important for growth and development [ 11 , 12 ]. Regarding cognitive function, brain function and academic achievement have been reported to be associated with physical activity [ 13 , 14 , 15 ]. The association between physical activity, healthiness, and the intelligence quotients of 135 high school students in Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was reported, and the findings indicated that the intelligence quotient was positively associated with physical activity and health status [ 16 ]. In addition, there is evidence that demonstrates a positive link between the emotional quotient and physical activity in 599 Taiwanese college students [ 17 ]. Higher emotional quotient was also associated with longer duration of exercise (weekly hours) in 64 participants with a mean aged of 19.88 years [ 18 ]. Taken together, these cross-sectional studies revealed that an increase in physical activity was associated with both higher intelligence quotient and emotional quotient in childhood.

Critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity have been classified as the most prominent twenty-first century competencies identified on the basis of making a measurable contribution to educational accomplishments, relationships, employment, and health and well-being outcomes [ 19 ]. Creativity has been defined as the ability to produce novel and appropriate work. Novel work means original or unexpected, while appropriate work implies useful or adaptive [ 20 , 21 ]. Creativity is important for social development because that lead to driving innovation and responding to unforeseen problems [ 19 ]. Cognitive abilities attributed to prefrontal cortex function are required for creativity. In humans, the prefrontal cortex does not completely mature until the early 20s [ 20 , 21 ]. Childhood, thus, is a valuable time for development of creative skills. Information showing how to promote creativity development according to cognitive milestones is required. The objectives of the present study therefore aimed at exploring the correlation between physical activity and creativity in children and youths. Indicators of physical activity including active play, time with family and peers, sedentary behavior, and their relevant associations were also areas of focus in this study.

Stratified sampling

The sample size in Thailand’s 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth was calculated based on the number of students across the country, and a multistage stratified cluster sampling was adopted to recruit students into the study. Thailand geographically is divided into 9 regions with 77 provinces and 878 districts. All provinces within each region were stratified according to their population size. Each province was then randomly recruited; the city districts were purposively selected and other districts were randomly chosen. Schools were finally randomly enlisted, herein the response rate was approximately 84.3% of those invited. Students within each school were then classified by gender and age, and they were proportionally recruited according to the size of the school. Participants were divided into three age groups, which included 6–9, 10–13, and 14–17 years of age [ 11 ]. These age groups were mainly classified by the age structure and education in Thailand. The classification reflected the differences in physical and cognitive development milestones among each age group. All healthy students were included in the study. Skeletal or other diseases affecting physical activity had not been reported in each student. Height, weight, and body mass index were screened in all students before data collection. In the present study, data was collected from 1447 students in 34 schools from Southern Thailand. These students completed responses to both the physical activity questionnaire and creativity test. There were a negligible number of students declining the participation.

Physical activity survey

The data set of physical activity in the present study is the same set reported in Thailand’s 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth. Physical activity of students was assessed by using the Thailand Physical Activity Children Survey-the Student Questionnaire (TPACS-SQ). TPACS-SQ was developed for each age group in order to accommodate the differences in student capability and maturity classified by the age structure and education in Thailand. All healthy students were asked the number of days that they retained activity/behavior as recommended per day over the past 7 days, and a list of activities such as play, sports, recreation, and leisure activity was provided to students in all age groups as an example. For students aged 6 to 9 years, face-to-face interviews were conducted within a class by using image cards. In the other two older age groups, the students completed the survey in a class facilitated by three research team members and a class teacher. Test-retest reliability of the items measuring physical activity was reported in the study of Amornsriwatanakul et al. in 2016 [ 11 ].

Creativity assessment

Creativity was determined in the present study through the use of the Test for Creative Thinking-Drawing Production (TCT-DP) carried out following the protocol of Urban reported in 2004 [ 22 , 23 ]. The reliability and validity of TCT-DP has been provided in many studies [ 22 , 23 ], and it has been previously reported that experience in drawing is unrelated to the TCT-DP score [ 23 ]. When finishing a physical activity survey, the same set of research team members informed the students how to do the test. Participants were asked to complete a drawing with six flawed elements placed on a creativity test sheet© Jellen and Urban (1989) (Fig. 1 ) [ 24 ], all students performed this test autonomously and by themselves. An assessment of the TCT-DP consisted of fourteen criteria which include the following: 1) continuations, 2) completions, 3) new elements, 4) connections made with a line, 5) connections that contribute to a theme, 6) boundary breaking that is fragment-dependent, 7) boundary breaking that is fragment-independent, 8) perspective, 9) humor and affectivity, 10) unconventionality with, manipulation of the test material, 11) unconventionality with, abstract elements, 12) unconventionality in the use of symbols, 13) unconventionality with, unconventional usage of the given fragments, and 14) speed [ 23 ]. These creativity scores were independently assessed by three research team members in which the final TCT-DP result was the sum of the points obtained in all tested criteria. All creativity results were double-checked by the lead author.

A form of TCT-DP, Urban and Jellen (1989)

Statistical analysis

Data of the physical activity survey were carried out by using CSPro V6.1 (U.S. Census Bureau). In the present study, all analyses were conducted through using SPSS V21. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to determine the difference of physical activity indicators and creativity among age groups. Correlation analyses was then performed with the Spearman’s correlation. Association between physical activity indicators, including active play, time with family and peers, and sedentary behavior, and creativity was primarily monitored. Correlation among these physical activity indicators was also ascertained. The statistical significance level was p -value ≤0.05. The Spearman correlation coefficient generally indicated weak, moderate, or strong association between variables. Regression analysis was also performed to determine the impact of physical activity indicator on creativity score.

Participant characteristics

All healthy students were included in the present study in which health status was screened through their health report obtained from a class teacher. No health problem was reported for all students. Skeletal or other diseases affecting physical activity had not been informed in each student, impairment of motor and cognitive functions was also not noticed. Height, weight, and body mass index of all participants were in normal range. The data from 1447 students were categorized into three age groups, which included 6–9 years, 10–13 years, and 14–17 years based on the age structure and education in Thailand (Supplementary Table 1 ). The number of students in each group ranged from 439 to 521. There were no markedly differences in gender proportion among any of the groups (Supplementary Table 1 ).

Physical activity pattern and the creativity score

With respect to the TPACS-SQ and guideline for physical activity in children and youths, any day with at least 60 min of active play was recorded, and it was found that children and youths spent between 3 and 4 days per week on average in recommended active play. In addition to active play, spending over 2 h per day with family and peers was determined; the results of the survey indicated that participants did this around 2 days per week on average. When measuring sedentary behavior, the findings indicated that participants engaged in sedentary behavior that was not more than 2 h per day for about 3 to 4 days per week on average. Duration patterns of physical activity indicators in each age group were similar. They spent the most amount of time in sedentary behavior followed by active play followed by the least amount of time being spent with family and peers (Table 1 ). Adolescents were the most sedentary (Table 1 ). The total TCT-DP scores which indicated creativity ability in the present study ranged between 9 and 69 points, and the TCT-DP score increased in accordance with the age group (Table 1 ).

Correlation between physical activity indicators and creativity

In children aged 6–9 years and 10–13 years, the TCT-DP score was not associated with all three indicators of physical activity (Table 2 ). The correlation between creativity and active play was present in participants aged 14–17 years (Fig. 2 ). Impact of active play on creativity was analyzed by using regression analysis. It was showed that TCT-DP was not depended on active play (Supplementary Table 2 ).

Correlation between active play and creativity

Association among the physical activity indicators of children and youths

Association among three physical activity indicators, including active play, time with family and peers, and sedentary behavior was observed in 1447 participants, aged 6–17 years. All indicators were associated with each other, the highest level of association was an association between active play and time with family and peers (Table 3 ).

Physical activity indicators reported in the present study partly conduced a grading of the physical activity indicators showed in Thailand’2016 Report Card [ 11 ]. It was found that children and youths had an active play grade of “F”, indicating that only 0–20% of them met the defined benchmark. At the same time, sedentary behavior of children and youths received a grade of “D–”, meaning that 21–25% of them met the optimal level. A better grade was given to the time spent with family and peers, in which 66–75% of children and youth met the guideline, resulting in a grade of “B” [ 11 ]. Taken together, Thai children and youths lowly participated in physical activity and active play, their sedentary behaviors are high. These results also reflect an increasing in physical inactivity and sedentary behavior among children and youths [ 11 , 25 ]. Since physical inactivity and sedentary behavior have contributed to the global burden of various morbidities and premature mortality [ 26 ]. This incident in children and youths thus should be strongly concerned. In the present study, active play was found to be associated with time spent with family and peers in all age groups. It supports the idea that the family and peers is an important factor for enhancing physical activity in children and youths [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. A strategy for increasing active play and time spent with family and peers combined with a lessening in sedentary behavior may fight against the problems of an increasing physical inactivity and sedentary behavior and support health promotion in children and youths.

The mean and range of the TCT-DP score of children and youths in the present study were in line with the previous studies [ 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ], it also indicated that there was a limited number of students with high-creativity abilities. An increasing in the TCT-DP according to age group can be explained by the fact that the brain region involved in generating creative ideas does not mature until humans pass their 20th birthday [ 20 , 21 ]. Differences in creative thought were discovered between different age groups, using functional magnetic resonance imaging while participants carried out divergent thinking tasks [ 31 ]. It was demonstrated that default and executive networks were more functionally coupled for creative process in older than younger adults [ 31 ]. Although age has been found to affect creativity, there is a creativity difference among age-matched individuals [ 32 ]. This fact supports the idea that a high creativity ability may associate with other factors affecting cognitive function. The present study thus aimed at exploring the correlation between physical activity indicators and creativity in children and youths. Creativity was determined through using TCT-DP which has been considered a reliable test [ 23 ]. However, Jankowska et al. [ 30 ]. reported that TCT-DP might also require a specific profile of gaze distribution or self-regulation strategies because the more time participants spent looking at the many pieces in the test sheet, the higher their scores were. The dwell time for a single fragment, in contrast, was negatively related to the TCT-DP score [ 30 ].

As mentioned previously, the optimal level of physical activity has been reported to improve cognitive function [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. In childhood, physical activity is associated with the intelligence and emotional quotients [ 16 , 17 , 18 ]. Latorre Román et al. in 2017 [ 33 ], reported the association between physical fitness and creativity in elementary school children ( n  = 308, age from 8 to 12 years). The participants completed a fitness test battery and the Prueba de Imaginación Creativa para Niños (PIC-N; Creative Imagination Test for Children). It was observed that physical fitness was positively correlated with creativity, and boys had better physical fitness and higher creativity skill [ 33 ]. In the present study, the difference in creativity were not observed between genders. The association between creativity and physical activity indicators was specifically monitored according to age groups divided by the age structure and education in Thailand. The result thus reflects that association in each age group in which their cognitive and physical functions are different. In addition, this study pointed to the physical activity indicators, including active play, time with family and peers, and sedentary behavior which has been frequently reported to affect physical activity and physical fitness in children and youth [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. The results showed that creativity was associated with active play in adolescents; however, the association was not found in participants aged 6–14 years. All results of physical activity indicators were collected by using a self-report instrument, recall ability has been reported as a weakness of the self-report instrument [ 11 ]. Recalling the types and amount of time spent in physical activity might be difficult for children, especially in the youngest age group [ 11 ]. Since active play has been reported as the directly indicator of physical activity in children and youths [ 5 , 6 ]. The present study thus supports the finding that physical activity is essential for cognitive development in children and youths [ 13 , 14 , 15 ]. Increased physical activity, especially in active play may be a strategy for facilitating creativity. Nevertheless, the present results also implied that there are many factors related to creativity. To enhance creativity ability in this generation, more information is needed to clarify other factors associated with creativity.

Limitations and future plan

Health status reported in the present study was observed only through health report obtained from a class teacher, but more demographic and health condition information should be considered for future studies as well. As physical activity is important for cognitive function and related with intelligence quotient, emotional quotient, and creativity skills in childhood. Future longitudinal study thus plan to investigate the difference of these variables in adolescents with low and high physical activity. An objective measurement of behaviors and a screening tool for assessing the time spent with family and peers should be consider included.

Physical activity is important to good health, especially in childhood, which is the golden period for physical and mental development. Physical activity has been reported to enhance both the intelligence quotient and emotional quotient. The present study supports the positive correlation between physical activity and creativity ability; indeed, the active play indicator was dominant.

Availability of data and materials

Not applicable in regard to the raw data of physical activity because the data was entered in a specific program (CSPro V6.1) and it is authorized by the Physical Activity Research Centre (PARC). The data represented in the present study, including active play, time spent with family and peers, sedentary behavior, and creativity scores are provided in an additional supporting file.

Abbreviations

Test for Creative Thinking-Drawing Production

Thailand Physical Activity Children Survey-the Student Questionnaire

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Acknowledgements

The data of physical activity in the present study were obtained from the Physical Activity Research Centre (PARC). The PARC committee was officially set up and authorized by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth). This research was also partially supported by the new strategic research (P2P) project, Walailak University. The authors would like to thank Prof. Dr. Narattaphol Charoenphandhu, M.D., Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Apichai Wattanapisit, M.D., Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jitbanjong Tangpong, Ph.D., and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Manas Kotepui, Ph.D. for their kind support. We are also grateful to Mr. David C. Chang for English manuscript editing.

Research grant came from the Institute of Research and Innovation, Walailak University (WU59401 to Nitita Piya-amornphan). This funding source had no role in the design of the study and did not have any role in collection, analysis, and interpretation of data or in writing the manuscript.

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N.P., A.S., S.C. and P.S. have performed research; N.P. has designed the research; N.P., A.S., S.C. and P.S.have analyzed data. N.P.wrote the paper and at the same time the corresponding author. The author(s) read and approved the final manuscript.

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The study protocol in the present study received ethical approval from the Ethical Clearance Committee on Human Rights related to research involving human subjects, Walailak University. The protocol number was 15/036. Written informed consent for participation was obtained from all participants and guardians of participants aged less than 16 years old, in which they received the information sheet through an active school consent procedure. Children were provided an opportunity to decline participation in the survey. The study protocol of Thailand’s 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth also received ethical approval from the University of Western Australia and the Institution for the Development of Human Research Protections in Thailand.

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Characteristics of participants. Supplementary Table 2. Impact of active play on creativity.

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Piya-amornphan, N., Santiworakul, A., Cetthakrikul, S. et al. Physical activity and creativity of children and youths. BMC Pediatr 20 , 118 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-020-2017-2

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-020-2017-2

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Development of creativity in physical education teachers using interactive technologies: involvement and collaboration

Department of Physical Education, School of Teacher Education, Lishui University, Lishui, China

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The popularisation of an active lifestyle and sports is a hot topic today. The countries activate the interest of the population in physical culture introducing creative training activities in sports. The research highlights that it is important to develop creative thinking in physical education teachers. Thus, the main research goal is to analyse the influence of interactive technologies used to develop creativity among physical education teachers. The researchers use tablet computers with a video communication function for the experiment. All training sessions were conducted on the Zoom conferencing platform. The training took 6 months. The proposed training included power training, yoga, dance and gymnastics. At every third lesson, three respondents developed and presented their training programme for the rest of the group. Torrens creative thinking test was used to assess the results. The comparison of the training dynamics in men and women (P-value = 0.019 and 0.003, respectively ( p  ≤ 0.05)) proves the effectiveness of the proposed training techniques. It means that this technique is effective for sports activities and can be introduced in educational institutions. The scholars recommend using it in schools, universities and other educational institutions.

Introduction

The development of creative abilities is a vital issue for discussions and innovations. First of all, freedom of expression and creativity affects learning and decision-making in different spheres of life. Creative thinking facilitates the development of new techniques and findings (Zielińska et al., 2022 ). The development of such skills requires teachers to acquire relevant competences. Effective teaching methods affect the skills of students and freedom of thinking (Ayyildiz & Yilmaz, 2021 ). Physical education teachers are involved in a variety of activities daily. Interested training lessons have a positive impact on student’s motivation. It supports the interest of the population in sports. It will help to improve the health conditions of the population in the future and facilitates general physical activities (Uzunöz & Demirhan, 2017 ). Therefore, the development of creativity among physical education teachers is important at the local and global levels (Engdahl et al., 2021 ). In pedagogical science, a few methods of professional development exist. The main methods of professional development are: lecture-based learning (listening to various lecture courses), self-study (obtaining knowledge from video tutorials and literature on your own), and interactive learning, during which teacher-student interaction takes place. Physical education teachers should review them regularly to improve their teaching skills (Patti et al., 2015 ). The analysis of the physical education methods and training approaches reveals that many methods can be considered by scholars. The most popular methods include different training activities explaining the physical training to health groups. Physical education teachers learn about different health groups and physical loads that can be given to students of a certain group. During such training sessions, teachers learn how to evaluate health groups (Mujika, 2017 ). Different physical education courses for teachers exist where they learn about different training programmes. In most cases, they include knowledge about all muscle groups and exercises for strengthening the muscles (Krzysztofik et al., 2019 ). They include gymnastics and yoga lessons (Richardson et al., 2019 ). Such training takes place in real-time. However, innovative technologies allow teachers to learn these practices online. This encourages the development of new teaching programmes as well as the use of a large arsenal for visualising learning materials (Palvia et al., 2018 ). At the moment, Internet resources provide users with unlimited space, thus every individual has access to learning programmes. The development of multimedia technologies such as computers, tablets and even mobile phones facilitate online learning. Different gadgets allow users to be online at any convenient time and place. Thanks to this approach, it is possible to gain knowledge from anywhere in the world. The discovery of such opportunities increases people’s motivation for education (Goodrich, 2021 ). Many web-based applications are being developed for different purposes and teachers can conduct distance lessons and be engaged in self-education. Information technologies help teachers to exchange information and experience with colleagues and physical education teachers from other countries. The proposed method of communication is less costly and time-consuming. Also the exchange of information increases the level of progress in the field. These are the main advantages of multimedia teaching (Chandra & Palvia, 2021 ). The most popular multimedia training for physical education teachers are lessons through video conferencing platforms. This is due to the possibility of real-time visualisation, which allows both demonstration of the exercises and control over their correct execution. Therefore, by far one of the most used applications has become Zoom.

Using the video camera, teachers can conduct different forms of online training. Participants take part in the training and can watch their images on a common screen (Krutka et al., 2019 ). Teachers can conduct lectures without videoconferencing (Correia et al., 2020 ). In addition to training, pre-selected videos are available on different multimedia platforms for self-study. This technique helps to consolidate the material and acquire more knowledge in a short period. Nowadays, this approach is usually used in the methodology both for students’ independent work and for more in-depth study of the topic (Jung et al., 2019 ). The development of creativity based on such methods requires the analysis of teachers’ skills and further areas of improvement for different training programmes and the development of the individual approach to their students.

The proposed approach will help to develop a creative training programme and increase the motivation for lessons among students (Livy et al., 2022 ). The teachers training on how to apply an individual approach to learning and foster creative thinking has been introduced. Before that, it was necessary to familiarise teachers with the learning framework and demonstrate the real capabilities of the proposed training programmes. Improvisation techniques are helpful in different types of lessons and help students to acquire the necessary skills. One of the possible methods is to ask a physical education teacher to design the training programme based on the acquired knowledge and skills (Hickey et al., 2016 ). Only a few methods are available for teachers to improve their qualifications and teaching methods. However, multimedia technologies make it easier to learn new methods, acquire new skills, find and collect information on a particular topic. This opens up many possibilities for improving and creating new pedagogical methods. A confirmation of these factors can be seen in the number of new developments in recent years. Therefore, information technologies have become very popular in recent years (Rho & Kang, 2019 ).

The use of Internet resources and gadgets for teaching and improving the creative skills of physical education teachers is a hot topic in education. After all, the creative elements in sports attract more individuals and motivate them to train. More and more individuals will follow healthy lifestyle patterns. But how this approach affects the creativity skills of physical education teachers is not yet fully known. This is because there is not much research in this area, as the possibility of moving to an online learning format and its popularisation has not happened for a long time.

Literature review

Researchers from the National Taiwan Normal University analysed the impact of virtual reality technology on the development of creativity. Using virtual reality as a teaching tool in schools, the scholars have made the following conclusion: the proposed strategy has a positive impact on creative design and influences the transition from the traditional learning experience to reflection and abstract understanding of the given tasks. These qualities stimulate the development and application of innovations (Chang et al., 2020 ). Scientists from the University of Kafrelsheikh (Egypt) examined the role of multimedia technologies in the development of design skills and creativity. The experiment included students, where one group was taught using classical educational methods and the second group was taught using multimedia technologies. As a result, the second group achieved better results than the first one. The obtained results confirmed the advantages and illustrated the benefit of using gadgets and virtual reality to enhance students’ creativity skills (Elfeky & Elbyaly, 2021 ).

The scientists from the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology analysed the effectiveness of gadgets in physical education teaching. The results show that the number of educational materials on physical culture in multimedia format is increasing every year. Mobile technologies used in physical education help to acquire more knowledge and become more and more popular. The sports activities that can be taught effectively through multimedia resources are very limited. The main focus is on the development of dynamic sports. Therefore, the researchers discuss the limitations of teaching physical education using mobile applications (Yang et al., 2020 ). Researchers from Lishui University (China) investigated the impact of web platforms on the development of critical and strategic thinking in physical education. The sample included students from 18 to 35 years. Their task was to exercise regularly using a mobile application. As a result, the indicators of health outcomes, well-being, self-organisation, motivation and self-control increased among all respondents. The experiment helped all individuals to develop healthy eating habits and reduce fatigue (Qi, 2021 ).

The scholars of the University of Georgia (USA) investigated the outcomes of the integration of multimedia technologies in physical education. The scientists suppose that the proposed techniques are gaining popularity but they have not been developed yet. The researchers recommend providing teachers with more information about educational technologies. Not all educational institutions have the opportunity to purchase expensive equipment and have to initiate a Bring your device solution (Kim & Gurvitch, 2018 ). Researchers at Walailak University in Thailand examine the impact of physical activity on the creativity of young people. Nearly 1500 students took part in the experiment. A specialised programme of physical activity was developed for them including joint games, group sports, etc. Next, a specialised test for creativity helped to assess the skills of the respondents. The results showed that physical activity has an impact on thinking skills and the development of creativity (Piya-Amornphan et al., 2020 ). At the University of Alicante (Spain), the scholars examined the development of creative thinking in physical education students through body expression. The experiment was based on the analysis of body expression during lessons. The research used a specialised test for creative intelligence to evaluate the results. The intermediate testing showed that the best test results were found in women. However, by the end of the experiment, the indicators of creativity among the male and female participants were similar (Vidaci et al., 2021 ).

Researchers from Chengdu, Tangshan and Deyang (China) examined the relationship between the personal qualities of physical education teachers and the effectiveness of teaching. The results demonstrated that individual factors influence the teaching of creative design. The qualities such as extraversionness, pliability and openness of the teacher affected the teaching innovativeness. The support of the educational institution plays a vital role in the creative development among teachers (Deng et al., 2020 ). Kent State University (USA) introduced a specialised method of online learning in physical education. The strategy consisted of the interaction of physical education teachers with their students using multimedia technologies. It included training activities, exchange of practices and communication between students. Using the results, the scientists concluded that the transition to online learning was not an inferior method to the traditional teaching model. Therefore, researchers recommend teachers change their learning style and use more modern and convenient technologies (Sato & Haegele, 2018 ). Scientists from San Jose State University (California, USA) explored the prospects for online education in physical culture and sports. The popularity of multimedia technologies in education is increasing rapidly because they become a major indicator of the successful acceptance of information. Opportunities for online education are expanding both locally and globally. The proposed approach helps to introduce new educational programmes for students (Daum et al., 2021 ; Grigorkevich et al., 2022 ).

Researchers from Deakin University (Australia) analysed the prospects of online learning in sports. Unlike most of their colleagues, the researchers admitted that some sports have not used online resources yet. Scientists underlined that online learning was ineffective for learning specific skills. These skills included throwing, catching, and running. However, researchers found that such problems could be solved by introducing new teaching methods and specialised programmes for teachers (Lander et al., 2022 ). The literature analysis helped the scholars to identify the following factors. First, online physical education programmes have a positive impact on the development of creativity. Second, the proposed training stimulates teachers to introduce new teaching methods. Third, the training helps the scholars to exchange experience with foreign colleagues without using a lot of resources. However, not all sports activities could be taught remotely, using multimedia technologies. New technologies ensure an opportunity for further research of sports activities online.

Setting goals

The research goal was to analyse the influence of interactive technologies on the development of the creative potential of physical education teachers. The options and scope of the online education methodology focused on physical education were researched. The research purpose was to examine the impact of multimedia technologies on the development of creativity, the prospects and progress of this learning environment. The experiment took place at Lishui University, Department of Physical Education, School of Teacher Education. The main research tasks were to integrate multimedia technologies into a group of teachers of physical education. Specialised testing for creative thinking was used to evaluate and summarise the results. The testing helped to understand the effectiveness of the proposed technique and assess the progress of the experiment. An analysis of the prospects of the interactive teaching methodology for the development of creative qualities in physical education teachers was made.

Methods and materials

Research design and sample.

The scholars used randomised research to assess the impact of interactive technologies on the development of creative thinking among physical education teachers. The experiment was conducted at Lishui University, Department of Physical Education, School of Teacher Education. The sample involved 48 physical education teachers from 24 to 30 years (24 females and 24 males). The participants were randomly assigned to groups of twelve. It helped to acquire the material and learn the lessons. A specialised training and testing programme was developed for these groups.

Before the experiment, all respondents passed a specialised Torrens creative thinking test. The test reveals the abilities to perform certain tasks, combine different sources of information and solve different problems creatively. The test consists of several blocks. In this experiment, only a part of this test, known as The Torrens Tests of Creative Thinking , was used. It included some tasks without time limits. The first task was to draw a picture based on an oval image of any colour. The participant could choose any colour he liked. At the end of the drawing, the participant had to name the picture. The second task was to finish the ten proposed drawings. As in the first stage, the participants had to name the drawings. The third test consisted of a finished stencil with thirty repeating vertical lines. In their intervals, it was necessary to draw as many non-repeating patterns as possible. The results were evaluated according to five criteria: fluency, originality, development, resistance to closure, and the abstractness of the names. Fluency helps to assess the creative productivity of the participants. Originality is used to evaluate the uniqueness of creative thinking. Developments mean the ability to pay attention to details. The resistance to closure reflects the ability to be open to new ideas. The abstractness of the names reflects the ability to understand the essence of the problem and highlight its main points. Each indicator was rated from 0 to 10 points. After the evaluation of the results, the data were summarised (Humble et al., 2018 ).

A professional psychologist assessed the tests. The test was sent by e-mail to the respondents. They passed the test either by printing out a form with tasks or by completing a task using a graphic editor. The participants sent the test results by mail to a specialist who evaluated them. Such testing was carried out several times during the experiment. The research took 6 months. The lessons were conducted by teachers of physical culture and sports. The aim of the training was to conduct lessons 3 times a week for 3 h each with the four groups. The lessons were held remotely using tablet computers with the possibility of video broadcasting (Krause et al., 2018 ). Before the experiment, each participant received such a tablet by mail. For the broadcast, the Zoom application was used. The virtual classrooms were formed for the research (Powell et al., 2021 ). At a certain time, the respondents and the teacher joined the online lessons. The participants had to join the online video broadcast of the lessons. The lessons included different types of training such as power training, yoga, gymnastics and dance (Govindaraj et al., 2016 ; Kerr et al., 2019 ; Schupp, 2017 ). The last session of each week was improvisation. In turn, three students had to demonstrate their training programme prepared for the lesson. At the next improvisation lesson, another three of the respondents demonstrated their talents. The improvisation part was not critically evaluated.

Statistical processing and data analysis

A specialised software package for statistical analysis SPSS 26.0 was used to process and calculate the data. The interpretation of the final results was carried out using Microsoft Excel 2019. The Student’s t-test helped to compare the effectiveness of the proposed teaching approach in groups and the impact of sex on the overall research result. The Student’s t-test assessed the initial training level as the average pre-test result in both control groups. The post-test scores were compared and the research identified the difference between the groups. The statistically significant test level was set ( p  ≤ 0.05). For median analysis, 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. The validity of the Student’s t-test was assessed by comparing the results with the null hypothesis. The null hypothesis in this study was a test for statistical normality. If the null hypothesis was rejected, then an alternative hypothesis was accepted, which indicated a difference in the results between the groups. Pearson’s test was used to measure statistical normality. For clarity, it is presented as a comparison between the overall pre-test and post-test results of both groups.

The research restrictions

The main research objective is to develop creative thinking among physical education teachers. The research is randomised and the initial development or lack of creativity is not taken into account. All calculations represent the arithmetic average of the sample. It does not give a complete understanding of how creative thinking develops in an individual using this teaching method. Additional research is required to analyse this aspect. Another nuance of the research is the duration of the effect of this technique since the final testing was not carried out. Further research is needed to investigate this issue.

Ethical issues

Before the experiment, all participants were informed about the goals of the research, the structure and time. The respondents were informed about the control tests. The respondents received all information in the electronic form to their e-mails, when applying for participation in the experiment. Further, their consent was received in a detailed form by e-mail.

Before the research, the scholars tested the creative thinking skills of all participants using Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. The test identified the initial level of creativity among the participants. The students were divided into groups by sex to better understand the development of creative potential in males and females. The final result had an average value in each group. The results were evaluated using the 10-point scale. The independent Student’s criterion helped to calculate and compare the results of the two groups.

In the groups, the average values of Fluency for males and females were 5 ± 0.816 and 4.25 ± 0.5, respectively. The significance level of indicators ( P -value) was 0.178 ( p  ≤ 0.05). It showed the results for the researched criterion. The scholars analysed the similarity of the results in both groups. Originality in both groups was 4.5 ± 0.577. The significance level was equal to 1 ( p  ≤ 0.05). The results for this factor in males and females did not differ. Developments in the male and female groups were 4.5 ± 0.577 and 3.5 ± 0.577, respectively. The significance level ( P -value) was 0.05 ( p  ≤ 0.05). According to this criterion, the result in male participants was statistically higher than in females. The values of the Resistance to Closure of the male and female participants were 4 ± 0.816 and 5 ± 0.816, respectively. The results were not statistically significant. P-value was 0.134. In the groups, the difference was not statistically important. The abstractness of the names in the groups of males and females was equal to 3.5 ± 0.577 and 4.5 ± 0.577, respectively. The significance level for this criterion was 0.05 ( p  ≤ 0.05). It showed a significant difference between males and females for this criterion. The female participants showed higher results than the male participants. The final result in the control groups was 21.5 ± 30.406. P-value was 0.01. The null hypothesis was confirmed. The final results in the groups were identical. All data are shown in Table  1 .

Pre-testing results

* p  < 0.05

After the experiment, the final test to assess the critical thinking skills was made. The results of the final test showed no significant differences in the groups of males and females (7 ± 0.816) and (6.5 ± 0.577), respectively. The P-value was 0.36 ( p  ≤ 0.05). The results for this criterion in males and women were not statistically different. Originality in both groups was (7.5 ± 0.577). The significance level was 1 ( p  ≤ 0.05). For this factor, statistical differences were not identified. The Developments criterion in the male group was 7.5 ± 0.577, and in the female group was 6 ± 0.816. P-value was 0.027 ( p  ≤ 0.05). It showed the statistical significance of the results. The results for this criterion were higher for the male participants than for the female participants. The Resistance to closure in men and women was (6.5 ± 0.577) and (8 ± 0.816), respectively. The significance level was 0.027 ( p  ≤ 0.05) and it had a statistical significance. In this case, the level of resistance to closure was higher in women than in men. The abstractness of the names in both groups was equal to (6.5 ± 0.577). P-value was 1 ( p  ≤ 0.05). According to this criterion, no differences were found among men and women groups. The final result in the group of men was (35 ± 0.816), and in the group of women (34.5 ± 0.577). The scholars underlined that the data were similar statistically. The results are presented in Table  2 .

Final testing

The Student’s criterion helped to evaluate the effectiveness of the technique. The preliminary and final tests of the male and female groups were compared. P-value for the male group was 0.019 ( p  ≤ 0.05). It suggested that the results had statistically significant differences. In women, P-value was 0.003 ( p  ≤ 0.05). This result also indicated significant differences between the preliminary and final tests. Also in this comparison, Pearson’s test was applied to test statistical normality. When comparing both groups, the coefficient on this parameter was 1 ( p  ≤ 0.05). This demonstrates a perfect positive correlation. The differences in the dynamics were identified and the scholars proved the effectiveness of the technique. The results are presented in Table  3 .

Assessment of the programme effectiveness

The scholars state that the proposed interactive learning methodology is effective for the development of creativity among physical education teachers. The research participants admit an increase in motivation to work during the current research. However, it should be taken into account that the experiment was randomised and it did not show the absolute accuracy of the results. Further research is required to clarify the results in specific areas.

Researchers from Australia have been analysed distance learning in dance education and its impact on the individual’s cognitive functions. The experiment involved participants from Australia and the UK. The interactive technologies helped the respondents to learn the art of dance. They connected to a common network using a specialised application and watched video broadcasting to learn the elements of choreography. At the end of the experiment, the proposed teaching method increases the physical, cognitive and creative potential of students (Huddy et al., 2021 ). The comparison of the two tests allows the scholars to conclude that the use of interactive technologies in teaching sports disciplines affects the development of creative thinking. The researchers from Australia identified the influence of dance on the development of creative thinking.

In the UK, researchers analysed the experience of using mobile technology to increase student learning and interest in dance. The scholars introduced a specialised methodology for teaching choreography based on a mobile application. The sample involved 42 respondents. They were taught to dance using interactive technologies. The researchers admitted that interactive technologies supported the expansion of different physical activities and facilitate the development of a more democratic environment. The integration of multimedia technologies in the educational process has improved the learning and motivated the participants to acquire knowledge and skills (Alexander et al., 2021 ). Scientists from the UK, similar to the present research, found that interactive technologies in teaching sports were important for the overall success of the training programmes. Both pieces of research concluded that participants were more motivated and engaged using multimedia technologies. The main difference between the experiments was in their goals. Researchers from the UK focused on improving the learning process, while the present research analysed the impact of multimedia technologies on the creative abilities of respondents. Scientists from the University of Melbourne (Australia) examined creative interpretations of physical education programmes. The researchers found that additional training was required to introduce new methods in sports and physical education.

The process of developing and integrating a strategy requires additional efforts for interpretation and adaptation. Teachers must be prepared for the additional workload to work effectively with these strategies. The experiment involved teachers from Finland, who used the methods of their Australian colleagues in their teaching practice. The results showed improvements in creative thinking skills in the teaching staff and students. The interest in physical culture by students was also identified (Quay et al., 2016 ). The research by scientists from Melbourne has the same methodology as the present one. Both experiments analysed the impact of new strategies on the development of creativity in sports. The main difference was the absence of integration of multimedia technologies to learning. Tarbiat Modares University (Iran) examined the impact of advanced multimedia software on the improvements of physical activity. The main health-related problem of the target population was a sedentary lifestyle that prevailed among the female population. An emphasis was on the importance of physical activity for health issues. The research was randomised. The research purpose was to analyse the impact of multimedia technologies on fitness and health. All respondents received an electronic media with the training video. According to the results, all participants of the experiment improved their physical fitness (Gholamnia-Shirvani et al., 2018 ). The similarity of the research is that Iranian scientists have proven the positive impact of the proposed solution on motivation and the effectiveness of multimedia technologies in physical training. The research discusses the importance of physical culture and its impact on health. However, the main difference between the experiments is the purpose of the research. The Iranian scientists examined the improvements in the physical fitness of the population. In this experiment, the scholars concentrated on the development of creative thinking. The scientists from Deakin University (Australia) investigated the possibility of maintaining physical activity using interactive technologies. They examined the role of digital platforms and their application under the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The research found that many applications have already been introduced to ensure physical fitness and allowed individuals to maintain an active lifestyle. Ready-made sports platforms with specific exercises are available for the population and video conferencing applications can also be used to conduct physical education lessons. Scientists suppose that such applications help individuals maintain an active lifestyle and popularise sports (Parker et al., 2021 ). A study by Australian researchers demonstrates the flexibility of interactive technologies in physical education and the promotion of active lifestyles among young people and adults. This study differs from the present study. However, it discusses the benefits of interactive education for physical activity and sport. The aforementioned information allows researchers to conclude that the integration of multimedia technology enhances creativity and shows itself as an effective method in sport. It is worth bearing in mind that not all of the works presented above specifically address the development of creative thinking with the help of this technique. Most research papers on this topic focus on the effectiveness of sport or motivation. Also, this article looks at the development of creativity among groups of people divided by gender. This gives an insight into which creative thinking criteria development is more typical for men and for women. Nevertheless, there are some limitations. First, not all sports can be analysed using interactive technologies. Secondly, most experiments are randomised, and it is not possible to study the effect of a fitness coach or a specific problem on fitness outcomes. Further research is needed to investigate this issue. Based on these limitations, further experiments in this area can be conducted. The proposed recommendations are intended for educators. They may also be of interest to the general population in the context of introducing such methodology as specialised courses and trainings.

The integration of multimedia technologies has a positive impact on the development of creative thinking among physical education teachers. The research results prove the effectiveness of the proposed strategy for sports. The fluency factor for the male and female groups did not show significant differences. Originality in the groups also did not differ greatly in the preliminary and final test results. The developments criterion for the male participants was higher than for females at both stages of the experiment. The results of the resistance to closure in the preliminary test and the final test were equal. However, at the final test, this factor in women was statistically higher than in men. The abstractness of the names in women was higher at the preliminary stage. The final test showed similar results in both groups. A comparison of both groups shows indistinguishable results of the experiment in men and women. The results for dynamics show significant statistical differences. The practical value of this research is that the new teaching methodology based on interactive technologies should be introduced in physical education. The uniqueness of the methodology is that it positively influences the development of creative thinking in individuals. Therefore, this strategy can be effectively used in schools, universities and other educational institutions. The integration of multimedia technologies in physical culture popularises an active lifestyle among the population. Various sports organizations can implement training courses using interactive technologies to attract more customers. This methodology can also be used for the exchange of experience between different countries. The theoretical uniqueness of the study lies in the comparison of the impact of the described methodology on different gender groups. This demonstrates the difference in both the impact and the perception of this pedagogical strategy. However, educators should bear in mind that the research is randomised and all calculations are of the average value, thus some inaccuracies may exist. There is no data available on how this technique can affect the development of the creative thinking of a particular individual. Further research is needed to analyse this problem. The present research paves the way for new research in this area.

Authors’ contribution

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Zhou Xing, and Yue Qi. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Yue Qi and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Data availability

Declarations.

All participants gave their written informed consent.

The authors declare that the work is written with due consideration of ethical standards. The study was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles approved by the Ethics Committee of Lishui University.

The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article. 

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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Adapted Physical Activity Pedagogy: Principles, Practices, and Creativity

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• Claudine Sherrill  

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Adapted physical activity pedagogy is dynamic, exciting, and challenging. Beliefs, attitudes, and actions toward people with special needs have changed enormously, demanding new ways of thinking and doing. This paper summarizes current thought about (a) philosophy, theory, and practices; (b) negative attitudes and perceived lack of competence of teachers as the greatest barriers to service; (c) principles to guide public school consultant services; (d) a new definition of adapted physical activity; and (e) emerging pedagogical theory that emphasizes integration of knowledge about individual differences, adaptation, and creativity. Adapted physical education specialists should be employed in every community to work directly with students who are disabled and to act as consultants and administrators to help regular educators change attitudes and practices. Assessment, the foundation of pedagogy, should address both individual differences and environmental barriers. Behavior change should be promoted through application of adaptation and creativity theory. Adaptation theory, first posited by Ernst Kiphard of Germany, stresses working with both the individual and the environment in a continuous, dynamic, and bidirectional manner to achieve educational goals. Creativity theory, advanced by Sherrill, stresses fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration as key elements of adapted physical activity pedagogy.

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Exercise, Leisure, and Physical Well-Being

Creating an Autonomy-Supportive Physical Education (PE) Learning Environment

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Sherrill C (ed) (1988) Leadership training in adapted physical education. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics

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Sherrill, C. (1994). Adapted Physical Activity Pedagogy: Principles, Practices, and Creativity. In: Yabe, K., Kusano, K., Nakata, H. (eds) Adapted Physical Activity. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-68272-1_2

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Creative Approaches to Physical Education Helping Children to Achieve their True Potential

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Creative Approaches to Physical Education provides guidance on how to develop innovative new approaches to the delivery of each area of the National Curriculum for PE at Key Stages 2 and 3. The ideas have all been successfully developed in schools where every child has been encouraged to find success and to express themselves in new ways that surprise and delight teachers. Pupils feel ownership of their learning and pride in their achievements, fostering interest, creativity and motivation. Ideal for non-specialist and specialist PE teachers and trainee teachers alike, this book: explores the PE curriculum in a much wider sense than traditional approaches allow covers the key areas of physical education such as games, dance and gymnastics inspires us to look afresh at how we can exploit the learning potential of the outdoors shows how children use skills to express themselves creatively gives innovative suggestions for the use of ICT in PE teaching to encourage independent, personalised leaning examines how physical education can be linked with other subjects in a creative way. Childhood obesity is a growing concern and there are worries that young people have few purposeful leisure interests. This book offers teachers and all those who work with young people alternative approaches and activities that allow young people to express their creative side through physical activity and discover active healthy interests that will last a lifetime.

Table of Contents

James Lavin is Head of the Physical Education teacher training courses at the University of Cumbria.

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Creative Approaches to Physical Education

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Creative Approaches to Physical Education provides guidance on how to develop innovative new approaches to the delivery of each area of the National Curriculum for PE at Key Stages 2 and 3.

The ideas have all been successfully developed in schools where every child has been encouraged to find success and to express themselves in new ways that surprise and delight teachers. Pupils feel ownership of their learning and pride in their achievements, fostering interest, creativity and motivation.

Ideal for non-specialist and specialist PE teachers and trainee teachers alike, this book:

• explores the PE curriculum in a much wider sense than traditional approaches allow
• covers the key areas of physical education such as games, dance and gymnastics
• inspires us to look afresh at how we can exploit the learning potential of the outdoors
• shows how children use skills to express themselves creatively
• gives innovative suggestions for the use of ICT in PE teaching to encourage independent, personalised leaning
• examines how physical education can be linked with other subjects in a creative way.

Childhood obesity is a growing concern and there are worries that young people have few purposeful leisure interests. This book offers teachers and all those who work with young people alternative approaches and activities that allow young people to express their creative side through physical activity and discover active healthy interests that will last a lifetime.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 | 11  pages, the creative agenda and its relationship to physical education, chapter 2 | 17  pages, creative games at key stages 2 and 3: moving the goal posts, chapter 3 | 26  pages, teaching dance: a framework for creativity, chapter 4 | 24  pages, creativity and gymnastics, chapter 5 | 13  pages, creative approaches to promoting healthy, active lifestyles, chapter 6 | 16  pages, information and communications technology in physical education: an innovative teaching and learning approach, chapter 7 | 10  pages, creativity and outdoor education: how dare you, chapter 8 | 24  pages, cross-curricular key stage 2 physical education: moving to learn, chapter 9 | 7  pages, creativity matters.

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Creative physical education: Integrating curriculum through innovative PE projects

Creative Physical Education offers a flexible extended learning experience for 7- to 14- year olds that focuses on physical, cognitive, and interpersonal knowledge and skill development. A combination teacher’s guide and student workbook, Creative Physical Education has everything you need, including a CD-ROM of printable and adaptable class materials. Creative Physical Education presents a project framework that you can adapt to fit the needs of your class. Great for physical education teachers looking for a fresh approach, Creative Physical Education also makes an excellent structured project for classroom teachers working with physical education. Creative Physical Education begins with a teacher’s guide that details the underlying pedagogical models behind the project. Rather than focusing on one approach, Creative Physical Education integrates a number of pedagogical models and describes how these can be combined to form a creative PE project. This all-in-one resource includes a student workbook with all the worksheets needed for each part of the project. The project worksheets are included on the accompanying CD-ROM and can be modified as needed and printed for use. In addition, homework items offer ways to reinforce concepts learned in class. Creative Physical Education progresses students through team building, game creation, organizing a season, and practicing skill development. In the first part of the project, you’ll help students discover the essentials of working in teams, the benefits of a team approach, and characteristics of successful teams. The developing teams will then create their own games. Creative Physical Education provides you with all the necessary tools and ideas for this task. Through this section, the student teams discuss the ingredients of a game, plan their own team game, and teach it to other teams. The students are also involved in evaluating and reflecting on the games of others. After this, you’ll help students use their games to create one game for the whole class, which they play over the course of a larger-scale sporting season. Through regular participation, students improve their knowledge and skills and learn the strategies of their game. This section of the project also helps students experience a range of roles, always as a member of a team. In the final section you’ll help students improve their tactics and skills through practice. By critically assessing the teamwork, skill, strategy, and fitness requirements of their particular game, students learn how to improve their individual and team performance. Activities in this final part also allow students to celebrate their success and reflect on their project. This student-directed creative PE project offers students a new way to enjoy and learn from sport while also offering the possibility of integrating other curriculum areas with physical education. With step-by-step guidance and a full set of class materials, you’ll have everything you need to implement a fun, creative learning experience for your class. Find new ways to move, create, and collaborate with Creative Physical Education.

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Tapping into Student Creativity in Physical Education

Even after teaching for 25 years, I continue to be amazed by the imaginations of my students. For many years I focused on the same lesson plans weaving in a few new ideas here and there. One day, I watched Ben Pirillo’s Mini Golf Lesson on his YouTube channel and saw how he created golf putting courses out of PE equipment. That inspired and idea in me. What if my students created their own putting courses? So using a pile of PE equipment, I took a risk and challenged small groups of students to work together and build a course. I was amazed at the creativity and collaboration of the students.

The lesson was a success. Since then, I’ve been exploring how to tap into student creativity on a more regular basis. Let me share with you a few principles I’ve learned.

Inspire creativity with a great story.

I enjoy sharing inspirational and informational stories about the origin of sports and games. By far, my favorite of these stories is James Naismith, the inventor of basketball.

I tell my students how he wanted a new indoor game that would engage his students in the winter season. Naismith took two peach baskets and nailed them to the lower balcony of his gym. Using a soccer ball, through much trial and error, he came up with 13 rules and his students played the first game of basketball.

Now, that innovative idea is a sport enjoyed by men and women all over the world. I regularly share stories like this so that my students remember that you never know how far a simple idea might go and they understand that every sport they play started with an idea.

Make space for student creativity

It’s easy to fall into the trap of teaching the same skills in the same way year after year. I got out of the ho-hum of teaching by adjusting my teaching so that students are given time for creativity. I was inspired as I listened to Jorge Rodriguez on Voxer talk about using Jigsaw groups to create tag games. I decided to take this idea one step further with my 3rd & 4th grade students. For a two-week time period, I used the last few minutes of class to allow kids, who I placed in small groups, to brainstorm ideas for new tag games. Then, they taught their classmates and watched their games in action.

After each game was played, we had a time of reflection to listen to feedback, make any necessary changes and then play it again. I was able to sit back and watch as students were engaged in creative conversation, writing down ideas and making plans. Instead of making sure the kids did things my way, I was able to guide, encourage and cheer for things they came up with on their own.

Share your kids’ ideas

I was so proud of my students’ success and creativity with the tag games, I wanted to share their success with others. I reached out to some PE teachers I had made connections with through Twitter. I am very thankful to Jorge Rodriguez, Harvard Elementary, @PhysedNow, Bart Jones, Van Meter Elementary, @exercys, and Adam Llevo in Saudi Arabia. @MrAdamPE. I sent them videos of my students giving instructions about their tag game.

I had only requested that they ask their students for a bit of feedback about these tag games. To my surprise, I received a couple of videos of their students playing the tag games that my students had created. I will never forget the expressions on the faces of my students as they watched the videos of students from another city and even another country playing their games.

Say yes more than you say no.

If a student has an idea that fits within the boundary of a lesson, I try to affirm that student’s creativity by saying yes or including their ideas when I can. For example, in an introduction to jump roping, my kindergarten class was using noodles to practice turning and jumping. I had instructed them to jump in place. A group of students asked if they could travel as they jumped. I had not thought of that and gave a hearty “Yes!” I was so impressed with their creativity that I took a short video and shared it on twitter.

Here are more ways I’ve allowed students to express creativity in PE.

Chinese Jump Ropes

After learning the basic jumps and the three levels, I challenge kids to create their own jumps and use their jumps to make their own jumping patterns. From this, I’ve been amazed to see kids create jumps that I’ve never seen or even thought of before.

Cup Stacking

After learning the competitive stacking sequences, students are given opportunity to create their own stacking sequences, share with others and compete. This helps with students who lose interest in basic cup stacking.

Tapping into student creativity has changed how I teach and who I am as a teacher. From time to time previously, I would discuss with students how we might be able to change some games or how a game could be played with other equipment. But I would always be concerned about the time factor and the need to move on to the next unit or skill.

Now that I have experienced the success of student creativity, it has completely altered my thinking and my teaching. I make it a priority to allow time for students to explore creative ways to put a newly developed skill into practice. And I’m always on the lookout for new ways to include creativity in PE and allow students more opportunities to discover new ways to put their skills into practice.

So, how have you tapped into student creativity?

What are your big ideas?

Comment below so we can all keep tapping into student creativity!

Jason Leach has been teaching for Physical Education for 25 years. He is currently teaching his 12th year at Independence Elementary in Keller ISD. Jason and his wife Cindy have been married for 25 years and have two beautiful daughters, Melissa and Carrie. Melissa graduated from Texas Tech University and Carrie recently graduated from Howard Payne University. Jason and Cindy have a goal to visit has many National Parks has they can because they enjoy the great outdoor and going on hikes.

Follow Jason Leach on Twitter: @jkleach01

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They are simple to use and effective for learning PE fitness movements. Just print laminate, cut out and then place them in sections of your learning area for your students to use during physical education lessons.

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Critical Thinking: Creating Meaning in Physical Education (PE) by Denise Dewar and Sue Weir

Denise and Sue are seconded teaching fellows at the University of Edinburgh. While working in schools, they both encountered initiatives aimed at the development of thinking skills. These experiences evolved into a project about ‘critical thinking’ and exploring how these ways of working could be fostered in PE settings and beyond. This blog reports on key insights from their collective self-study that has tracked the impact of their efforts to introduce critical thinking to undergraduate PE students. As part of the PERF’s Practitioner Inquiry (PINQ) Project, their research has been guided by LaBoskey’s key elements for self-study (2004).

Critical Thinking: Creating Meaning in Physical Education (PE)

Critical thinking is an amorphous term (Tan, 2017). It has numerous interpretations on both its definition and on the processes involved in developing critical thinking.  Most definitions highlight the connections to the upper three levels of Bloom’s (1956) taxonomy: analysis, synthesis and evaluation. These forms of thinking skills have been associated with a number of ‘Critical thinking’ learner dispositions including; open and fair mindedness, flexibility of thought, inquisitiveness and willingness to take risks (Lai, 2011).

Within the PE literature, critical thinking is a term first popularised by McBride (1992). He viewed PE as an ideal setting to develop critical thinking, which he defined as:

Reflective thinking that is used to make reasonable and defensible decisions about movement tasks or challenges (p112)

The short term focus within this quotation can be seen in the way in which any critical thinking is applied to the immediate tasks and challenges within a class situation.  Our own efforts, however, have been geared towards viewing critical thinking from both a short and long term perspective.  As can be seen in the figure below (click on image to enlarge), pupils not only respond to unique movement problems and reflect on and justify the decisions they make in class, but are also encouraged to view PE critically as part of their overall physical activity habits and lifestyle.

One key driver for connecting with these longer term ambitions comes from Dewey’s (1933) work on ‘deep’ learning. He explores the connection between ‘thinking’ and ‘meaning’ to create what he termed ‘profound learning’.  More recent research with a focus on ‘meaning’ has identified personal experience as a central feature. In the PE context, Beni et al (2016) explain how pupils with personalised experiences can feel more ‘meaningful’ connections to learning tasks, which are more likely to commit to a physically active lifestyle.

Our knowledge of critical thinking initially developed through our reading and shared discussions with each other and with critical friends.  Knowledge and understanding was further developed by piloting with the undergraduate PE teachers through lectures, seminars and practical workshops.   Our lecture to second year students was included as a key part of the curriculum course and was followed by a seminar which allowed students to discuss their understanding of critical thinking and explore ideas for their teaching of core PE.  Within practical workshops, fourth year students reflected on their own wider experiences of dance and chose a ‘purpose’ best suited to them, the students created a group performance based on these personal experiences.   They then performed the dance, evaluated the performance collectively and then reflected on the thinking involved in the creative process.

Data were gathered through a mixed methods approach: pre and post workshop questionnaires with students together with our own individual and shared reflections with two experienced teacher educators acting as critical friends throughout the research process.  In both years of the project we were surprised by the decisions students made when presented with choices in the lesson.   This reinforced our belief in offering pupils opportunities to not only make decisions but also justify these decisions to gain more insight into them (McBride, 1992).   Also, in the second year of the project, we felt we were more explicit in teaching thinking skills and dispositions within the workshops and using the language of thinking from the literature.  The importance of reflection time was highlighted in collective reflections, as we felt students needed time to make sense of the task and the thinking process.

Student Experiences

From data collected following the second year of workshops all students were able to identify when they used thinking skills and dispositions within the session.  We felt this indicated a deeper understanding of the concepts and tied in with our own reflections of being better able to ‘model critical thinking’ (McBride, 1992, p 118).

In harmony with our reflections, students also highly valued pupil reflection as a key component of critical thinking, with over half (52%) indicating that this would be an area of their own practice they would like to enhance.

Most students (93%) thought the session was made ‘meaningful’ with most of them connecting this to being given choices throughout the session, being able to express themselves freely and the nature of the session being sociable and enjoyable.

Concluding thoughts

As an ongoing longitudinal study, we have had some valuable findings so far.  The responses from the students have been encouraging, particularly as all students recognise the importance of critical thinking within PE.   In addition, as we have grappled with the key critical thinking concepts, our shared reflections have helped us make more sense of the non-linear nature of the design and enactment process of this type of project.

In the future, we will continue to integrate key components of critical thinking in the gymnastics element of curriculum and pedagogy course for year 2 and will reflect individually and collectively on the enactment process.  In addition, we will continue to share our critical thinking journey with other practitioners as part of the PINQ project and more widely.

Beni, S, Fletcher T and Ni Chronin, D (2016) Meaningful Experiences in Physical Education and Youth Sport: A review of literature, Quest, DOI: 10.1080/00336297.2016.1224192

LaBoskey, V. K. (2004). The methodology of self-study and its theoretical underpinnings. In J. J. Loughran, M. L. Hamilton, V. K. LaBoskey & T. Russell (Eds.), International handbook of self-study of teaching and teacher education practices (Vol. 2, pp. 817-869). Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers

Lai, E.R. (2011) Critical thinking: a literature review. Research report. Pearson.

McBride, R. 1992. Critical thinking—An overview with implications for physical education.  Journal of Teaching in Physical Education , 11: 112–125.

Tan, C (2017) Teaching Critical thinking: Cultural challenges and strategies in Singapore. British Educational research journal, 43:5 988-1002

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9 Activity Ideas for STEM in Physical Education

• Lauren Chiangpradit
• November 16, 2023
• Reviewed by Sean Barton
• Reviewed by Haley MacLean

Table of Contents

The Synergy of Movement and Learning

Physical education stem activities for elementary school, stem activities for middle school pe students, advanced stem challenges for high school learners, tech, tools, and resources for stem in physical education.

Integrating STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) into Physical Education (PE) classes offers an innovative approach to education. In an era where sports statistics, science, and technology increasingly influence athletics, PE classes are uniquely positioned to blend physical activity with STEM learning and 21st century skills. This article explores how PE educators and facilitators can use STEM learning in their coursework. It also provides a range of curriculum activity ideas to get students at different education and skill levels engaged.

Research indicates that physical activity can significantly bolster cognitive abilities. When students participate in movement-based learning, they benefit physically and experience enhanced concentration, memory, and creativity. This cognitive boost is crucial for comprehending and applying STEM concepts, which often demand high levels of problem-solving and critical thinking. Active learning, where students engage in physical activities while learning STEM concepts, results in more profound understanding and retention of information. Integrating physical and mental challenges not only makes learning more enjoyable, but is more effective, as students apply theoretical concepts in practical settings, leading to better comprehension and recall.

Integrating STEM into elementary physical education presents a fantastic opportunity to lay the foundation for lifelong learning and curiosity in young students. Through these innovative activities, elementary school children can explore and understand key STEM concepts while engaging in fun and physical play. Each activity is designed to be not only educational but highly interactive and suitable for their developmental stage. Here are some engaging activities that blend physical education with STEM learning for elementary students:

• Jump and Measure: Students perform a variety of jumps – like the long jump and high jump – and measure their distances or heights. This activity introduces basic concepts of measurement and physics, encouraging students to understand how force and motion play a role in their physical activities.
• Geometry with Body Movements: In this activity, children use their bodies to create geometric shapes, either individually or in groups. It’s an engaging way for students to learn about basic geometry, spatial awareness, and symmetry. Teachers can challenge students to form complex shapes, enhancing their understanding and teamwork skills.
• STEM Soccer : In a lesson devoted to measuring throw-ins, students collect data in centimeters and convert their data to meters dividing by 100. Students then evaluate measurement systems to decide the best measurement size. This disguised learning,  interactive lesson is a great way for physical education teachers to add STEM into their PE classes.
• Weather and Exercise: Students observe and record weather patterns over a week and discuss how different weather conditions affect physical activities. This integrates meteorology into PE, allowing students to see the real-world application of science in their everyday activities.
• Heart Rate Exploration: After engaging in various exercises, students measure their heart rates to learn about the cardiovascular system and the science behind exercise. This activity not only educates them about their bodies, but about the importance of physical fitness in maintaining health.
• Playground Physics: Utilizing playground equipment, this activity allows students to explore concepts like gravity, force, and motion. They can experience firsthand how these physical laws impact their play and movements, turning the playground into a living laboratory.

As students enter middle school, their capacity for more complex and abstract thinking grows significantly. This developmental stage is an ideal time to introduce more intricate STEM concepts through physical education, enhancing their learning experience with practical applications. The following STEM activities are tailored for middle school students, offering a blend of intellectual challenge and physical engagement. These activities are designed to pique students’ curiosity in STEM fields through the familiar and enjoyable medium of sports and physical exercises. By participating in these activities, students not only deepen their understanding of STEM concepts, but learn valuable lessons in teamwork, problem-solving, and the practical application of classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios. Here’s a look at some stimulating and educational STEM activities for middle school PE:

• Sports Statistics Analysis: Students gather and analyze sports statistics from games or physical activities. This teaches them about data collection, interpretation, and the importance of statistics in understanding and improving athletic performance.
• STEM Football: During a lesson in STEM Football, students collect and graph data of a controlled experiment by using a line graph. Students then explain the relationship between kinetic energy and mass by writing a claim evidence supported by evidence-based reasoning from class data. This lesson highlights the strong classroom connection between physical education and STEM learning, and how it can help create tangible examples for students.
• Energy and Movement: This activity focuses on the concept of kinetic and potential energy in the context of sports. Students explore how energy is transferred and transformed during different physical activities, such as running, jumping, or throwing a ball.
• Biomechanics of Sports: Here, students delve into the study of human movement and mechanics in various sports. They learn about the science behind athletic performance, injury prevention , and how athletes optimize their movements for maximum efficiency and safety.
• Mathletics Relay: A relay race where each leg involves solving a math problem before passing the baton. This combines physical fitness with mathematical skills, emphasizing quick thinking and teamwork.
• Technology in Sports Training: Students explore how technology is increasingly used in sports training and performance analysis. They might look at wearable tech, video analysis software, or other tools that help athletes improve their skills and coaches to make informed decisions.

High school students, with their advanced cognitive skills and heightened interests, are well-positioned to tackle complex STEM challenges through physical education. This section of the curriculum is designed to offer high school learners in-depth, hands-on experiences that combine higher-level STEM concepts with physical activities and sports. These advanced activities are not just about physical exertion; they require students to engage in critical thinking, problem-solving, and creative innovation. They provide an opportunity for students to see the real-world applications of the STEM knowledge they acquire in their classrooms, bridging the gap between theoretical learning and practical implementation. By participating in these activities, high school students can gain a deeper understanding of various STEM fields, such as physics, engineering, biotechnology, and environmental science, observing how these disciplines intersect with sports and physical fitness. Here are some challenging and intellectually stimulating STEM activities designed for high school learners:

• Physics of Sports Equipment Design: Students research and discuss the physics principles involved in the design of sports equipment. This can include topics like material science, aerodynamics, and ergonomics, providing insights into how equipment is optimized for performance and safety.
• Engineering a Miniature Golf Course: Students design and construct a miniature golf course, applying concepts of geometry, physics, and design. This project not only involves creativity, but a practical application of STEM principles by creating functional and enjoyable mini-golf holes.
• Sports Analytics Project: Students undertake a project to analyze a sports game using statistical methods and tools. This activity introduces them to data science in sports, teaching them how to interpret and use data to understand game strategies and player performance.
• Biotechnology in Athletics: This topic explores how biotechnology is used in sports, from equipment design to performance enhancement techniques. Students might study material innovations, genetic research in athletics, or the ethical implications of biotechnology in sports.
• Environmental Science in Outdoor Sports: Students analyze how environmental factors impact outdoor sports activities. They can study topics like climate change, pollution, and natural terrain, understanding the interplay between sports and the environment.
• Virtual Reality Sports Training: Students explore how VR technology is being used for skill development, strategy training, and injury rehabilitation in various sports by discussing the emerging role of virtual reality in sports.

Bringing STEM into PE classes effectively requires the right resources, including technology tools, educational kits, and comprehensive guides. Resources like the STEM Sports® kits provide ready-to-use activities that seamlessly blend physical education with STEM learning. These kits offer an invaluable resource for teachers looking to enrich their curriculum and engage K-8 students through a cross-curricular learning approach. For additional resources, tools, and innovative ideas, please visit STEM Sports® .

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• 14 Fun Activities for After-School Programs
• For Schools

After-school programs bridge the gap left by conventional education, catering to various learning styles and nurturing creativity in a non-academic setting. By participating in a diverse range of activities, from academic clubs to sports and the arts, children can uncover their passions and talents in an enjoyable and supportive atmosphere. 

These programs not only extend the day but also provide opportunities for personal growth and skill development that may not be fully addressed during regular school hours. 

Let’s explore some exciting activities that can make after-school programs both fun and educational for children of all ages and interests.

STEM Activities  

STEM activities provide an exciting gateway into the world of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. These hands-on experiences not only educate but also inspire curiosity and innovation in young minds.

1. Coding Classes

Introduce children to the basics of coding through user-friendly platforms like Scratch or Python. These classes go beyond simple programming, helping students develop crucial problem-solving skills and logical thinking. As they create their own games, animations, and interactive stories, children gain confidence in their ability to bring ideas to life through technology.

2. Robotics Clubs  

In robotics clubs, students embark on an exciting journey of building and programming their own robots . This immersive experience combines engineering principles with coding skills, allowing children to see their creations come to life. As they work through challenges and refine their designs, students learn valuable lessons in perseverance, teamwork, and creative problem-solving.

3. Science Experiments  

Engage young scientists with captivating experiments like the classic oil and water separation or the surprising floating paper clip. These simple yet fascinating activities spark curiosity about the natural world and introduce fundamental scientific concepts. Through hands-on experimentation, children learn to:

• Hypothesize
• Draw conclusions, 

This helps in developing critical scientific thinking skills.

Arts and Crafts  

Creative activities provide children with a valuable outlet for self-expression while honing their fine motor skills and boosting self-confidence.

1. Painting and Drawing

Offer a variety of painting and drawing projects that allow children to explore different techniques and mediums. From watercolor landscapes to comic book illustrations, these activities encourage children to express their unique perspectives and develop their artistic style. As they experiment with color, form, and composition, students gain a deeper appreciation for visual arts.

2. Jewelry Making

Introduce children to the art of jewelry making, where they can create wearable pieces of art. This activity improves hand-eye coordination and patience as kids work with small beads, wires, and clasps. Beyond technical skills, jewelry making also teaches design principles and allows children to express their personal style, creating pieces they can proudly wear or gift to others.

3. DIY Crafts

Engage children in eco-friendly craft projects using recycled materials. These activities not only spark creativity but also teach valuable lessons about sustainability and resourcefulness. Children can transform everyday items like cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, and old magazines into beautiful and functional creations, learning that art can be both beautiful and environmentally conscious.

Physical Activities  

Physical activities are highly beneficial for children’s health, helping them stay active, build strength, and develop important social skills through teamwork and friendly competition.

1. Traditional Sports  

Organize team sports like basketball, soccer, and volleyball to promote physical fitness and teamwork. These activities help children develop coordination, strategic thinking, and sportsmanship. Through practice and friendly matches, kids learn the value of perseverance, goal-setting, and supporting their teammates—skills that extend far beyond the playing field.

2. Dance Classes

Introduce children to the joy of movement through dance classes like Zumba or hip-hop. These high-energy sessions combine exercise with music, improving cardiovascular health, coordination, and rhythm. Dance classes also boost self-confidence and provide a fun way for children to express themselves creatively while getting a great workout.

3. Gymnastics

Offer gymnastics sessions to help children develop flexibility, strength, and body awareness. Through a series of tumbling exercises, balance beam activities, and floor routines, children improve their physical capabilities while building self-confidence. Gymnastics also teaches important lessons in discipline, focus, and the rewards of consistent practice.

Literature and Drama  

Engaging children in literature and drama activities can significantly enhance their reading comprehension, communication skills, and confidence in public speaking.

1. Book Clubs

Create engaging book clubs where children can explore diverse genres and authors. These clubs go beyond simple reading, encouraging lively discussions that enhance comprehension and critical thinking skills. Through sharing opinions, analyzing characters, and predicting plot twists, children learn to articulate their thoughts clearly and respect different perspectives.

2. Drama Classes  

Introduce children to the world of theater through interactive drama classes . These sessions help boost confidence and improve public speaking abilities through fun exercises, improvisation games, and short play productions. As children step into different roles and bring stories to life, they develop empathy, creativity, and the ability to express emotions effectively.

Music and Performing Arts  

Music and performing arts activities offer children a chance to explore their creative side while developing discipline, patience, and teamwork skills.

1. Instrument Lessons

Provide opportunities for children to learn various musical instruments . Whether it’s piano, guitar, or drums, learning an instrument helps develop discipline, patience, and fine motor skills. As children progress from simple melodies to more complex pieces, they experience the joy of achievement and gain a lifelong appreciation for music.

2. Choir or Band  

Organize choir or band sessions where children can experience the thrill of making music together. These group activities teach important lessons in teamwork and listening skills as students learn to harmonize their voices or instruments. Participating in a musical ensemble also boosts confidence and provides opportunities for public performances, allowing children to showcase their talents.

3. Musical Theater

Combine the excitement of drama, music, and dance in musical theater productions. This comprehensive performing art form allows children to explore various aspects of stage performance. From memorizing lines and songs to designing costumes and sets, musical theater engages multiple skills and fosters creativity. It also teaches children about collaboration, time management, and the satisfaction of bringing a production to life.

After-school programs are essential for providing children with a balanced mix of education, physical activity, and creative expression. By incorporating a variety of fun activities, these programs help children develop important life skills, stay healthy, and enjoy their time in a safe and structured environment. Whether through STEM projects, arts and crafts, sports, or music, there are endless possibilities to keep children engaged and learning long after the school day ends.

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Development of creativity in physical education teachers using interactive technologies: involvement and collaboration

Affiliation.

• 1 Lishui, China Department of Physical Education, School of Teacher Education, Lishui University.
• PMID: 36373051
• PMCID: PMC9638470
• DOI: 10.1007/s10639-022-11422-9

The popularisation of an active lifestyle and sports is a hot topic today. The countries activate the interest of the population in physical culture introducing creative training activities in sports. The research highlights that it is important to develop creative thinking in physical education teachers. Thus, the main research goal is to analyse the influence of interactive technologies used to develop creativity among physical education teachers. The researchers use tablet computers with a video communication function for the experiment. All training sessions were conducted on the Zoom conferencing platform. The training took 6 months. The proposed training included power training, yoga, dance and gymnastics. At every third lesson, three respondents developed and presented their training programme for the rest of the group. Torrens creative thinking test was used to assess the results. The comparison of the training dynamics in men and women (P-value = 0.019 and 0.003, respectively ( p ≤ 0.05)) proves the effectiveness of the proposed training techniques. It means that this technique is effective for sports activities and can be introduced in educational institutions. The scholars recommend using it in schools, universities and other educational institutions.

Keywords: Creative thinking; Interactive technologies; Multimedia education; Physical culture; Sports.

© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2022, Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

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Competing interestsThe authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.

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PE class: It can boost a child's body and mind

by Dennis Thompson

A quality physical education program involves more than just getting kids to move for a set amount of time during the school day, experts say.

PE classes can teach lessons not found in any other classroom, Erika Mundt, a PE teacher at Iowa West City High School in Iowa.

"A successful PE program can literally change the way a school functions as a whole," said Mundt, who was the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) America High School PE Teacher of the Year in 2018.

"PE involves cooperative learning, acceptance of yourself and others, learning to try new things no matter how good you are, communication, and problem-solving," Mundt added in a news release from the National Education Association.

That's not to downplay the need for exercise. Physical activity during the school day is essential for student mental health, Mundt said, particularly following the pandemic.

"I just hope that school districts and administrators take into consideration PE when they are trying to catch up with the pandemic and realize that cutting PE and cutting activity time isn't the way to get students to learn more," Mundt said. "PE is an efficient way to help kids learn more."

Kids learn more and stress less when they take PE, said Cara Grant, president-elect of SHAPE America.

"As young as early elementary school, students discover how physical activity helps them feel better," said Grant, who is PreK-12 curriculum supervisor for health, PE and adapted PE for Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland.

PE classes can provide a chance to check in on kids' emotional health, experts said.

For example, one sample PE lesson for elementary students involves asking the kids to select an emoji that represents how they feel at the beginning and end of class.

Often, kids who selected a sad or tired emoji at the beginning chose a happier or more excited one at the end of class, experts said.

"In younger grades, we ask students, 'Why are we moving? How does that help us when we don't feel great? When you don't feel great but go play at recess, you feel better. How does that apply to why we move?"' Grant said.

And as kids get older, PE classes can become more sophisticated, helping kids learn more about their physical abilities .

Good PE programs should all instill a feeling of confidence and competence in movement, rather than just teaching specific athletic skills, experts said.

"We want students to challenge themselves, and learn about what their bodies are capable of, no matter their ability or background," Grant said. "We want them to explore movement, to feel more successful over time and know that they are growing."

And this benefits mental health because it builds self-confidence , Grant added.

Quality PE programs also promote positive personal and social behaviors, experts said. Students learn how to communicate and resolve conflict—for example, by taking turns or agreeing on the rules of a game.

"I get to teach students valuable skills to stay healthy for lifelong activity," said Jim Hambel, an elementary school PE teacher in the Bronx, N.Y.

In 2022, Hambel's school launched a program for fifth graders in which they built their own bikes, then learned how to ride safely on the road.

The program thus taught children some mechanical ability as well as bike safety, and opened the door to more of them riding their bike to school, Hambel said.

"PE helps students understand by using critical thinking. PE is great at that because we are teaching them how to work with others, be safe and understand the mechanics of skills—the why, the what and the how," Hambel said.

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