Presenter and Advisor Information

Hannah Foley, Illinois Wesleyan UniversityFollow

Loading...

Media is loading
 

Submission Type

Pre-recorded Poster

Area of Study or Work

Educational Studies

Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85138860792?pwd=VVFMcEJuenBhcUt2K1QvSVhBZmU1UT09

Faculty Advisor

Leah Nillas

Expected Graduation Date

2021

Start Date

4-10-2021 9:00 AM

End Date

4-10-2021 9:05 AM

Abstract

Brain breaks, or physical activity breaks, are used in the classroom as periods of time during a school day that students are provided that do not involve academics. These periods of time allow students brains to refocus and reenergize before moving on to the next lesson. These brain breaks are typically implemented after students have been working for a while. In my study, I implemented one brain break each day, including a variety of different breaks throughout the semester. Some of the brain breaks that I implemented in the classroom throughout my study include physical exercises, questioning activities, YouTube videos, and class conversations. As these brain breaks were implemented, I collected data on the impact of these breaks on student engagement. There are three types of student engagement which include: behavioral engagement, cognitive engagement, and emotional engagement. Behavioral engagement entails positive conduct, involvement in learning and academic tasks, and participation in school related activities. Emotional engagement “refers to students’ affective reactions in the classroom” and cognitive engagement “emphasizes an inner psychological quality and investment in learning, implying more than just behavioral engagement” (Fredericks, Blumenfeld, & Paris, 2004). I collected classroom data to examine the relationship between brain breaks and student engagement through field notes, student surveys, and classroom observations. The results of my data showcase how behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement developed throughout the course of the semester due to the implementation of brain breaks each day.

JWPS1_HFoley.pdf (138 kB)

Share

COinS
 
Apr 10th, 9:00 AM Apr 10th, 9:05 AM

The Impact of Brain Breaks on Student Engagement in the Elementary Classroom

Brain breaks, or physical activity breaks, are used in the classroom as periods of time during a school day that students are provided that do not involve academics. These periods of time allow students brains to refocus and reenergize before moving on to the next lesson. These brain breaks are typically implemented after students have been working for a while. In my study, I implemented one brain break each day, including a variety of different breaks throughout the semester. Some of the brain breaks that I implemented in the classroom throughout my study include physical exercises, questioning activities, YouTube videos, and class conversations. As these brain breaks were implemented, I collected data on the impact of these breaks on student engagement. There are three types of student engagement which include: behavioral engagement, cognitive engagement, and emotional engagement. Behavioral engagement entails positive conduct, involvement in learning and academic tasks, and participation in school related activities. Emotional engagement “refers to students’ affective reactions in the classroom” and cognitive engagement “emphasizes an inner psychological quality and investment in learning, implying more than just behavioral engagement” (Fredericks, Blumenfeld, & Paris, 2004). I collected classroom data to examine the relationship between brain breaks and student engagement through field notes, student surveys, and classroom observations. The results of my data showcase how behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement developed throughout the course of the semester due to the implementation of brain breaks each day.