TO: Dr. Scott Abbott, Dr. Mark Borchelt, Dr. Bret H. Boyr, Dr. Mark Jeffries
FROM: Sarah Dickison
DATE: April 25, 2011
SUBJECT: Proposal to complete a research project on the topic of movement and its affect on cognitive development in children.
Statement of Thesis and Project Summary
This project will explore the way that certain movement patterns positively affect cognitive development in children. The purpose of this project is to bring awareness to the lack of physical activity in the average elementary school setting and promote this by emphasizing its affects on educational development. By researching studies that have been done about the correlation between physical activity and cognitive development I will be able to later defend the physical activity programs I intend to propose.
In order to complete this project I will initially be focusing my attention on how physical activity in general promotes cognitive development in children (primarily between the ages of 6 and 13). This will be the focus of my thesis paper and will legitimize my later developmental movement activities. I will acquire this information by examining research studies and scholarly literature. My main focus in this research will be examples of how an increase in physical activity is directly related to an increase in cognitive capabilities of young children.
When researching the affects of physical activity on cognitive development, I will be comparing data that supports my belief that physical activity enhances cognitive development with materials that contradict my belief. The idea that physical activity promotes cognitive development builds off of both my Physical Education emphasis and my Dance emphasis. This work is a stepping stone on the way to viewing Dance and Physical Education as legitimate teaching tools.
My final project will consist of a paper on the affects of physical activity on cognitive development and a website with ideas, information, and videos on how to incorporate physical activity into daily living. This project will both introduce the idea that physical education helps cognitive development, and give examples of how to incorporate well rounded physical activity into young children’s daily schedules. By approaching this project from these two different points, I will not only raise understanding, but also implementation of physical activity.
Review of Literature
The first article that stirred my interest in the idea that movement enhances cognitive ability was entitled “Facilitating Preschool Learning and Movement through Dance” by Riolama Lorenzo-Lasa, Roger I Ideishai, and Siobhan K Ideishi. This article shows how physical activity has been shown to help Preschool-aged children. Many Preschools have adopted more movement-oriented learning experiences into their curriculum and it has proven beneficial. The next step is to move this movement-oriented approach into the grade schools. This article also intrigued me because while one of the authors was a dancer, another author was a scientist.
Another article that I intend to use in my project is “Why we should not cut PE” by Stewart G. Trost and Hans van der Mars. These authors have not only written many other articles revolving around the same topic, but have also been cited in many of the other scholarly materials that I have looked into while researching this topic. This article focuses on actual research studies that have pointed to the idea that physical education is beneficial to the development of cognitive functioning in young children. This article is helpful because it gives “black and white” information in support of my proposal.
The article that encouraged me to provide different approaches to movement for different children was “Learning games through understanding: New jobs for students!” by J.-F. Gréhaigne, P. Godbout & D. Caty. These authors were very creative in their approach to movement. This article shows how through games and sport children can acquire new learning skills.
Another article that was pivotal to my research was “Relationship between Academic Learning Time in Physical Education and Skill Concepts Acquisition and Retention ” by Vassiliki Derri, Kyriaki Emmanouilidou, Olga Vassiliadou, George Tzetzis, and Efthimis Kioumourtzoglou. These authors were very good at bringing in both "sides" of the research into their explanation. This was an article that seemed to both support and attack my theories on physical activity and cognition.
Another resource that I am going to use for my project is Debra Viadero’s article “Exercise Seen as Priming Pump For Students' Academic Strides”. I see Debra Viadero as being a credible source for my research because she has a lot of experience with controversial topics and education (she is an assistant managing editor for Education Week). This article tells about studies where quality physical activity programs have been shown to increase cognition in children.
“Quality Physical Education: Why the Sport Requirement Can't Do It Alone” by Amanda D. (Stewart) Stanec and Eric Lay is another article that I plan to use in the defense of individualized activity programs. Amanda D. (Stewart) Stanec is the author of many other articles relating to similar topics (such as testing in schools through Physical Education). This article focuses on how when physical activity is only approached through sport, some people feel uncomfortable or left out. This is the reason that I am offering movement experiences through not only sport, but also games and creative movement.
In the article “Children's Health & Academic Performance: Elevating Physical Education's Role in Schools” by B. Sibley and G. C. LeMasurier, four specific studies are described. These four studies have shown how physical activity can improve cognitive development. I plan to dig into each of these studies in depth with future articles.
The remainder of the articles that I will be listing on my bibliography have been primarily used to further my own understanding of the topic. As I continue in my research, I plan to find many other sources that are relevant to my study.
Preliminary Outline
1. Introduction and presentation of thesis.
2. Why physical activity?
a. Current role of physical education in elementary schools.
b. Percentage of physical activity done outside of school.
3. Physical activity’s role on cognition.
a. Viewpoints of various authors.
b. Studies that show link between PA and cognition.
4. What we can do?
a. Examples of how to incorporate movement through sport, game, or creative movement.
b. Information on activity planning website.
5. Conclusion
Proposed Timeline
I will be deferring for a semester while my husband and I live in St George so I will not be taking Capstone 2 until January 2012.This schedule will probably evolve as I am going through the next few months.
-In-depth outline of paper………………………………………...............5/25
-Extremely rough draft 1 …………………………………………………..7/20
-Additional research completed …………………………………………..9/30
-Rough draft 2………………………………………………………………10/18
-Proofreading/editing……………………………………………………….11/10
-Begin brainstorming ideas for the movement website…………………11/10
-Rough draft 3……………………………………………………………….12/24
-Turn in 3rd rough draft to advisors for their opinions……………………1/16
-Rough draft 4 with implementation of advisors suggestions………......2/11
-Turn in rough draft 4 to advisors for additional revision suggestions…2/14
-Begin setting up the movement website…………………………………2/15
-Contact some “movers” to demonstrate ideas I
would like portrayed on the website………………………………………2/21
-Revise paper 5th time……………………………………………………….3/8
-Turn paper in to professors and see where it
stands (additional work decided from there)……………………………..3/9
-Film “movers” and integrate movement activity videos
onto the website…………………………………………………………….3/22
-Collect ideas from other sources about possible games,
sport, or creative movement activities…………………………………...3/24
-Organize website…………………………………………………………...3/26
-Contact advisors about where to take the website from there………...3/28
Works Cited
Derri, Vassiliki, Kyriaki Emmanouilidou, Olga Vassiliadou, George Tzetzis, and Efthimis Kioumourtzoglou. "Relationship between Academic Learning Time in Physical Education (ALT-PE) and Skill Concepts Acquisition and Retention." Physical Educator (2008): n. pag. Web.
Gréhaigne, J. F., P. Godbout, and D. Caty. "Learning games through understanding: New jobs for students! ." Int J Phys Edu (2009): n. pag. Web.
Lorenzo-Lasa, Riolama, Roger I Ideishi, and Siobhan K Ideishi. " Facilitating Preschool Learning and Movement through Dance." entity from which ERIC acquires the content, including journal, organization, and conference names, or by means of online submission from the author. Early Childhood Education Journal (2007): n. pag. Web.
Sibley, B, and G. C LeMasurier. "Children's Health & Academic Performance: Elevating Physical Education's Role in Schools." International Journal of Physical Education (2008): n. pag. Web.
(Stewart) Stanec, Amanda D., and Eric Lay. "Quality Physical Education: Why the Sport Requirement Can't Do It Alone ." Independent School (2008): n. pag. Web.
Trost, Stewart G., and Hans van der Mars. " Why We Should Not Cut P.E.." Educational Leadership (2010): n. pag. Web.
Viadero, Debra. "Exercise Seen as Priming Pump For Students' Academic Strides." Education Week (2008): n. pag. Web.
Annotated Bibliography
Bailey, Richard. "Physical Education and Sport in Schools: A Review of Benefits and Outcomes." Journal of School Health (2006): n. pag. Web.
-This article looks into the “pros” and “cons” of current physical education in the school system. This article also explores ways that physical education in schools could be improved.
Coe, Dawn, James Pivarnik, Christopher Womack, Mathew Reeves, and Robert Malina. "Effect of Physical Education and Activity Levels on Academic Achievement in Children." Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (2006): n. pag. Web.
-This article is a review of a study done to see how physical education affects cognitive development in 6th-grade students.
Derri, Vassiliki, Kyriaki Emmanouilidou, Olga Vassiliadou, George Tzetzis, and Efthimis Kioumourtzoglou. "Relationship between Academic Learning Time in Physical Education (ALT-PE) and Skill Concepts Acquisition and Retention." Physical Educator (2008): n. pag. Web.
-This article both seems to support and attack the ideas of my other articles. These authors were very good at bringing in both "sides" of the research into their experiment.
Gréhaigne, J. F., P. Godbout, and D. Caty. "Learning games through understanding: New jobs for students! ." Int J Phys Edu (2009): n. pag. Web.
- This article shows how through games and sport children can acquire new learning skills. These authors are very creative in their approach to movement and learning.
Hall, Erin. "Integration: Helping to Get Our Kids Moving and Learning." Physical Educator (2007): n. pag. Web.
-This article gives specific examples about how integration of physical activity and teaching increase cognitive development.
Lorenzo-Lasa, Riolama, Roger I Ideishi, and Siobhan K Ideishi. " Facilitating Preschool Learning and Movement through Dance." entity from which ERIC acquires the content, including journal, organization, and conference names, or by means of online submission from the author. Early Childhood Education Journal (2007): n. pag. Web.
-This article shows how physical activity has been shown to help Preschool-aged children. Many Preschools have adopted more movement-oriented learning experiences into their curriculum and it has proven beneficial. The reason that I like the views of these authors is because while one of them is a dancer, another is a scientist.
Mohr, Derek, Scott Townsend, and Tony Pritchard. "Rethinking Middle School Physical Education: Combining Lifetime Leisure Activities and Sport Education to Encourage Physical Activity." Physical Educator (2006): n. pag. Web.
-This article describes how by approaching physical activity in a different way, teachers are able to appeal to the interests of more students and encourage lifetime physical habits.
Shen, Bo, and Chen Guan. "Using Achievement Goals and Interest to Predict Learning in Physical Education." Journal of Experimental Education (2007): n. pag. Web.
-This article focuses on the idea that physical activity and motor skill ability directly relate to academic achievement goals.
Peternelj, B, and B Skof J. Strel. " Differences between Slovenian Pupils Attending Sport Class and Those Attending a Regular School Programme." International Journal of Physical Education (2008): n. pag. Web.
- This article shows statistical data collected from several studies done on school children. The main body of the article focuses on how children who took physical activity related classes along with schoolwork compared to children who didn’t take physical activity related classes along with their schoolwork.
Sibley, B, and G. C LeMasurier. "Children's Health & Academic Performance: Elevating Physical Education's Role in Schools." International Journal of Physical Education (2008): n. pag. Web.
-This article tells about four specific studies that have shown how physical activity can improve cognitive development. I plan to go into each of these studies in depth with future articles. G. C. LeMasurier has written many articles from a movement analyst’s perspective.
Tremarche, Pamela, Ellyn Robinson, and Louise Graham. "Physical Education and its Effect on Elementary Testing Results." Physical Educator (2007): n. pag. Web.
-This article reports on a study done on the affect that physical activity played on one school’s standardized test scores.
Simpson, Cynthia, Mark Gaus, Mary Jo Garcia Biggs, and James Williams Jr. " Physical Education and Implications for Students with Asperger’s Syndrome." Teach Except Child (2010): n. pag. Web.
-What I focused on most in this article were the lists for “Instructional Implications of Emotional and Behavioral Characteristics” and “Instructional Implications for Physical and Gross Motor Development” because I think that they not only apply to children with AS, but with children in general. One of the reasons that this article interested me was because one of the authors has AS and had a difficult time with physical activity. He provides what he thought would have been beneficial to him as a student.
(Stewart) Stanec, Amanda D., and Eric Lay. "Quality Physical Education: Why the Sport Requirement Can't Do It Alone ." Independent School (2008): n. pag. Web.
- This article focuses on how when physical activity is only approached through sport, some people feel uncomfortable or are left out. This is the reason that I am offering movement experiences through not only sport, but also games and creative movement
Trost, Stewart G., and Hans van der Mars. " Why We Should Not Cut P.E.." Educational Leadership (2010): n. pag. Web.
- This article helps to demonstrate how movement is an important part of the learning process. This author has written many similar papers and is cited in many of the articles that I have come across in my research.
Viadero, Debra. "Exercise Seen as Priming Pump For Students' Academic Strides." Education Week (2008): n. pag. Web.
- This article tells about studies where quality physical activity programs have been shown to increase cognition in children. I see Debra Viadero as being a credible source for my research because she has a lot of experience with controversial topics and education as an assistant managing editor for Education Week.
