Educational ActivitiesNCT03278366
Effects of Dance Practice in Elementary Students
A study testing Dancing in people with Educational Activities, run by Skidmore College at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to assess changes in benchmark and state assessment scores in a public elementary school following an intervention of dance integration into the daily routine of the classroom. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 6 to 12 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Educational Activities
- What is being tested?
- Dancing
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 349 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Oct 2017to 30 Jun 2022
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 6 to 12 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child
Who may be able to join
- Registration in an elementary classroom at Boulevard Elementary school, Gloversville Enlarged School District; Gloversville, New York
- Registration in an elementary classroom Park Terrace Elementary school, Gloversville Enlarged School District; Gloversville, New York
- Participating in a classroom where teacher is utilizing dance integration into their curriculum.
Who cannot join
- None
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: The Effects of Dance Practice on Assessment Score Performance, Behavior and Attendance in a Public School District With High Rates of Economically Disadvantaged Elementary Students.
The purpose of this study is to assess changes in benchmark and state assessment scores in a public elementary school following an intervention of dance integration into the daily routine of the classroom. Furthermore, this study aims to assess if dance may improve student behavior, teacher perception of student behavior, reading level and attendance.
Read the detailed description
The use of movement in primary school classrooms is a longstanding practice drawn upon by teachers in various ways. Dance movement in particular is popular among teachers for several reasons: it is enjoyable for students, it can be imaginative, it engages the body as well as the brain, and it can be made accessible to students of varying abilities.
In the field of education, the use of brief bouts of physical activity (PA) or 'brain breaks' have been gaining attention. Teachers have reported perceived improved student concentration during the academic school day by utilizing PA in both elementary and middle school populations. Carlson et al. suggest that PA breaks can indeed improve overall student behavior in the classroom while Donnelly and Lambourne report a 6% improvement on standardized tests in classrooms incorporating PA into academic lessons. Erwin et al. describe improvements in math and reading fluency standardized test scores following an intervention of PA incorporated into an elementary classroom. More conclusive research is indeed needed, yet incorporating PA into the culture of an academic environment appears to hold some merit.
The US Department of Education alongside the National Dance Education Organization published a paper outlining the research priorities for dance education in 2004.
"Of 20 Issues researched in the Research Dance Education project, 15 Issues were identified as gaps, and are therefore identified as Issues in need of future research…The 15 severely under-researched issues over decades impact policy and pedagogy at state and national levels, specifically: Multicultural Education, Integrated Arts, Policy, Affective Domain, Interdisciplinary Education, Student Achievement, Equity, National Content Standards, Funding, Student Performance, Children at Risk, Certification, Teacher Standards, Uncertified Teachers, and Brain Research."
Despite this call to action over a decade ago, to the investigators knowledge, a study assessing change in academic performance following an intervention of dance in a public school serving students with high rates of economic disadvantage has not been published.
The purpose of this study is to assess changes in benchmark and state assessment scores in a public elementary school following an intervention of dance integration into the daily routine of the classroom. Furthermore, this study aims to assess if dance may improve student behavior, teacher perception of student behavior, reading level and attendance. The investigators hypothesize that positive improvements may be observed in all variables by integrating dance into the academic classroom.
- Conditions
- Educational Activities
- Being tested
- Dancing
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
DancingBehavioural
Participants in the intervention group will participate in daily dance activities with their teacher by following along with a video created by the dance researchers at Skidmore College. Teachers will be specifically asked to utilize the movement phrases just prior to administering any formal assessment activity within their classroom (tempo may be chosen at teacher's discretion). Furthermore, teachers may choose to utilize the dance phrases as 'brain breaks' at any point throughout their school day.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Dancing students | Experimental | Students will participate in dance activities from a video with their teacher in class. Receives: Behavioral: Dancing |
| Non-Dancing Students | No intervention | Students will continue with typical classroom activities in class and will not participate in dancing activities |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Benchmark/Summative assessments
Unit/chapter assessments in Math and English Language Arts
Measured: Baseline, 8 weeks, 16 weeks, 24 weeks.
Change in State Assessment scores
Measured: Baseline and 9 months.
Attendance/tardiness
Student attendance
Measured: 10 months.
Change in Reading Level
Fountas and Pinnell reading level
Measured: Baseline, 8 weeks, 16 weeks, 24 weeks.
Secondary outcomes (2)
Teacher perception of dance intervention
Survey of teachers knowledge and perception of dance in the classroom
Measured: Baseline and 9 months.
Documented Student Behavior
Referrals to principals office
Measured: 10 months.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted11 Sep 2017
- Study start1 Oct 2017
- Primary completion30 Jun 2022
- Study completion30 Jun 2022
Why it stopped: Suspended secondary to COVID-19 and decreased access to school setting
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Educational ActivitiesStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 349 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Skidmore College
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Sarah DiPasquale, Skidmore College
- Investigators
- Sarah DiPasquale, DPT, Principal investigator, Skidmore College
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03278366
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 1704-605
- Status last verified
- Apr 2023
- First submitted
- 29 Aug 2017
- Last updated
- 11 Apr 2023
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: A linking list for students will be compiled by the school Principal, numerically coding each student into a password protected document. This student linking list will be kept on a locked district owned, password protected computer at the school, separate from this database. It will be kept solely on that computer hard drive so it will not be accessible to Principal at home. Neither the PI, nor any other Skidmore researchers will have access to this locked computer and therefore, will not have ability to gain access to this list in any capacity. Skidmore researchers will never have access to student names/identities.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 11 Apr 2023. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effects of Dance Practice on Assessment Score Performance, Behavior and Attendance in a Public School District With High Rates of Economically Disadvantaged Elementary Students.
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03278366
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 1704-605
- Conditions
- Educational Activities
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- TerminatedReason stopped: Suspended secondary to COVID-19 and decreased access to school setting
- Enrolment
- 349 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Skidmore CollegeUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Oct 2017 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Jun 2022 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Jun 2022 (actual)
- First posted
- 11 Sep 2017 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this study is to assess changes in benchmark and state assessment scores in a public elementary school following an intervention of dance integration into the daily routine of the classroom. Furthermore, this study aims to assess if dance may improve student behavior, teacher perception of student behavior, reading level and attendance.
Detailed description
The use of movement in primary school classrooms is a longstanding practice drawn upon by teachers in various ways. Dance movement in particular is popular among teachers for several reasons: it is enjoyable for students, it can be imaginative, it engages the body as well as the brain, and it can be made accessible to students of varying abilities.
In the field of education, the use of brief bouts of physical activity (PA) or 'brain breaks' have been gaining attention. Teachers have reported perceived improved student concentration during the academic school day by utilizing PA in both elementary and middle school populations. Carlson et al. suggest that PA breaks can indeed improve overall student behavior in the classroom while Donnelly and Lambourne report a 6% improvement on standardized tests in classrooms incorporating PA into academic lessons. Erwin et al. describe improvements in math and reading fluency standardized test scores following an intervention of PA incorporated into an elementary classroom. More conclusive research is indeed needed, yet incorporating PA into the culture of an academic environment appears to hold some merit.
The US Department of Education alongside the National Dance Education Organization published a paper outlining the research priorities for dance education in 2004.
"Of 20 Issues researched in the Research Dance Education project, 15 Issues were identified as gaps, and are therefore identified as Issues in need of future research…The 15 severely under-researched issues over decades impact policy and pedagogy at state and national levels, specifically: Multicultural Education, Integrated Arts, Policy, Affective Domain, Interdisciplinary Education, Student Achievement, Equity, National Content Standards, Funding, Student Performance, Children at Risk, Certification, Teacher Standards, Uncertified Teachers, and Brain Research."
Despite this call to action over a decade ago, to the investigators knowledge, a study assessing change in academic performance following an intervention of dance in a public school serving students with high rates of economic disadvantage has not been published.
The purpose of this study is to assess changes in benchmark and state assessment scores in a public elementary school following an intervention of dance integration into the daily routine of the classroom. Furthermore, this study aims to assess if dance may improve student behavior, teacher perception of student behavior, reading level and attendance. The investigators hypothesize that positive improvements may be observed in all variables by integrating dance into the academic classroom.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Dancing students | Experimental | Behavioral: DancingStudents will participate in dance activities from a video with their teacher in class. |
| Non-Dancing Students | No intervention | –Students will continue with typical classroom activities in class and will not participate in dancing activities |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 6 to 12 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Registration in an elementary classroom at Boulevard Elementary school, Gloversville Enlarged School District; Gloversville, New York
- Registration in an elementary classroom Park Terrace Elementary school, Gloversville Enlarged School District; Gloversville, New York
- Participating in a classroom where teacher is utilizing dance integration into their curriculum.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- None
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| DancingParticipants in the intervention group will participate in daily dance activities with their teacher by following along with a video created by the dance researchers at Skidmore College. Teachers will be specifically asked to utilize the movement phrases just prior to administering any formal assessment activity within their classroom (tempo may be chosen at teacher's discretion). Furthermore, teachers may choose to utilize the dance phrases as 'brain breaks' at any point throughout their school day. | Behavioural | Dancing students |
Primary outcome
Change in Benchmark/Summative assessments
Time frame: Baseline, 8 weeks, 16 weeks, 24 weeks.
Unit/chapter assessments in Math and English Language Arts
Change in State Assessment scores
Time frame: Baseline and 9 months.
Attendance/tardiness
Time frame: 10 months.
Student attendance
Change in Reading Level
Time frame: Baseline, 8 weeks, 16 weeks, 24 weeks.
Fountas and Pinnell reading level
2 secondary outcomes
Teacher perception of dance intervention
Time frame: Baseline and 9 months.
Documented Student Behavior
Time frame: 10 months.
Results and safety
The study was stopped early (reason given: Suspended secondary to COVID-19 and decreased access to school setting). Results are not available in the source record.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 11 Apr 2023.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. A linking list for students will be compiled by the school Principal, numerically coding each student into a password protected document. This student linking list will be kept on a locked district owned, password protected computer at the school, separate from this database. It will be kept solely on that computer hard drive so it will not be accessible to Principal at home. Neither the PI, nor any other Skidmore researchers will have access to this locked computer and therefore, will not have ability to gain access to this list in any capacity. Skidmore researchers will never have access to student names/identities.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Sarah DiPasquale, DPT principal investigator
Skidmore College
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Dancing in people with Educational Activities, run by Skidmore College at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: stopped early, as of the sponsor's last update on 11 Apr 2023. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study was stopped early (reason given: Suspended secondary to COVID-19 and decreased access to school setting). Results are not available in the source record.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in Benchmark/Summative assessments (time frame: Baseline, 8 weeks, 16 weeks, 24 weeks.). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 11 Apr 2023.