The Walking Classroom -- improving retention, engagement, mood, physical activity, and health literacy

Format

Individual Presentation

First Presenter's Institution

The Walking Classroom Institute

First Presenter’s Email Address

Debra@TheWalkingClassroom.org

First Presenter's Brief Biography

Debra Ives is the Executive Director at The Walking Classroom Institute where she has been for almost 10 years. While at the nonprofit, she has overseen the growth in program reach to all 50 states with over 2,500 teachers currently using the program with upwards of 75,000 children each year.

Location

Session Three Breakouts

Strand #1

Health: Mental & Physical Health

Strand #2

Heart: Social & Emotional Skills

Relevance

Use of The Walking Classroom adds 20 minutes of physical activity to a child’s day. And, research has proven that kids who get exercise are more likely to experience improved mood and ability to concentrate. The podcasts each include a brief health literacy message with research indicating that kids retain these messages after using the program for a school year. There is also a character value woven throughout each podcast with discussion questions provided about that character value. This provides a great opportunity to discuss the value as it relates to the podcast content with an opportunity for a child to reflect on her own life experience, if she feels comfortable doing so. Some of the most powerful feedback we get relates to the way students absorb the health literacy messages, and process and discuss the character values.

Brief Program Description

Walking while listening to educational podcasts is a powerful, engaging, screen-free experience for students that capitalizes on the favorable link between exercise and cognitive function. This approach is great for all students and is particularly effective for those with learning differences, reading problems and attention challenges. Attendees will learn about the Walking Classroom program, and results of UNC Chapel Hill research assessments.

Summary

Walking while listening to educational podcasts is a powerful, engaging, screen-free experience for students. The Walking Classroom capitalizes on the favorable link between exercise and cognitive function. Students walk while listening to the same standards-aligned, kid-friendly podcast on topics including language arts, social studies and science. This approach is great for all students and is particularly effective for those with learning differences, reading problems and attention challenges. Walking while listening to podcasts is something that most adults can understand and appreciate. Putting this approach to work in a school or out-of-school time setting has many demonstrated benefits including stronger student engagement, improved retention of information, better behavior, and opportunities for ALL students to participate in post walk discussions, no matter what their reading ability. Consistent use of The Walking Classroom also results in improved health literacy (there is a health message at the beginning of each podcast), and an opportunity for social emotional learning as there is a character value exemplified in each podcast with relevant discussion questions provided. Attendees will learn about the many benefits of listening to podcasts while walking, the research that supports this approach to learning, and results of recent UNC Chapel Hill research assessments. Attendees will also be able to go for a walk listening to a podcast during the session and afterwards will have access to an app that provides 25 complimentary podcasts.

Evidence

During the Spring of 2018, Dr. Erianne Weight, Ph. D., and a team of researchers from UNC Chapel Hill conducted a classroom testing research study of The Walking Classroom. The purpose of the study was to test the impact of learning during physical activity on student short-term and long-term learning retention, cognitive performance, mood, and attitudes toward learning. About 320 4th and 5th grade students in four schools in North Carolina completed a series of measures over four testing periods to assess learning, mood, cognitive performance, and attitudes toward learning. The testing was gathered at baseline (one week prior to podcasts), post walking and listening to podcasts, post sitting and listening to podcasts, and one week after the podcasts were delivered (to measure learning retention). The researchers concluded that students demonstrated significantly higher levels of learning while walking and listening to podcasts versus levels of learning when sitting while listening to podcasts, both in short-term and long-term retention. Walking improves student mood with all positive-affect markers increased after walking and listening to podcasts. And, importantly, students reported feeling happy, healthy, educated, smart and excited WHILE walking, and strong, relaxed, energized, happy and alert AFTER walking. In addition, in 2019, the UNC team also conducted a study to assess the impact on student health literacy and physical activity before and after a full school year of using The Walking Classroom. The research team evaluated pre-test and post-test health quiz data from over 1,000 students who used The Walking Classroom program for a full school year This study confirmed that students demonstrate significantly higher levels of health literacy and increased overall physical activity.

Learning Objective 1

Attendees will learn about the beneficial link between exercise and cognitive function

Learning Objective 2

Presenter will share data from two UNC-Chapel Hill studies of the effectiveness of listening to podcasts while walking and the demonstrated improvements in health literacy

Learning Objective 3

Attendees will learn about how this screen-free experience can be implemented in a variety of school settings including virtual, hybrid and socially distanced in-person environments.

Keyword Descriptors

Educational Podcasts, SEL, Health Literacy, Physical Activity, Student Engagement, Teacher Professional Development

Presentation Year

2022

Start Date

3-7-2022 2:45 PM

End Date

3-7-2022 4:00 PM

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Mar 7th, 2:45 PM Mar 7th, 4:00 PM

The Walking Classroom -- improving retention, engagement, mood, physical activity, and health literacy

Session Three Breakouts

Walking while listening to educational podcasts is a powerful, engaging, screen-free experience for students that capitalizes on the favorable link between exercise and cognitive function. This approach is great for all students and is particularly effective for those with learning differences, reading problems and attention challenges. Attendees will learn about the Walking Classroom program, and results of UNC Chapel Hill research assessments.