Development, Feasibility, and Acceptability of Aim to Play, a User-Friendly Digital Application for Teacher Skills Training and Physical Education Activities for 3-5 Grade Elementary Students
Saavsus, Inc.
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the newly developed Pocket PE 3-5 app, designed for use by teachers of 3rd-, 4th-, and 5th-grade students. Researchers will compare teachers and students in classrooms using the Pocket PE app with those in classrooms not using the app. The main question it aims to answer is: • Does the use of the Pocket PE 3-5 app improve classroom teacher PE self-efficacy and high-quality PE teaching behaviors, and promote students' moderate-to-vigorous physical activity participation in PE, as well as PE enjoyment and self-efficacy, compared to teachers who do not use Pocket PE 3-5? Participants will: * Randomly use Pocket PE 3-5 (12 intervention schools) for at least one PE class weekly, or not (12 control schools), for 12 consecutive weeks during the 2025/26 school year. * Teachers will complete short surveys at 0 weeks (pre), 6 weeks (mid), and 13 weeks (post). Teachers in the intervention condition will complete a longer survey at 13 weeks (post-intervention) to provide feedback on the Pocket PE app. A random sub-sample of teachers in the intervention condition will be asked to participate in an exit interview to give additional input on Pocket PE 3-5 after the intervention has been completed. * Students will complete brief surveys after PE classes at pre, mid, and post, and will wear wrist heart rate monitors during observed PE classes at these timepoints to measure their physical activity during PE. We will also evaluate the level of implementation of Pocket PE 3-5 among teachers via class observations and objective data collected by the app.
Description
Childhood physical inactivity is associated with a myriad of preventable health inequities among children, including greater prevalence and more severe childhood obesity, poorer cardiovascular and bone health, and lower levels of cognitive functioning, mental health, and self-esteem. While 43 states currently have laws mandating elementary school physical education (PE) to promote student public health objectives, most students do not achieve adequate PE participation because teachers (both PE certified and regular classroom teachers or paraprofessionals who teach PE) have limited or no access…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 7+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria for teachers: * A 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade teacher at a participating school responsible for teaching PE at least one time a week; * Able to read and understand English; * Willing to use Pocket PE to facilitate their PE class instruction for 12 weeks; * Be able to understand the study and consent to participate Inclusion Criteria for students: * A 3rd, 4th, or 5th grader enrolled in a participating class in a participating school; * Able to read and understand English; * Able to understand the study and assent to participation; Exclusion Criteria: * None
Interventions
- BehavioralDigital PE teaching app
Pocket PE 3-5 is a digital app designed for 3rd - 5th grade teachers and students. It works across common platforms and devices, online and offline, and provides simple, easy to use, standards-based PE lesson activities tailored by time, instructional setting (classroom, gym, outside), grade, student skill level, and equipment resources. The app is low-cost and includes brief teacher and student skill demonstration videos for each activity, along with printable activity cards, music, and audio cues to signal transitions to assist teachers in class management with students in real time during PE. The program also includes embedded data tracking of PE minutes and completed instructional standards to assist with school and/or state mandated reporting.
Locations (2)
- Saavsus, Inc.Eugene, Oregon
- Oregon Research InstituteSpringfield, Oregon