Authors

• Hankonen, Nelli (University of Helsinki. Faculty of Social Sciences)
• Haukkala, Ari (University of Helsinki)

Keywords

exercise (physical activity), motivation, physical activities, students, teachers, teaching materials, teaching methods, vocational education institutions

Abstract

The intervention study investigated the effectiveness of the 'Let's Move It' programme aiming to increase physical activity (PA) and reduce sedentary behaviour (SB) among students in vocational schools in Finland. It was conducted as a cluster-randomised parallel group trial. This dataset consists of vocational school teachers' responses to three surveys on the 'Let's Move It' programme, practices and intervention measures relating to students' physical activity and sedentariness (sitting) during lessons, and opinions on and experiences of the programme. The research was funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture (OKM/81/626/2014) and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (201310238).

The schools participating in the study were divided into intervention and control group schools. Therefore the participating teachers belonged either to the intervention or the control group. The intervention group participated in three 'Let's Move It' workshops. The surveys were conducted three times over the study period, partly repeating the same questions.

The initial survey charted methods used during lessons to reduce students' sedentary time, time intervals of using the methods, the proportion of students who took the opportunity, the average time students were sedentary during one lesson, and the ways the teacher motivated them to reduce sedentariness. Further questions investigated views on what was too long a time for an uninterrupted sedentary period, the impact of reducing sedentariness during lessons, and the teacher's intention to take measures to reduce students' sedentary time over the following month. Workplace atmosphere and co-operation were also surveyed.

The follow-up surveys contained also some new questions. In addition to intentions for the following month, they also surveyed the teacher's goals, plans and monitoring related to student sedentary behaviour, and the measures taken over the last month to reduce it. Open-ended questions charted changes noticed in the methods used by the school in general and other teachers.

The intervention group surveys also asked the respondents to evaluate 'Let's Move It' workshops, programme and its materials. The use of sit-stand desks (height adjustable desks) and physical training equipment such as gym balls was investigate.

Background variable included the respondent's gender, year of birth, years of working as a teacher, type of classroom in use, subject R taught and whether R belonged to the intervention or the control group.