The Effect of Time of Day and the Scheduling of Physical Education on Academic Achievement

Abstract

Education has progressed and continues to develop to meet the needs of all students. An abundance of research has been conducted exploring functional and instructional best practices to maximize academic achievement. Research revealed separately that the time of day affects students' academic performance, and that physical education improves cognitive functioning. Combining these two strategies of purposefully scheduling physical education to affect students’ academic achievement should be considered. The purpose of this synthesis is to review the literature on the time of day and the scheduling of physical education on academic achievement. Utilizing the positive effects of physical education and understanding time of day effects, stakeholders can create meaningful policies that have a significant impact on students' academic success.