Mathias Brekke Mandelid

Background: Despite growing acceptance of integrating physically active learning (PAL) into schools, challenges remain regarding sustaining the results obtained in controlled experiments beyond the formal program. This study addresses this gap by exploring how in-service teacher training can be structured to support the sustained implementation of PAL. Methods: We adopted an international multi-stakeholder perspective and recruited teachers ( n = 6), teacher educators ( n = 6), and researchers ( n = 6) to participate in online semi-structured interviews. All 18 stakeholders were recruited based on their expertise in PAL. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: We identified two overarching themes: (A) the process of gradual growth and (B) building a whole-school PAL culture. The first theme illustrates teachers’ gradual PAL growth through i) onboarding, ii) starting simple, and iii) building towards advanced practice. The second theme revolves around building a whole-school PAL culture and encompasses the process of sustaining PAL through (i) school and national policy and (ii) developing a PAL culture. Conclusions: Based on these themes, we developed a conceptual framework as a visual representation of the results structured around the phases of onboarding, starting simple, advanced practice, and building a whole-school PAL culture. The framework indicates that PAL teacher training is a comprehensive process that occurs in a synergistic relationship between teachers’ individual and collective agency to implement and sustain PAL in schools. This study and the proposed conceptual framework may help advance the implementation and sustainability of future PAL initiatives. However, the framework represents an interpretative synthesis of stakeholder perspectives and requires further empirical testing across educational contexts.

This article explores lower secondary school pupils' perceptions of physically active learning (PAL). Specifically, we explore what educational purposes 12 Norwegian 9th graders perceive PAL contributes to. Five lessons with PAL were observed and informed three subsequent focus groups. Drawing on an abductive, reflexive thematic analysis, we examine how pupils articulate their experiences across activities. We use Gert Biesta's conceptualisations of qualification, subjectification and socialisation as an analytical lens to interpret the educational purposes pupils attribute to PAL. Our findings indicate that pupils primarily perceive PAL in relation to qualification, particularly in terms of engagement with subject content. However, what makes these experiences meaningful is closely linked to collaboration, participation and opportunities to engage in different ways, which can be interpreted in relation to socialisation and subjectification. Importantly, pupils' perceptions are shaped not by movement alone, but by how PAL is structured and enacted in context. These findings contribute to ongoing discussions about the educational purposes of PAL and suggest a need to reconsider the concept to better capture the broader educational experiences that pupils value.

In the ever-evolving field of physically active learning, a growing body of research has drawn attention to the difficulties of translating research findings into sustainable practices in school. One reason for this may be that the field has been research-led and primarily underpinned by health discourses. To overcome these challenges, some researchers have proposed the reframing of physically active learning as movement-centred pedagogy. However, although movement-centred pedagogy was first introduced as a more holistic term envisioned to encompass broader movement, pedagogy, and educational purposes, there is still a need to frame the reframing. This article thus explores the empirical and theoretical foundations for moving from physically active learning to movement-centred pedagogy. Based on three aspects: (1) the research case, (2) the educational case, and (3) the agency case, the article proposes that movement-centred pedagogy can represent a more empirically neutral term with potential to extend the field's theoretical foundation and create a more coherent combination and synthesis of health and educational disciplines in schools. Based on this, the article proposes defining movement-centred pedagogy as the utilisation of movement in educational activities to support pupils' growth through the process of learning . The article discusses the term movement-centred pedagogy and its contribution as well as its limitations to the field.

Physical activity (PA) should be an essential part of all children’s lives, as it can promote physical and mental health, enhance general well-being, and positively impact learning outcomes. Schools offer an ideal setting to encourage physical activity during the school day, as nearly all children attend school. However, schools present a complex environment for implementing PA, and sedentary behavior is common in classroom teaching. This study explores the feasibility of two types of school-based physical activity interventions: one based on research in exercise and cognition (Run, Jump & Fun) and another grounded in embodied learning (Move & Learn). Run, Jump & Fun can be conceptualized as extra non-curricular physical activity implemented into the school day while Move & Learn is integrated into curricular time. The 8-week study involved third-grade students and their teachers from seven schools, with educational strategies applied to support adoption. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected before, during, and after the 8-week period. The results indicated that both interventions were feasible to implement, leading to a series of recommendations for further refinement. These recommendations can guide the development of future school-based PA interventions and inspire other researchers to assess and improve their implementation strategies.

In 2018, the Centre for Physical Active Learning (SEFAL) designed a comprehensive one-year workplace-based continuous professional development (CPD) program for in-service teachers in Norway. The CPD program aimed to enhance the pedagogical feasibility of integrating physically active learning (PAL) within all theoretical subjects by advancing teachers’ competence. This article provides an overview of the SEFAL CPD program’s conceptual framework and design. Although the article does not provide an independent evaluation of the framework, we discuss it based on our continual development during the period from 2018 to 2023, during which 1,363 teachers from 77 schools participated. As the framework continues to inform the SEFAL CPD, the article concludes by identifying prospective directions and potential avenues for further refinement and utilisation of this and similar programs.