Abstract:
Research has noted both physical and psychosocial benefits when children
participate in regular physical activity. Recent studies are indicating that there may also
be academic benefits and that students may be more efficient learners with participation
in physical activity. This study investigated the influence of acute moderate-to-vigorous
physical activity on four cognitive functions: planning, attention, simultaneous
processing, and successive processing. Three classes (59 students) were each tested twice
using a balanced design (intervention, balance, and control groups). It was found that the
intervention group had a large increase in planning abiHty (ES = 1.67) when compared to
the balance (ES = .80) and control (ES = -.89) groups. On the three remaining cognitive
functions, the intervention group showed effect sizes similar to that of the balance and
control groups. These results indicate that improved planning after physical activity may
playa role in improving student performance.
