An exploration of Early Childhood Education students’ knowledge and preparation to facilitate physical activity for preschoolers: a cross-sectional study

BMC Public Health

Patricia Tucker¹  Olivia JM Martyniuk² 

[1] School of Occupational Therapy, University of Western Ontario, 1201 Western Road, London, Ontario N6G 1H1, Canada;Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada

关键词: Preschool-aged children;    Training;    Early childhood education students;    Physical activity;   

Others  :  1128996
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2458-14-727

 received in 2014-02-13, accepted in 2014-06-26,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

Early childhood educators play an important role in influencing preschoolers’ physical activity levels. The current study sought to explore Early Childhood Education (ECE) students’ physical activity-related knowledge and educational experience during their formal training in Ontario.

Methods

A total of 1,113 ECE students from 20 Ontario Colleges completed the study survey (online or on paper), which examined students’ physical activity course content; awareness of physical activity guidelines; understanding of health-related benefits of physical activity; self-efficacy to facilitate physical activity for preschoolers; self-reported physical activity levels; as well as physical activity-related resource needs. Descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests were used to analyze the quantitative findings.

Results

Survey results identified that 72.1% of ECE students had not completed any physical activity/physical education specific courses, while only 28.7% were familiar with, and 2.0% accurately reported, the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines for the Early Years. Only 10.5% of ECE students reported personal physical activity behaviors consistent with national recommendations for adults (150 minutes/week). ECE students’ mean overall task self-efficacy to facilitate physical activity was 7.37 (SD = 1.64). Self-efficacy was significantly higher (p < .05) when students had taken one or more courses devoted to physical activity/physical education, as well as when students engaged in sufficient physical activity to meet the national guidelines for adults (p < .05).

Conclusions

The results indicate that the current ECE college curriculum represents an excellent opportunity to provide future childcare providers with enriched physical activity-related training and support, such as physical activity guidelines, workshops, and new ideas for activities. Emphasizing the health benefits of physical activity for adults might be important in light of ECE students’ low self-reported physical activity levels.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Martyniuk and Tucker; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 参考文献 】

• [1]Jago R, Baranowski T, Baranowski JC, Thompson D, Greaves KA: BMI from 3–6 y of age is predicted by TV viewing and physical activity, not diet. Int J Obes (Lond) 2005, 29:557-564.
• [2]Goldfield GS, Harvey A, Grattan K, Adamo KB: Physical activity promotion in the preschool years: a critical period to intervene. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2012, 9:1326-1342.
• [3]Pate RR: Physical activity and health: dose–response issues. Res Q Exerc Sport 1995, 66:313-317.
• [4]Warburton DE, Nicol CW, Bredin SS: Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence. CMAJ 2006, 174:801-809.
• [5]Waters E, de Silva-Sanigorski A, Hall BJ, Brown T, Campbell KJ, Gao Y, Armstrong R, Prosser L, Summerbell CD: Interventions for preventing obesity in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2011, 12:CD001871.
• [6]Biddle SJ, Asare M: Physical activity and mental health in children and adolescents: a review of reviews. Br J Sports Med 2011, 45:886-895.
• [7]Bürgi F, Meyer U, Granacher U, Schindler C, Marques-Vidal P, Kriemler S, Puder JJ: Relationship of physical activity with motor skills, aerobic fitness and body fat in preschool children: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study (Ballabeina). Int J Obes (Lond) 2011, 35:937-944.
• [8]Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology: Canadian Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines Handbook. http://www.csep.ca/CMFiles/Guidelines/CSEP_Guidelines_Handbook.pdf webcite
• [9]Ekeland E, Heian F, Hagen KB: Can exercise improve self esteem in children and young people? A systematic review of randomised controlled trials. Br J Sports Med 2005, 39:792-798.
• [10]Janz KF, Burns TL, Torner JC, Levy SM, Paulos R, Willing MC, Warren JJ: Physical activity and bone measures in young children: the Iowa bone development study. Pediatrics 2001, 107:1387-1393.
• [11]Tremblay MS, LeBlanc AG, Carson V, Choquette L, Connor Gorber S, Dillman C, Duggan M, Gordon MJ, Hicks A, Janssen I, Kho ME, Latimer-Cheung AE, LeBlanc C, Murumets K, Okely AD, Reilly JJ, Spence JC, Stearns JA, Timmons BW: Canadian physical activity guidelines for the early years (aged 0–4 years). Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2012, 37:345-369.
• [12]Pate RR, Baranowski T, Dowda M, Trost SG: Tracking of physical activity in young children. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1996, 28:92-96.
• [13]Shields M: Overweight and obesity among children and youth. Health Rep 2006, 7:27-42.
• [14]Griffiths LJ, Hawkins SS: Using the Millenium Cohort Study to Examine Growth and Obesity Across Childhood. Kohort: CLS Cohort Studies Newsletter. London: Institute of Education, University of London; 2009.
• [15]Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Curtin LR, Lamb MM, Flegal KM: Prevalence of high body mass index in US children and adolescents, 2007–2008. JAMA 2010, 303:242-249.
• [16]Wake M, Hardy P, Canterford L, Sawyer M, Carlin JB: Overweight, obesity and girth of Australian preschoolers: prevalence and socio-economic correlates. Int J Obes (Lond) 2007, 31:1044-1051.
• [17]Malina RM: Tracking of physical activity and physical fitness across the lifespan. Res Q Exerc Sport 1996, 67(Suppl 3):48-57.
• [18]Daniels SR: The consequences of childhood overweight and obesity. Future Child 2006, 16:47-67.
• [19]Morrison K, Chanoine J: Clinical evaluation of obese children and adolescents. Can Med Assoc J 2007, 176(Suppl 8):45-49.
• [20]Bower JK, Hales DP, Tate DF, Rubin DA, Benjamin SE, Ward DS: The childcare environment and children’s physical activity. Am J Prev Med 2008, 34:23-29.
• [21]Chow F, Humbert L: Physical activity and nutrition in early years care centres: barriers and facilitators. Future Child 2011, 36:26-31.
• [22]Brown WH, Pfeiffer KA, McIver KL, Dowda M, Addy CL, Pate RR: Social and environmental factors associated with preschoolers’ nonsedentary physical activity. Child Dev 2009, 80:45-58.
• [23]Pate RR, Pfeiffer KA, Trost SG, Ziegler P, Dowda M: Physical activity among children attending preschools. Pediatrics 2004, 114:1258-1263.
• [24]Pate RR, McIver K, Dowda M, Brown W, Addy C: Directly observed physical activity levels in preschool children. J Sch Health 2008, 78:438-444.
• [25]Reilly JJ: Low levels of objectively measured physical activity in preschoolers in child care. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2010, 42:502-507.
• [26]Temple VA, Naylor PJ, Rhodes RE, Higgins JW: Physical activity of children in family child care. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2009, 34:794-798.
• [27]Vanderloo LM, Tucker P, Johnson AM, van Zandvoort MM, Burke SM, Irwin JD: The influence of centre-based childcare on preschoolers’ physical activity levels: A cross-sectional study. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2014, 11:1794-1802.
• [28]Bushnik T: Child care in Canada. http://publications.gc.ca/Collection/Statcan/89-599-MIE/89-599-MIE2006003.pdf webcite
• [29]Tandon PS, Garrison MM, Christakis DA: Physical activity and beverages in home- and center-based child care programs. J Nutr Educ Behav 2012, 44:355-359.
• [30]McWilliams C, Ball SC, Benjamin SE, Hales D, Vaughn A, Ward DS: Best-practice guidelines for physical activity at child care. Pediatrics 2009, 124:1650-1659.
• [31]Dowda M, Pate RR, Trost SG, Almeida MJCA, Sirard JR: Influences of preschool policies and practices on children’s physical activity. J Community Health 2004, 29:183-196.
• [32]Copeland KA, Kendeigh CA, Saelens BE, Kalkwarf HJ, Sherman SN: Physical activity in child-care centers: do teachers hold the key to the playground? Health Educ Res 2012, 27:81-100.
• [33]Robinson LE, Webster EK, Logan SW, Lucas WA, Barber LT: Teaching practices that promote motor skills in early childhood settings. Early Child Educ J 2012, 40:79-86.
• [34]Derscheid LE, Umoren J, Kim SY, Henry BW, Zittel LL: Early childhood teachers’ and staff members’ perceptions of nutrition and physical activity practices for preschoolers. J Res Child Educ 2010, 24:248-265.
• [35]Brown WH, Googe HS, McIver KL, Rathel JM: Effects of teacher-encouraged physical activity on preschool playgrounds. J Early Interv 2009, 31:126-145.
• [36]Gubbels JS, Kremers SP, van Kann DH, Stafleu A, Candel MJ, Dagnelie PC, Thijs C, de Vries NK: Interaction between physical environment, social environment, and child characteristics in determining physical activity at child care. Health Psychol 2011, 30:84-90.
• [37]Brown WH, Pfeiffer KA, Mclver KL, Dowda M, Almeida MJ, Pate RR: Assessing preschool children’s physical activity: the observational system for recording physical activity in children-preschool version. Res Q Exerc Sport 2006, 77:167-176.
• [38]Temple VA, O’Connor JP: Fostering physical activity for children in child care. In International Education Research Conference AARE-NZARE. Victoria: Australian Association for Research in Education; 2003.
• [39]Larson N, Ward DS, Neelon SB, Story M: What role can child-care settings play in obesity prevention? A review of the evidence and call for research efforts. J Am Diet Assoc 2011, 111:1343-1362.
• [40]Obeng CS: Physical activity lessons in preschools. J Res Child Educ 2009, 24:50-59.
• [41]Fees B, Trost S, Bopp M, Dzewaltowski D: Physical activity programming in family child care homes: providers’ perceptions of practices and barriers. J Nutr Educ Behav 2009, 41:268-273.
• [42]Tucker P, van Zandvoort MM, Burke SM, Irwin JD: Physical activity at daycare: childcare providers’ perspectives for improvements. J Res Child Educ 2011, 9:207-219.
• [43]Gordon ES, Tucker P, Burke SM, Carron AV: The effectiveness of physical activity interventions for preschoolers: a meta-analysis. Res Q Exerc Sport 2013, 84:287-294.
• [44]Bellows LL, Davies PL, Anderson J, Kennedy C: Effectiveness of a physical activity intervention for Head Start preschoolers: a randomized intervention study. Am J Occup Ther 2013, 67:28-36.
• [45]Dunn-Carver M, Pope L, Dana G, Dorwaldt A, Flynn B, Bunn J, Harvey-Berino J: Evaluation of a teacher-led physical activity curriculum to increase preschooler physical activity. Open J Prev Med 2013, 3:141-147.
• [46]Jones RA, Riethmuller A, Hesketh K, Trezise J, Batterham M, Okely AD: Promoting fundamental movement skill development and physical activity in early childhood settings: a cluster randomized controlled trial. Pediatr Exerc Sci 2011, 23:600-615.
• [47]National Association for Sport and Physical Education: Appropriate Practices in Movement Programs for Children Ages 3–5. Reston; 2009.
• [48]Bandura A: Guide for constructing self-efficacy scales. In Self-Efficacy Beliefs of Adolescents. 5th edition. Edited by Pajares F, Urdan T. USA: Information Age Publishing, Inc; 1997:307-337.
• [49]Ward D, Hales D, Haverly K, Marks J, Benjamin S, Ball S, Trost S: An instrument to assess the obesogenic environment of child care centers. Am J Health Behav 2008, 32:380-386.
• [50]Service Ontario: Day Nurseries Act R.R.O. 1990, REGULATION 262. http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_900262_e.htm webcite
• [51]Active Healthy Kids Canada: Is Active Play Extinct? The Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth. Toronto; 2012.
• [52]Patton MQ: Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods. London: Sage Publications; 2002.
• [53]Miller W, Crabtree B: Clinical research: a multi-method typology and qualitative roadmap. In Doing Qualitative Research. 2nd edition. Edited by Crabtree B, Miller W. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications; 1999:3-30.
• [54]Lincoln Y, Guba E: Naturalistic Inquiry. Beverly Hills, California: Sage Publications, Inc.; 1985.
• [55]Kim J, Shim JE, Wiley AR, Kim K, McBride BA: Is there a difference between center and home care providers’ training, perceptions, and practices related to obesity prevention? Matern Child Health J 2012, 16:1559-1566.
• [56]Wolfenden L, Neve M, Farrell L, Lecathelinais C, Bell C, Milat A, Wiggers J, Sutherland R: Physical activity policies and practices of childcare centres in Australia. J Paediatr Child Health 2011, 47:73-76.
• [57]Van Cauwenberghe E, De Craemer M, De Decker E, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Cardon G: The impact of a teacher-led structured physical activity session on preschoolers’ sedentary and physical activity levels. J Sci Med Sport 2013, 16:422-426.
• [58]Vanderloo LM, Tucker P, Ismail A, van Zandvroort MM: Physical activity opportunities in Canadian childcare facilities: a provincial/territorial review of legislation. J Phys Act Health 2012, 9:461-472.
• [59]Simpson KB, Tucker P, van Zandvoort MM: Fit to teach physical education? PHENex J 2011, 3:1-9.
• [60]O’Connor JP, Temple VA: Constraints and facilitators for physical activity in family day care. AJEC 2005, 30:1-9.