Incorporating MVPA in the WSCC Model: Using Objective Data to Drive Program Effectiveness and Student Success
Dr.Deb Berkey
Director of Education and Training
Heart Zones, Inc.
The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) was created to support and optimize children’s social, emotional and academic development. Centered on the child, the model emphasizes a collaborative approach that highlights ten aspects of health. Among these are: (1) Physical Education/Physical Activity; (2) Nutrition; (3) Health Education; (4) Social Emotional Climate; (5) Family Engagement.
Comprehensive information about the model may be found on these two sites: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/wscc/index.htm; http://www.ascd.org/programs/learning-and-health/wscc-model.aspx.
As administrators, teachers and parents contemplate the future of education, it is clear that the importance of physical and social emotional health are related and support academic success. With the WSCC Model serving as the basis for the inclusion of quality physical education and activity programs in schools, it would be very useful for teachers to examine the content and impact of their programs and ways to promote healthy, active lifestyle using objective data to drive decisions about goals, assessment and impact on students.
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition recommend that children and adolescents ages 6 to 17 years do 60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily (https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/facts.htm).
Further, Physical education (PE) is an effective strategy to increase physical activity among young people. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) HHS recommends that students engage in MVPA for at least 50% of the time they spend in PE class—one of the most critical outcome measures in determining the quality of a PE program (https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/pecat/quality_pe.pdf.
So how would students know about MVPA? Using Heart Zones technology, teachers have a tool to insure that students know that MVPA is and whether this goal is being accomplished. Are your students reaching these levels of active participation? Are your teachers focused on this goal of providing instruction that provides the opportunity for students to be moderately to vigorously physically active for 50% of their class time?
Both the Heart Zones Move and Heart Zones ePE solutions captures MVPA as a data point. This data is displayed on our “Big Board” tiles as a percentage. When students are above the prescribed 50% MVPA percentage a star appears behind the percentage number. This is live data that is captured and displayed in real time. It is data that can be used to motivate your students. Social attributes such as Best Effort, Personal Responsibility, Cooperation and Team Work can be tied the data collected. Information that is captured on longitudinal reports in our Heart Zones Connect web portal for analysis. Both administrators and teachers can view this data at any time, facilitating the use of meaningful and measurable goals.
While the performance reports of each child is useful when individualizing instruction and providing authentic assessment, teachers also need to devise smart performance goals for themselves. Another tool that Heart Zones Move offers is an Average Summary Data screen and report. This aggregate data tool allows teachers and administrators to assess lesson plans in real time or viewed in the Heart Zones Connect portal after class. Total MVPA %, time in heart rate zone information and a graphical timeline are among the data points that are included. Short-term adjustments may be made on the basis of the daily report results. This data can also be accessed for a date range supporting long-term goals (i.e., 90% of the firth graders will participate in MVPA for 50% of 32/40 class days). The key is relevant data. The use of Heart Zones in YOUR program support teacher and program effectiveness as well as student success.
One measure of an effective physical education program is the assessment of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). As a department head or leader or individual teacher, your goal is to create and sustain an effective physical education program. Incorporating the use of wearable fitness technology (Heart Rate and step tracking) such as Heart Zones Move or Heart Zones ePE into your program can greatly support this goal by providing meaningful data that can be used in setting goals over your entire program, for students and teachers.
The use of any of Heart Zones’ solutions is not only of great value for motivating, engaging and encouraging students, but can be just as valuable for setting specific and measurable performance goals for teachers. Clear, concise and relevant goals that can be add to your performance measures to help guarantee your programs success. For more information on any of our Heart Zones solutions, reach out to staff@heartzones.com.
