One thing I’ve learned well

I have developed an good understanding of the the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework and how you can include it in physical education. UDL: Multiple Means of engagement, representation, and action/expression create inclusive learning.

For me, what was different was how UDL advocates planning for learning that will touch different parts of the brain. Circuit training stations promote students to perform activities according to their skill level, while providing the choice to work individually, with a partner, or as a team keeps them driven.

Also, the level of passive learning is so low since we acknowledge different learning methods, so we give visual, verbal, and hands-on instructions. For example, students demonstrate a serve in volleyball, verbalize a serve to their partner, or create a video to analyze.

In my future practice, I will be implementing UDL by creating activities that are adaptable to various needs, providing the opportunity for success for all students.

One Thing I’ve Found Interesting

The Report Card on the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines was a real eye-opener for me. Although I knew that many young people aren’t getting enough physical activity, I was shocked to learn that just 4 percent have enough movement in their lives to meet the guidelines. I figured the numbers would be low, but not that low. That really inspired me to focus on getting youth more physically active.

This has inspired me to explore enjoyable and imaginative ways to promote fitness to the youth, as well as assisting them in becoming more conscious of better sleeping habits, screen-time minimization, and so much more. Those three fundamentals— movement, rest, and screen time — are all interrelated. As an aspiring educator, these are the types of classes I hope to build, in which students can learn healthy habits they can take with them for the rest of their lives, and in a way that is relatable and fun.

Something I’d Like to Learn More About

I would love to learn more about how physical health affects mental health. It’s a subject I believe many people overlook, but the connection between physical activity and mood or focus is so strong that they directly affect cognitive function and, therefore, academic performance. We need to take movement and its role in mental health and learning more seriously.

Knowing more about this would make me better equipped to support students, particularly around studying and learning strategies. I work as a high school math tutor, so I come across students who struggle with the subject. When students tell me they’d ask for advice on preparing to study, now I can recommend taking breaks to walk, bike, or run before resuming. However, integrating physical activity into a study plan could be a real game-changer in terms of academic performance with better mental health as well.

Reflection on My Self-Development

Reflecting on the beginning of this course, I can definitely say my knowledge of physical and health education has expanded. I used to think of physical education as making sure that you had time to get out and walk around, but now I’m seeing all the implications on mental health, social health, and well-being in general. My main takeaway is how much remains to be done to support youth and get them moving, active, and healthy after learning about the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines Report Card.

My view of building inclusive and engaging learning environments has also evolved. With the help of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, I started to understand the value of providing multiple options for students to engage, learn, and show what they knew. It’s very important to ensure that everyone feels empowered and included. Also, I’ve picked up some really smart tricks on writing blog posts on WordPress which have allowed me to reflect and express my musings in a much more organized and creative manner. Going forward, I look forward to designing fun and accessible learning experiences that enable students to solidify lifelong healthy habits.

My pod group has chosen to explore nutrition and its role in active health for our seminar. This topic is deeply connected to all the broader themes of active health, and I have personally integrated it into my lifestyle, experimenting with how certain foods affect my physical performance and mental well-being. In this blog post, I will discuss the impact of diet on these broader themes of active health.

The Vital Role of Nutrition in Active Health

Nutrition is a fundamental aspect of health, influencing physical literacy, healthy living, social well-being, and mental health. Recent studies have deepened our understanding of how diet can impact these areas of well-being. This blog explores studies on nutrition and its connection to active health, emphasizing the importance of making informed dietary decisions.

Nutrition and Physical Literacy

Physical literacy involves the skills, and knowledge to engage in physical activities. Proper nutrition is an essential component of physical literacy and should play a larger role in education. Food provides the energy necessary for physical activity, making it critical for individuals to understand how to properly fuel their bodies.

Healthy and Active Living

Numerous studies highlight the severe consequences of a poor diet on physical health. For example, in Canada, over a third of heart disease and stroke-related deaths are linked to ultra-processed foods. These include potato chips, sugary drinks, fast food, and other highly processed items. Maintaining a diet rich in whole foods is fundamental to longevity and reducing the risk of health complications later in life.

Social and Community Health

Dietary habits influence social interactions and community health. When a small group within a community makes positive dietary changes, they often inspire those around them such as family, friends, and peers to reconsider their own eating habits. This snowball effect can lead to broader shifts in community health and well-being.

Mental Well-Being

Nutrition is a key factor in maintaining good mental health. The brain requires essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, to function optimally. Unfortunately, many people lack these nutrients while processed food consumption continues to rise. Research has shown that diets high in omega-3 fatty acids can reduce symptoms of depression and improve overall mood. After learning about this, I started incorporating more sources of omega-3, such as eggs, fish, and nuts, into my diet. I’ve noticed that I feel more satisfied and better able to handle academic work.

The Ted Talk below explains the link between your brain and food in more depth.

Engaging Learning Experience

While providing information on nutrition is essential, it is important to follow up by testing and critically engaging with the key ideas presented in the seminar.

To effectively convey these ideas, our seminar could include the following activities:

Class Discussions

• Create conversations about how dietary choices impact health, encouraging participants to share personal experiences and insights.
• Create a quiz about the seminar, such as identifying which vitamins are found in different foods.

Group Activities

• In small groups, students create a balanced meal plan for the day, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and drinks, based on what they’ve learned in the seminar.

Conclusion

Nutrition is integral to active health. By staying informed about the latest research and incorporating engaging learning experiences, we can inspire ourselves and our communities to make healthier dietary choices that support overall well-being.

Refrences:

Ultra-processed foods to blame for over a third of heart and stroke deaths in Canada | Heart and Stroke Foundation(opens in a new tab)

Understanding the Impact of Nutrition on Mental Health(opens in a new tab)

Healthy Longevity – The Nutrition Source(opens in a new tab)

Applying UDL Principles in Physical and Health Education

The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework promotes inclusive environments by engaging students, representing concepts in diverse ways, and encouraging active participation. 

Engagement: 

Engagement is all about creating activities that promote teamwork over competition. Games like tug-of-war or relay races lend themselves to collaboration, ensuring students of all skill levels can participate without feeling singled out. 

Representation: 

Representation involves presenting concepts in multiple ways to deepen understanding. For example, students can analyze the biomechanics behind movements like running or throwing a ball. I once practiced juggling in gym class—it was challenging but engaging, making us think critically while having fun.

Action and Expression: 

Hands-on learning helps students solidify knowledge. Peer teaching, such as leading a yoga session or demonstrating a skill, enhances knowledge and communication skills. These real-world applications extend learning beyond the classroom.

When information is structured in this way, people are more likely to engage with learning.

The BC Curriculum

The BC curriculum aims to help students develop an understanding of what physical health means for them and adopt an active lifestyle for life. This approach can be implemented by creating an outline that addresses both physical and mental well-being. For example, educators can organize yoga or games to promote movement, host nutrition/cooking workshops and other activities to educate students on how to create a balanced lifestyle.

Using the Comprehensive School Health approach to foster healthier communities

The Comprehensive School Health (CSH) approach recognizes that physical, emotional, social, and mental well-being are essential for effective learning. This framework promotes a healthier community and environment by emphasizing the importance of maintaining overall well-being before tackling daily responsibilities like work or school.

To support this, schools and organizations can provide support groups, conduct mental health surveys, and provide resources that ensure students and employees prioritize their sleep, nutrition, and physical and mental health. When these aspects are neglected, cognitive performance suffers, making it challenging to learn effectively.

 Personally, I find it incredibly challenging to solve complex math problems when I am hungry or tired. A powerful example of how neglecting one area of health impacts others is sleep. Research has long shown that inadequate sleep impairs cognitive function, memory retention, and overall well-being. The following infographic illustrates the profound effects of sleep deprivation on learning, mood, and physical health, reinforcing why prioritizing well-being is essential for success.

The Importance of Developing Physical Literacy

The Quality Dailty Physical Activity (QDPE) award standards give guidelines for what should be included in physical literacy and ideas for the following:

Measuring Activity:

Physical literacy frameworks allow you to measure and track individuals’ activity levels. They help you gain insight into key aspects such as frequency (how often to exercise), duration ( how long to exercise), and intensity (how hard to exercise).

By understanding these metrics, individuals can set realistic and effective activity goals.

Promoting Variety & Inclusivity in Movement

A key principle of physical literacy is incorporating diverse movement styles. Not everyone enjoys the same type of exercise, and having various options for people to explore increases the likelihood they will find an activity they like. The Ted Talk below illustrates how thinking of exercise as a form of self-care instead of punishment allows people to find more enjoyment in movement and stick with it long term.

Conclusion:

I think the most important points from these frameworks are:

1. Physical activity should be simple, accessible and pleasurable for people of all ages.
2. Overall well-being should be prioritized when it comes to education.

References:

https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/sleep/how-sleep-affects-health-infographic

https://www.med.upenn.edu/csi/the-impact-of-sleep-on-learning-and-memory.html

https://udlguidelines.cast.org/

https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/physical-health-education

https://phecanada.ca/community/quality-daily-physical-education-award-program/qdpe-award-standards

Comprehensive School Health (CSH)

The Importance of Active Health Education

Active health education helps adolescents build lifelong exercise habits. Without early exposure, adopting physical activity later in life can feel intimidating. Adolescents are shaped by peers and role models, making it crucial for adults and educators to model active lifestyles. Growing up surrounded by activities like gymnastics and biking, I saw exercise as normal, which made staying active as an adult second nature.

Educators should teach students to incorporate daily movement that does not involve grinding in the gym for hours. Understanding concepts like the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines, which emphasize varied activities such as light cardio and resistance training, is key.

Raising Awareness About the Importance of Youth Physical Activity

I think the biggest barrier to improving youth physical activity is a lack of awareness. Many parents and children simply don’t prioritize movement.

Like brushing your teeth, daily physical activity should be a fundamental habit. If parents and educators realized how deeply inactivity affects children’s well-being, they’d likely be more motivated to promote movement.

A relevant example is the push to reduce cell phone use in schools. Awareness of its negative effects has led many parents to support stricter policies. With a similar emphasis on the importance of physical activity, schools could make changes that encourage more manditory activity for children.

The Impact of Sedentary Behavior on Youth Health and the Need for Inclusive Fitness Activities

Sedentary bedhavior in young people poses significant risks to both physical health and overall well-being. It can interfere with critical aspects of life such as academic performance, athletic ability and mood. Additionally, this lifestyle is often associated with poor sleep quality and can lead to long-term physical and mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and obesity. 

To combat these risks, educators should prioritize accessible and inclusive activities that cater to all fitness levels. Participating in high-intensity activities like Soccer or basketball can feel intimidating and even discouraging for students who aren’t naturally athletic. For example, a teacher could lead the entire class on a nature walk, or even play games such as just dance where the emphasis is not primarily on intense sports. As shown in the figure below, activity does not have to be complex or time consuming to be effective.

Another simple way for youth to increase daily physical activity is active transportation such as walking or biking to school. For those living nearby, it is a great way to incorporate fresh air and movement into their day. Personally, biking to campus is faster and leaves me feeling energized. Small changes like this can help adolescents build regular movement into their routines, without requiring structured workouts or sports.

Five step model

Creating a shared commitment to physical activity among students, parents, and educators is key. This can be achieved through presentations of health benefits and support for initiatives like active recess or after-school programs. Offering in inclusive activities such as team sports, dance, or outdoor hikes, and surveying students for their input can create activites students actually want to do.

The Importance of Health Competencies in Supporting Student Well-Being

Health competencies are as crucial as learning competencies like collaboration, critical thinking etc. They reinforce memorable tools to prioritize physical activity, nutrition, and sleep, necessary for lifelong healthy habits. As a future educator, I aim to make sure these competencies are at the forefront of the curriculum as physical health is the basis for performing well in all other aspects of life.

Refrences:

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1755296624000929#sec5
2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6082791/