Term

Summer 2024

Capstone

Dissertation

Degree Name

EdD

Primary Advisor/Dissertation Chair

Karen Moroz

Abstract

This mixed-methods study examined the impact of increased outdoor recess on elementary students' classroom engagement following the implementation of Illinois' 2021 The Right to Play Every Day Act. The study is driven by two main research questions: (1) Does increased outdoor recess influence a student’s classroom engagement? (2) What are educators' perspectives on the implementation of the Act? Quantitative data was collected through classroom observations of 16 third-grade students over six weeks, measuring on-task behavior before and after recess periods. Qualitative data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with five elementary educators. While statistical analysis yielded inconclusive results regarding the relationship between outdoor recess and classroom engagement, observational data showed a modest increase in on-task behavior following outdoor recess periods. Thematic analysis of teacher interviews revealed challenges in implementing additional recess time, including higher academic expectations, time constraints, and misconceptions about the equivalence of physical education and recess. However, teachers generally supported unstructured play for its benefit to students' social-emotional development and cognitive functioning. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on the role of recess in elementary education and offers recommendations for integrating unstructured outdoor play into the school day to potentially enhance student wellbeing and academic performance.

Keywords

Outdoor Recess, Student Engagement, Unstructured Play

dc_type

text

dc_publisher

DigitalCommons@Hamline

dc_format

application/pdf

dc_source

School of Education Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

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