Literature Review

This week our team completed a literature review to become familiar with the existing body of knowledge, data, and trends with regards to the effect of brain breaks on student behavior. We discovered the following key points:

• Exercise increases circulation and the flow of oxygen to the brain, which improves cognitive performance. (Jensen, 2000)
• Exercise increases the levels of neurotransmitters in certain areas of the brain, which help increase the ability to focus attention and control impulses. (Reilly et al., 2012)
• Breaks are critical to the learning process because our brains require breaks in order to process and encode new learning. (Jensen, 2000)
• Researchers have found that “offering physical activity breaks during standard classroom instruction” results in positive associations with attention/concentration, classroom conduct and/or academic achievement. (Rasberry, et al, 2011)
• There is an increase in the amount of educators who are incorporating the use of “brain breaks” to help their students be academically and behaviorally successful in school. 

Our team consulted the following resources in writing our literature review:

Jensen, E. (November, 2000). Moving with the Brain in Mind. Educational Leadership, 58(3), 34-37.

Mahar, M. T., Murphy, S. K., Rowe, D. A., Golden, J., Shields, A. T., & Raedeke, T. D. (2006). Effects of a Classroom-Based Program on Physical Activity and On-Task Behavior. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 38(12), 2086-2094.

Meiklejohn, J., Phillips, C., Freedman, M., Griffin, M., Biegel, G., Roach, A., & Saltzman, A. (2012). Integrating mindfulness training into K-12 education: Fostering the resilience of teachers and students. Mindfulness, 3(4), 291-307.

Peck, Heather L.; Kehle, Thomas J.; Bray, Melissa A.; Theodore, Lea A. (2005). Yoga as an Intervention for Children with Attention Problems. School Psychology Review, 34(3), 415-424.

Reilly, E., Buskist, C., & Gross, M.K. (2012). Movement in the Classroom: Boosting Brain Power, Fighting Obesity. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 48(2), 62-66. DOI: 10.1080/00228958.2012.680365.

Rasberry, C.N., Lee, S.M., Robin, L., Laris, B.A., Russell, L.A., Coyle, K.K., & Nihiser, A.J. (2011). The association between school-based physical activity, including physical education, and academic performance: A systematic review of the literature. Preventive Medicine,52, S10 –S20.

Wells, Stephanie L., (2012) Moving Through the Curriculum: The Effect of Movement on Student Learning, Behavior, and Attitude, St. Mary’s College of Maryland Department of Educational Studies, Rising Tide, V. 5.