Publication: Teacher experiences implementing the ‘Active School Flag’ initiative to support physically active school communities in Ireland

Research Impact:If initiatives targeting physical activity in the school community are to be effectively implemented, they need to ‘make sense’ from the school’s perspective. That is, teachers need to see their value and feel confident that implementation will result in change. Teachers also need to feel competent in doing what’s required of them to implement an initiative as intended. This study examines the motivations, perceived benefits and challenges associated with implementing the ‘Active School Flag’ (ASF) initiative in Irish primary schools. Findings suggest that schools are both intrinsically motivated (e.g. ‘to improve the health of the children’) and extrinsically motivated (by recognition and status) to implement the ASF initiative. Results also reveal a litany of perceived benefits attributed to ASF implementation. However, implementation comes with challenges relating to ‘time’ and ‘paperwork’. Findings of this study have the potential to be used as inputs to improve the ASF implementation process and inform similar future programmes.

McGann, J., Meegan, S., Woods, C., Murtagh, E., Duff, C. and Belton, S., 2020. Teacher experiences implementing the ‘Active School Flag’ initiative to support physically active school communities in Ireland. Irish Educational Studies, pp.1-23. DOI: 10.1080/03323315.2020.1794926