Abstract:

The integration of physical activity within academic contexts has emerged as a promising educational approach to enhance cognitive processing and educational outcomes. As part of the PRIN 2022 PNRR Project "Inclusive didactic for enhancing math learning and reducing math anxiety: efficacy of active breaks in the classroom," this paper presents the methodological framework and development process of ABMove!, an innovative educational intervention designed to incorporate active breaks into mathematics instruction and assessment within primary education settings. Active breaks, defined as brief intervals of structured physical activity systematically incorporated into instructional time, represent an evidence-informed strategy particularly relevant for subjects with high cognitive demands such as mathematics.

Conceptually grounded in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, the ABMove! intervention was developed through a rigorous educational design research (EDR) approach. This methodology follows the established cyclical framework that integrates analysis, design, development, and evaluation in iterative cycles to address complex educational problems. The EDR process employed in this study adhered to the three core phases: analysis/exploration, design/construction, and evaluation/reflection, with each phase informing subsequent iterations.

Within this methodological framework, our research team built upon empirical evidence gathered through an extensive systematic review of international literature on active breaks, mathematics education and inclusive practices. The development process was significantly enhanced through the active involvement of multiple stakeholders, including classroom teachers, school administrators, physical education specialists, and academic experts in inclusive education and mathematics education. This collaborative approach facilitated the integration of theoretical perspectives on embodied cognition with practical considerations for classroom implementation, ensuring that the intervention maintained both scientific rigor and practical relevance while remaining theoretically sound and feasible within authentic educational settings.

The ABMove! intervention is currently being implemented as part of a large-scale education research initiative involving 244 primary school classes (grades 2-5, ages 7-11) distributed across 35 schools in three Italian regions (Sicily, Puglia, and Piedmont), comprising approximately 4,400 students. This geographic and demographic diversity provides a robust context for examining the intervention's feasibility, adaptability, and preliminary effectiveness.

The intervention's design emphasizes sustainability within existing curricular structures, requiring minimal additional resources while maximizing potential benefits for executive functioning, mathematics anxiety reduction and math performance. In addition, the ABMove! design process illustrates how theoretical integration across cognitive science, mathematics and physical education and inclusive pedagogy can generate innovative instructional approaches with potential applications across educational contexts.

Keywords:

Active breaks, Mathematics education, Inclusive teaching, Executive functions, Educational design research.