Physically active micro lessons: Assessing the effect of a time-efficient solution for busy teachers on children's physical literacy

The current project will examine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the Burn 2 Learn junior (B2L-j) intervention in primary schools. The B2L-j intervention involves 'micro lessons', which are designed to be brief structured sessions that involve high levels of physical activity and opportunities for students to practice and refine their foundational movement skills. Micro lessons have been designed to satisfy participants’ basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, to support autonomous motivation for physical activity. Classroom teachers will receive training, resources, and support to deliver 2-3 physically active micro lessons per week (lasting ~15 minutes), for 6 weeks. Micro lessons will be delivered by a classroom teacher during individual classes (comprising approximately 25 students). A range of physically active micro lessons and resources will be designed, each with a focus on developing students’ cardiovascular fitness and foundational movement skill competency (e.g., kick, two-hand strike, body-weight squat). Lessons are designed for students to work cooperatively in small groups and will be aligned with physical education curriculum and outcomes (i.e., focus on fundamental movement skills). Micro lessons will provide developmentally appropriate learning experiences for all students by utilising small group-based activities contributing to high active learning time. School will be provided with an equipment pack to support the delivery of micro lessons (e.g., basketballs, cricket bats, tennis balls). Classroom teachers will be provided with training via a face-to-face professional development workshop that has been designed specifically for this study. The workshop will be facilitated by the research team, and take approximately 2 hours. One workshop will be delivered at each of the study schools, 1 week prior to the start of the intervention. During the intervention delivery, the research team will provide ongoing support to the study schools. This will include a weekly check-in via email, and two lesson observations (approximately intervention weeks 2 and 5). Teachers will be provided with a logbook and asked to document when micro lessons have been delivered. This will be discussed during the professional development workshop for teachers. The concept of physically active micro lessons was informed by Beets et al theory of expanded, extended and enhanced opportunities (TEO). For the current study, the provision of an entirely new opportunity for physical activity (i.e., expansion) was considered necessary, as few primary schools in NSW reach physical activity mandates.