About - Fit to Study

INFORMATION FOR PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS – 2018 Update

Like last year, we are running computer-based challenges that will help us test how physical activity relates to pupils’ cognitive skills. This year’s tests will help us understand whether cognitive skills change over a year and whether this relates to changes in physical activity. It is therefore crucial that all of your pupils complete the cognitive challenges.

Ideally, we would like your Year 8 pupils to complete the challenges at home, however, if your pupils do not have an internet-connected computer at home, they can complete the assignments in the IT suite at school, for instance during lunch or after school hours, or if you would prefer to complete as a group at school.

We would be very grateful if you could give pupils verbal instructions and hand-out the instruction sheet during a selected week of term time, preferably on a Monday. There are five challenges, and each takes up to 10 minutes to complete. Pupils can start and stop after completing a challenge as the data will be saved after completing each challenge. This allows the option of completing the challenges in two sessions at school, if not set as homework.

All the instructions and materials that you and your colleagues will need to deliver the assessment will be posted to your school w/c 7 May 2018.

INSTRUCTION SHEETS

LESSONS LEARNED FROM 2017

Location: A strong and stable internet connection is required to run the challenges, particularly with larger groups of pupils. In some schools, the bandwidth/WIFI does not allow for larger groups of children to run the challenges at the same time, which is why we recommend setting the challenges as homework.

At school: IF you decide to run the challenges in school, ask the pupils to use the “preload” button on the login page of the challenges. This will download the content of the challenges to the browser, lowering the risk of the challenges failing. You could do this yourself before the class starts, but only if pupils are not required to log on to the computers themselves.

Timing: we’d recommend giving the pupils a couple of days (1 week max.) to complete the challenges to keep the momentum going. Encouraging pupils to get the job done also seemed to work well.
Contact: please do not hesitate to contact your assigned researcher if anything is unclear. They are there to answer your questions and sort out any issues you may be experiencing.
Login: Please make sure all pupils fill out their Date of Birth correctly. A wrong date of birth will prevent pupils from logging in. If many pupils experience login issues, please consult your assigned researcher.
Browser: we recommend using Google Chrome, Internet Explorer or Safari.

TROUBLESHOOTING

1. I cannot login

If the pupil cannot login, make sure the ID-number is entered with capital letters and/or the date of birth entered is correct.

2. Challenges fails to load

Please advise pupils to use the “preload” button on the login screen.
Please advise pupils to refresh the page.
If refreshing the page does not work, it may be that the challenges are not compatible with their internet browser at home. Please ask those pupils to (1) try a different browser, or (2) complete the challenges in the IT suite, during lunch or after school hours.

3. For all other issues, please make a note and get in touch with the researcher directly or your Head of PE.

FAQ

What do I do if…

… a pupil is absent?

In the event that a pupil is absent during form-time, please make a note of this and make sure he/she will receive the homework instructions and sheets upon his/her return to school.

… a pupil has opted-out of participation?

A pupil whose parents have opted-out of participation does not need to complete the cognitive challenges. In the event that there is a sticky label with this pupil’s name, please make a note (of pupil’s ID number) and let the pupil know that he/she does not need to complete the challenges.

… a pupil does not want to complete the tasks?

Participation in the Fit to Study trial is a school-level decision. The homework that comes with participation in this trial should be treated like all other homework is treated, i.e. it is an obligatory part of school, unless a pupil has opted-out of participation/data-storage. Please do make a note of the pupil’s ID number, which can be found in the Name-ID number conversion table included in each information pack.

… a pupil does not have a computer at home?

Make a note of his/her ID-number and make sure they can use school’s computers after school-time. If school-computers are not available after school, they may want to try to complete the tasks during a spare hour of school time.

… a pupil has lost their instruction sheet?

The information pack contains several extra copies of instruction sheets. In case a pupil lost his/her homework assignment, provide them with one of the extra homework assignments that are in the pack and use the pupil-ID number sheet to write down on the sheet their pupil-specific ID.

… I do not understand what to do?

Please try to take time to go over the instructions again. If not clear, please get in touch with the Head of PE. If still unclear, you could contact the researcher will try to explain it to you to the best of his/her abilities. You can find the researcher’s contact details on your information sheet.

… I lost the instruction pack?

The Head of PE has received a digital copy of all information packs. Please contact your Head of PE and he/she could print the relevant information pack for you.

… I would like some more information about the Fit to Study project?

There are several ways to get some more information about the project. First, you could ask your Head of PE, whom we’ve briefed in detail about the project and procedures. Second, you could explore this website, which contains information the project, the team and contact details. Third, you could email the researcher directly and ask him/her any questions you may have.