In the course of a sponsored project, the Professorship for Sport and Health Didactics examines the activity behavior of elementary school children. "The question is, whether, and when yes, what influence does a full-time school have on the activity behavior of elementary school children," explains Prof. Dr. Filip Mess, a professor for Sport and Health Didactics at the Department of Sports and Health sciences of the TU München. The project is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture of Baden-Württemberg in the years 2016 and 2017 with a total endowment of 54,000 euros.
Prof. Mess: "Full-Time School is Associated with Both a Chance and a Risk"
In Germany, full-time schools have been becoming ever more popular. This trend is already the case for elementary schools. By 2023, 70 percent of the primary schools in Baden-Württemberg will have been converted. However, what effect will this have on the movement behavior of children? Will they be more or less active? "The development of full-time schools is initially both a chance and a risk at the same time. A chance, because more sport and exercise activities can be created for the children and they then reach the whole class. Also those who are socially disadvantaged, who are generally less physically active," explains Prof. Mess. The risk, however, is that no further offers are presented and the time spent sitting is prolonged so that, at the same time, sports clubs are taken advantage of less frequently since the children only come home later, as Mess explains further.
Study with a Movement Diary, Activity Questionnaire and Accelerometer
In order to answer this question, a study has been conceived in cooperation with the state of Baden-Württemberg. Germany-wide, a great deal of theoretical, but hardly any empirical knowledge has been obtained to date on this topic. In the course of this project, starting early in the summer of 2016, one-week tests will be carried out at elementary schools. These schools have not yet offered full-time schooling to date, although this will begin with the 2016/17 school year. "We will examine the students in the first, second and third classes. A movement diary and an activity questionnaire will be filled out by the students together with their parents, while, on the other hand, a measurement of the actual movement will be recorded using an accelerometer," explains Mess. In total, 600 - 800 students are to be examined.
As a comparative dimension, the measurement will be repeated in the spring of 2017. This will be carried out with a first, second, third and fourth class. "Through this study design, we will then be able to perform a longitudinal investigation and be able to see to what extent the activity behavior has changed through the full-time schooling - that is, identical students with those who are then one class higher. On the other hand, we will also be able to compare classes with one another, such as the first class in the year 2016 with that in the year 2017," according to Mess.
The results of the first measurements are to be published in the fall of 2016. Comparative data will be available by the end of 2017 and then published together with the recommendations for full-time schooling - so that the children in the full-time school will not only be "moved" by way of that which they have learned.
Homepage of the Chair for Sport and Health Didactics
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Filip Mess
Professur für Sport- und Gesundheitsdidaktik
Department for Sport and Health Sciences
Uptown Munich, Campus D Georg-Brauchle Ring 60/62
80992 Munich
Telephone: 089 289 24521
Email: Filip.Mess(at)tum.de
Photo: TUM