Assessing the Feasibility and Effect of Co-designing High-Intensity Interval Training with Students and Teachers

This study includes a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) intervention during health and physical education (HPE) class using HIIT workouts co-designed by students, teachers, and researchers. Most school-based HIIT interventions have had little to no input from end-users on the HIIT workouts (e.g., included exercises and interval lengths) used in the intervention. Using self-determination theory to guide the creation of the HIIT workouts, we aim to increase the autonomy, competence, and relatedness students feel while completing these workouts by involving them as co-designers. We are also interested in the effect of the co-designed workouts on several outcomes. There are three arms: 1) Co-designers - involved in the creation of the HIIT workouts and partake in HIIT workouts during the intervention 2) HIIT only - not involved in the creation of the HIIT workouts but partake in HIIT workouts during the intervention 3) Control - not involved in the creation of the HIIT workouts and continue normal HPE lessons during the intervention Classes will be assigned to the arms based on school and teacher input. Each school will involve all three arms of the study. Prior to using the HIIT workouts, the workouts will be co-designed by those involved in Group 1. Students will complete approximately 6 lessons focused on problem identification (barriers and facilitators), upskilling (learning about heart rate and trying different pre-made HIIT workouts, design (in groups of 3 – 5 students, create a 5 minute workout), and modification (based on heart rate data and feedback from their peers, teacher, and a researcher, students can modify their workouts as needed) in an iterative process. The lesson length will vary based on class time between schools, but can range between 50 and 70 minutes. The lessons will be conducted throughout a single school term across a minimum of 3 weeks. However, the exact schedule for each class will be determined collectively by teachers and researchers to suit individual class needs. The intervention will be 8 weeks in length during weeks 2 - 9 of one 10-week school term. During the intervention, students in arms 1 and 2 will complete HIIT workouts in their HPE lessons. The HIIT workouts will be 10 minutes in length and will be co-designed with researchers, teachers, and students in Arm 1 prior to the intervention. The HIIT workouts will be delivered by teachers either in the school hall, field, or outdoor courts pending where the HPE lessons take place. We will aim to complete 2 x 10-minute HIIT workouts each week for 8 weeks. However, this will be tailored to each participating school to match their needs and changes in delivery will be documented for each involved class. The HIIT workouts will contain a variety of exercises and each one will be different due to the co-designed nature. Exercises that may be included are sprints, squats, skipping, and shadow boxing. Intervention adherence and fidelity will be assessed using 1) the number of HIIT workouts delivered by teachers; 2) the number of HIIT workouts attended by students; and 3) students' heart rate throughout the HIIT workout. Students will be encouraged to have a heart rate equal or above 80% throughout each 10-minute HIIT workout.