Toward a General Theory of Classroom Teachers’ Movement Integration

Abstract

The use of regular classroom time during school to increase children’s and adolescents’ daily physical activity—a practice known as movement integration (MI)—has gained substantial traction in research internationally as an evidence-based strategy for enhancing students’ health and academic performance, yet it remains underutilized and largely subject to teachers’ discretion. Understanding and explaining teachers’ use of MI are, therefore, key areas of focus for researchers, teacher educators, and interventionists. Research on MI implementation is informed by multiple theoretical lenses, but the discipline lacks cohesion. The proposed unifying framework in this article coalesces three relevant strands of inquiry: (a) stages of influence on MI, (b) factors of influence on MI, and (c) conceptualizing MI. The framework reflects the burgeoning knowledge base related to MI implementation and is an attempt to advance the field toward a general theory that can more clearly and coherently guide research and professional practice.