An active recess is an activity intended not only for physical but also for psychological relief and for mitigating the consequences of monotonous activities, such as sitting at school. It also contributes to meeting the recommendations for daily physical activity and improves performance. The aim of the master’s thesis was to determine the prevalence of active recesses in Slovenian primary schools and to present examples of practice in order to support schools in their implementation. We were interested in the characteristics of active recesses and their association with their implementation. In addition, we aimed to identify the reasons why some schools do not implement active recesses. The study included 56 primary schools from across Slovenia. Data for the quantitative part of the research were collected using a questionnaire. In addition to descriptive statistics, differences and relationships between variables were examined. Statistical significance was tested at the 5 % level of risk in all tests. In the second part of the study, a semi-structured questionnaire for case studies was used to gain insight into the implementation of active recesses in three schools, and a content analysis of the responses was conducted. We found that most schools implement active recesses, of which 88 % do so daily. In most cases, active recesses are organised according to a schedule, while the activities are partly determined by teachers and partly chosen freely by the pupils. Schools do not adapt active recesses to the weather. The analysis showed that there were no statistically significant differences between regions in the frequency of implementation of active recesses. No statistically significant differences were found between the number of pupils in the central school unit and the frequency of implementation of active recesses. However, we found that the number of pupils in branch school units significantly affects the frequency of implementation of active recesses (p = ,023). The correlation was moderate and positive, and 26,4 % of the variance in the frequency of implementation of active recesses in branch school units could be explained (F(1,20) = 7,18; p = ,014). There was no statistically significant correlation between the number of teachers and the frequency of implementation of active recesses. Differences between school location and the frequency of implementation of active recesses were not statistically significant. In most cases, material conditions did not have a statistically significant effect on the frequency of implementation of active recesses, with the exception of the variable “paved area in front of/behind the school” (p = ,01). The results indicate that the mere implementation of active recesses does not yet ensure their quality or the achievement of their full potential. Careful planning, clear organisation, support from school leadership, cooperation among staff, and the involvement of a physical education teacher as a professional coordinator are of key importance. The examples of practice showed that active recesses are of higher quality when they are included in the timetable, implemented regularly, involve all pupils, follow a predetermined schedule, and allow pupils a certain degree of choice. Due to the small and probably biased sample, the results cannot be generalised to all Slovenian primary schools. Nevertheless, the study provides an important insight into the current situation and a basis for further research and the development of recommendations for the quality implementation of active recesses.
|
