Date of Award

Spring 5-2025

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education

First Advisor

Bethany Powers (Chair)

Second Advisor

Alexander Parks

Third Advisor

Ahleasha McNeal, Julia Kirk

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative, interpretive research study was to better understand Georgia K-12 core content area teachers’ perceptions of physical movement, how students responded to physical movement strategies, as well as understand any supports and barriers when planning for physical movement strategies during the 2023-2024 school year. Data for this study was collected from public K-12 core content area (math, science, reading, language arts, foreign language, history/social studies) teachers who had been in the classroom for at least one year. Their responses were gathered through a Qualtrics questionnaire and through interviews and focus groups via Zoom. Through the study, I found K 12 content area teachers believed physical movement was important and should be utilized in all content areas and grade levels. In addition, teachers were extremely willing to use movement; they wanted to know more about movement and incorporate it more often. Teachers also identified the benefits they observed with their students. Each teacher named strategies, academic and non-academic related, they used in their classrooms. Teachers acknowledged the desire of their students to include movement into the classroom as well. Lastly, I found self efficacy and the lack of knowledge of how to incorporate movement into K-12 content areas was the limiting factors to inclusion. Thus, teachers asked for more professional development to not only increase their knowledge of the benefits and how to utilize physical movement in each subject and grade level, but also in having a list of strategies they could pull from.

Keywords

Movement strategies, physical activity, physical movement

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