Table 1 Summary of themes and sample quotes/explanations assigned to the theoretical domains and organized by frequency

Environmental context and resources

Lack of time due to curricular demands and schedule interruptions (B)

“And honestly, in my world, the days fly. And just accomplishing the curriculum is enough in those hours that we’re given with the kids. That’s what I find.” (Non-implementer 1)

“Because of what you have to jam into your day. You’ve got to do reading, you’ve got to do writing, you have to do - especially at elementary school - you have to do math. You have music. You have science, socials. You have like, we’re teaching 12 different subjects, right. So, umm there’s days where ya, it’s hard to get that in there. Ya, for sure.” (Implementer 5)

“And time, like realistically, like our teaching day is- there is a lot to get through. And there’s - in elementary school there are so many interruptions in the day. So actually like full instructional days, sometimes you just feel- like you always feel like you are racing against time. And this term in particular. You get like pro-days and assemblies and you’re out on workshops, or whatever. So it just becomes too- that time is always your-- and to give up like 30 min, that’s a lot of time. It doesn’t seem like it but in a day, like it’s a lot.” (Implementer 4)

Resources (ideas or equipment) and administration or training workshops are helpful/sufficient (F) versus not age-appropriate/insufficient (B)

Overall, teachers explained that the resources made available when DPA was first mandated were helpful but have since gone missing or been broken. Some teachers discussed how the resources were silly and not age-appropriate for older students.

Teachers’ autonomy is decreased (B) versus supported (F)

“I think before it became a report card thing, I think a lot of us were having some sort of break within the day because we know it’s needed. But to kind of have where it’s like well you have to do it- telling someone you have to do something, changes it. I think if you don’t have to do it, sometimes you are more willing to do it. Like today, the concert was voluntary. Well we all showed up to it, right? We’re not stupid. Fifty minutes of you know, taking them out of class and, you know? They can listen to music and get some music enlightenment. But I think the ‘Big Brother method’ doesn’t work well.” (Implementer 8)

“Like, I feel supported that they give us the flexibility to do it at any point in the day.” (Implementer 1)

There are space constraints (B)

“We have space constraints. My kids are very big and so, you know when they’re… they like to move and they like to move big! So, when we do something in the classroom like aerobics, we’ve got desks everywhere and it’s really difficult to do anything where they’re lying down. So that’s definitely… I’d say even more than time, it’s space.” (Implementer 10)

“But we don’t have like the carpet areas like the primary’s would have - where you have room that you could do aerobic type stuff or that ActionSchools stuff, or… because of the size of the children. It’s squishy.” (Non-implementer 3)

It depends on the weather (B,F)

“I definitely think that weather though is a huge factor in the amount that people get because I notice in the Spring time there is way more classes outside doing things and being active. Because in the wintertime, what do you do? Like it’s mucky, it’s snowy, it’s cold. So to get dressed- especially if you have primary kids- and go out, it’s like, it’s a huge job.” (Implementer 4)

It is harder at an intermediate level (B)

“When the DPA first came out, I tried. You know, we had those, you know, ‘Get Up and Move and Dance.’ And I found it, honestly, I found it easier in primary doing it then I have in intermediate. Because it seemed like the things, the projects that we did were shorter projects and they were shorter chunks of time. And you just had more space in the classroom. And so we did get up and do, you know, impromptu dance parties or, you know, chair aerobics. You know, we did those kinds of things that they brought in to teach us how to do. But when I got to intermediate and the demands became greater, and they do have a longer attention span…so I definitely in intermediate feel the demands of the time more so than I did in primary. It was much easier in primary to do this.” (Non-implementer 2) “I’ve just found with the older kids that sometimes - like there’s definitely kids into the games and stuff and then there’s other kids that they hate that. At the age that they’re at.” (Implementer 3)

Beliefs about consequences

Takes time out of schedule (B)

“I was just going to say I can’t think of any negative impact other than the fact that it takes away from teaching time- If you are incorporating it outside of the lunch and the recess.” (Implementer 3)

“I think some teachers just don’t see the importance of it or feel like they – it’s one more thing they just can’t afford to lose instructional time on.” (Implementer 7)

Requires extra planning and set up time (B)

“Because already as a teacher you spend so much of your own time during your lunch hour, your prep or after school preparing for like your core subject areas. And then so to prep like for DPA, just- it’s a lot as it is…” (Implementer 4)

No impact on PA levels (B) versus increases PA levels of those who need it most (F)

“If you look at some of these kids that’s all they do at lunch and recess is play. They come in exhausted because, you know… and the ones that don’t, don’t do it anyway. Like that’s the irony. Like a lot of the kids that don’t run around at recess, probably don’t… they’re not the ones that are running around at DPA either, right?” (Implementer 8)

“Yes I would say [students are more active with DPA compared to without]-- and when you asked that question, like I think of particular students. Um because I know that those ones would not move. Like I watch them outside too and they just kind of hang around or sit out there. Like they’re not the ones who play either. So if we don’t do it, for those ones, I know they, they won’t do anything else. Whereas then you have those naturally athletic and energetic ones who, you’ll go outside, and you know they’ll still be playing and running around and their heart rate will get up. So if we don’t do it for them, they will still be fine.” (Implementer 4)

Student boredom (B)

“And that’s the thing too - they get bored really quickly too.” (Implementer 8)

Heightens awareness of physical activity importance (for student and teacher) (F)

“I think its at least started important conversations that need to happen. It has at least let all of those people- you know, students, teachers, admin- know that this is something critical that needs to be addressed and accounted for. So I think it has heightened awareness.” (Implementer 7)

Student enjoyment is activity dependent (B,F)

“Um, my kids… yeah I mean my kids love it. They love that I would put that in a schedule. They like different activities, although they moan and groan at the different ones because they’re not interested. Um, I think kids just want to run around.” (Implementer 10)

It’s a mental break (for student and teacher) (F)

“It’s good for the students, it’s good for me. Like, it’s umm even - like I eat my snack then too. And I actually - I want to say earlier in my career, even last year, like I used to go out and do a lap with them, just ‘cause I found for me, just the fresh air, the sunshine - if it’s sunny that day - and I would walk it as well. I used to run it. Umm but just to get moving, it helps me as well. It’s a mental break for them, it’s a mental break for me.” (Implementer 3)

It improves students’ attention and focus which improves the learning environment (F)

“Some positive impacts for the students and teachers would be we do see more focus out of the kids after they burn off some energy. Especially the high-energy students. Um, negative effects… I think the only negative effects we would say, it would be that it… I don’t know. I don’t think there would be any. Some would complain about that it takes up time, right, out of their schedule, but I would argue then, ‘you’re getting that time back because you’re getting more quality time focus time out of the students.’” (Implementer 1)

“I think it’s beneficial for all teachers because- because of the increased focus and… and their general happiness, level of happiness that just gives a more positive atmosphere in the classroom. And so that positive atmosphere - if you’ve got a positive atmosphere, kids will learn more, you know, then if they’re stressed or tired or hungry. Ya.” (Implementer 2)

Social influences

The school system prioritizes academics (B) versus they prioritize DPA (F)

“But there’s already so many other initiatives that exist in schools. Um and lots of those focus around academics. And it totally depends on your school too and what the focus is at your school. Umm because I know some places that is the focus because academically, they’re where they need to be. But for us, some of those core areas are more important at this point because we have kids who can’t read at grade levels. So for us that becomes our primary focus.” (Implementer 4)

“So when I came to this elementary school that was kind of built in with their system and from what I understand other elementary schools do a similar thing, because there’s no morning recess scheduled. They kind of build in an unofficial morning recess which is the DPA and snack. So that’s what they kind of do.” (Implementer 1)

I implement DPA just like other teachers (B,F)

“And I’m not aware of anybody in the school that’s doing it any other way. So not just do we not have a school policy, I’m not even sure if individuals - how individuals are approaching it other than what I’m doing.” (Non-implementer 1)

“Ya, the other intermediate teachers I know, like I said, they are running a lap. I know that some of the primary teachers, they just go outside and do like play on the playground time. And then there’s the one class where I see the teacher walks around the school with her class. So I think that everybody’s trying to get in it, one way or another.” (Implementer 4)

Students don’t participate and you can’t force them to move (B)

“And a lot of times they act very silly. They just think it’s funny and it just becomes something where you’re like, you know, I’ve said this before, I’m guilty of it, where it’s like ‘well if you guys aren’t going to do it, if you’re not… the purpose of DPA is to be moving the whole time. Um, that… we’re just going to pull it and we’re not going to do it.’” (Implementer 10)

“You’ll see them out there and you cannot force them. That’s the challenge with DPA. I can say we are going to go out and do this. But you cannot force, make them run or whatever…I think the dilemma with DPA is that yeah, I think it’s great, but you cannot force the children to physically, to do it. They do whatever they feel like at their level.” (Implementer 8)

A champion teacher who shares resources is helpful (F)

“If one person is willing to take on that organizational force and really bring people together and create the program, then it will happen.” (Non-implementer 1)

“Every time I find something good, I will send it to other people. Like, ‘oh here’s this really cool kids yoga thing,’ or ‘here’s this really cool dance thing’ and I’ll send it along to teachers I know. Sometimes all of them. And all of the time the feedback is really good.” (Implementer 10)

Students cue teachers verbally and non-verbally (F)

“Sometimes they say ‘can we have a break?’ I’m like ‘OK, we can do that.’” (Implementer 8)

“I guess I’m just drawing judgment upon my experience and what I see. Observation. Umm are my kids wiggling in their seats, ready to go, losing focus at that time of the day? Ya, they are ready for a break. So we go, we do that break. We eat our snack. We come back in and by the time all that is said and done, they are refocused, they are ready to focus for another hour and 15 min or whatever it is. Umm and that’s why, ya I guess that’s why I do it.” (Implementer 3)

“It’s usually based on the, you know, they usually cue me. They usually, you know, from their attention. That I’m like ‘Ok, we need to do something here to get them up and moving and oxygen…’ Like they just need to that - you know, a burst of oxygen in their brains to just kind of wake them up. You know what I mean? Like, ya. So, it’s basically – it’s them. I take my cues from them.” (Implementer 2)

Knowledge

DPA is not our expertise (B)

“Cause we tend to teach what we know. And PE and daily physical activity kind of sit- not with all teachers, but on the backburner of what we know really well.” (Implementer 10)

Unaware of DPA policy requirements (B)

Although all teachers knew about the DPA policy, very few had Knowledge of the specific requirements relating to duration (i.e., minutes), intensity (i.e., MVPA), type (i.e., aerobic, strength, flexibility), and time of day (i.e., during instructional and non-instructional).

“I think teachers don’t know enough about it-- I don’t know enough about it, and I’m pretty savvy in that area. But I couldn’t- I couldn’t tell you that I’ve actually viewed that document myself. And that’s wrong.” (Implementer 7)

Intentions

Teachers’ priorities and interests differ (B,F)

“The interest part is hard because you’re either interested or you’re not. And obviously everybody’s interests vary. So obviously that’s an interest of mine. Is it an interest of other teachers? No, they are interested in other stuff. Umm is there a way to support them? Absolutely, with stuff like that. Umm even just one person on staff going to these workshops, getting educated, getting that experience and collecting the resources and then coming back and presenting those resources to the rest of the staff. Now, that’s what I did. Now, can I boost their interest in it by doing those things? No. Can I force them to use it? No. It’s up to them after that. So it’s hard.” (Implementer 3)

DPA is dropped for other subjects (contingent intentions) (B)

“It’s unfortunate that we kind of always push physical activity to the, you know, if we have time we’ll do it. But it is the reality of most teachers. We’re so worried about making sure that our content courses are covered, right? So that’s the biggest thing is if we’re behind schedule-wise in our class, then DPA is the one that we’re always saying, oh, we could make up another 15 min, because we already have that scheduled in. So we’ll take 15 min and not do DPA today.” (Implementer 1)

Beliefs about capabilities

DPA delivery depends on confidence and comfort-level (B,F)

“I think some of them might feel that, I mean, if they don’t exercise, or they don’t, they’re not knowledgeable about healthy habits in their own life- ‘cause lots of people aren’t knowledgeable- that they wouldn’t want to model it anyways in school. So those would probably be the teachers- Not that they wouldn’t do it, but they would put on DVDs or you know, play games or something like that. Um, I don’t know why they wouldn’t be confident. I think that would probably be my biggest thing. It’s when… even in other subjects, if I’m not confident in teaching - French is another one - um, that somebody might not be confident in, that they wouldn’t spend a lot of time on French.” (Implementer 10)

“Like, if you ask that question maybe for someone else who didn’t feel as comfortable teaching physical activity, PE, they tend to not do as much.” (Implementer 1)

It’s difficult to motivate students (B)

Teachers discussed that it was not the provision of DPA opportunities that was necessarily difficult, but the motivation of children who were not motivated to be active. “Do I wish I could find some way to motivate those kids to do that? Absolutely… it’s hard as a teacher to motivate those kids that don’t even want to participate.” (Implementer 3)

It’s easy to implement (F)

“But I just don’t think it’s very difficult to implement.” (Implementer 10)

Skills

Initial DPA-specific training was good but insufficient/inappropriate over time (B,F)

“When this all first came into play, we did ActionSchools. So that was our day. We had a specialist come. We tried out a bunch of the games. We opened up the bins. We looked at what kind of resources there were. And then we did some kind of team building, brain storming, ‘what could this look like in your classroom?’ It was a great day. Um that was the only support that we were given.” (Implementer 7)

Previous training and experience is helpful (F)

“I would say I do [have the necessary skills] because I did my entire undergrad in Human Kinetics, in Exercise Science. And obviously when I went through that program, we did do a lot - I don’t want to say a lot - but we did do some PE-related courses. So, did I take a soccer course, a basketball- I took all that stuff and obviously learnt about the benefits of it all. But I think just with my background in it, I am probably more well equipped as a teacher umm to just - I can seriously just take my kids out and wing a game and I just know how to do it because I’ve done it so many times.” (Implementer 3)

Social/professional role and identity

It’s not my job/responsibility (B)

“We are - I felt my job is an educator and we seem to be taking on a lot of society’s jobs. Family’s jobs. And I thought, you know, I’m kind of up to here with the responsibility for every little thing. That was my - definitely my first thought.” (Non-implementer 1)

“I mean, at first I was sort of like, ‘well, we’re doing parental jobs now? Like is it not the parents job to ensure that their child is…’ And I still think that. I think it’s up to a parent to make sure they’re providing their kid with opportunities at home. Umm I do believe that. And if there’s a day that we don’t do DPA and the kids complain, I’m like ‘well run home. What do you do when you go home? Play with your video game?’ You know? So I don’t really feel too bad if we don’t get to it or if it’s a day where it’s only 15 min. Umm so I do think there is a responsibility in the home to ensure that your child is getting some exercise, for sure. Ya.” (Implementer 5)

It’s my professional obligation (F)

“For me, as with anything else on my report card, like I have to know that I covered it, that they did it and that I evaluated it appropriately. I have to know that as an educator myself. That’s a professional standard that I hold myself.” (Implementer 7)

It’s important to me because I’m active (F)

“I’m interested in maintaining a good physical health in my own life, it just plays into my teaching because of my identity.” (Implementer 10)

“But like, I’m passionate about sports. I’ve done sports my whole life and I’m always coaching. Like I’m the coach here…and I probably do our DPA more consistently than others.” (Implementer 1)

Reinforcement

Lack of monitoring (B)

No teachers said that they were assessed on whether or not they implement DPA. While they are required to report children’s fulfillment of DPA on the report cards (i.e., ‘meeting’, or ‘not meeting’), most teachers believed this system had no effect on the implementation of the policy.

“It’s kind of like having a law, right? If you have a law in place on paper, that’s all good. But if it’s never enforced from your law officials, right? Then no one’s ever going to take… they’re not going to put any stock into it. So that’s how I feel right now. It’s not really… ‘enforce’ is a bad way of putting it, but, yeah. It’s never monitored I guess.” (Implementer 1)

Optimism

Optimism depends on student’s motivation to be active (B,F)

Teachers had mixed feelings about the success of the DPA policy, linking their optimism to student’s motivation to be active.

“You’re going to have someone in that group that does not want to do that. That doesn’t like it. And so, you can’t force them, you know? Our hands are tied. So the whole DPA is an awesome idea, but it’s not practical if the kid doesn’t want to do it. They’re not going to do it. So you just try to do it as much as you can and get them to participate as much as they’re willing to.” (Implementer 8)

“…the kids that are going to be active, are going to be active. And the kids that aren’t, aren’t.” (Non-implementer 3)

Emotion

It’s frustrating (B)

“I don’t think its just frustration around DPA, but it’s frustration around finding the time to accomplish all the expectations. And it’s not horrible because I mean, I absolutely love my job and I wouldn’t want to do anything else. … So I don’t think it’s just DPA, I think it’s just the rigors of it all.” (Non-implementer 2)

I’m worried that students will get hurt (B)

“But I mean because I’m not trained in that kind of stuff, it does worry me sometimes that I’m doing the activities that are by trained people and then, you know I’m a smart person, so I know about injury and I know about warming up and that kind of stuff but I’m not an expert. So what would happen if a kid pulled a muscle really badly or something and their parents… their parents probably could get angry and I could get in some sort of trouble. So that’s a worry of mine. I guess it’s a, it would be a restriction.” (Implementer 10)

It’s a joke (B)

“When you brought it up of course I was smiling or if not a smirk, cause it’s joke-like. How do you fit it in a day already that’s overscheduled.” (Implementer 6)

I enjoy it too (F)

“And it’s funny – you’d think that it’s for the kids but I use it a lot for myself too. If I can get a stretch in there, I’m feeling better for the rest of the day.” (Implementer 6)

“And I love doing it. I look forward to that movement break.” (Implementer 7)

Goals

Planning for and scheduling DPA into the timetable (F)

“I think it definitely has to do with having a set schedule that’s working now, and this is now the third year of kind of this type of schedule that I’ve been using. So like I said, first year was my first year in elementary school here and then second year was kind of, I did a similar schedule and then I changed everything around and actually built in DPA in these blocks. So I think that’s the major drive behind it.” (Implementer 1)

Memory, attention and decision processes

Forgetting about DPA (B)

Overall, almost all teachers discussed not remembering or forgetting to implement DPA during the school day.

I don’t think about it, it’s a routine (F)

“I think initially when we first started it, I was very conscientious about that but now I think I don’t really think about it, we just kinda, incorporate it.” (Implementer 5)

“I want to say it’s just routine. Like I write out a day plan every single day. And every single day I just write it in there. And actually, I plan the blocks I have before and I plan the blocks after for that umm it’s -- and I know it’s not a specific time in here. But- and in my mind I’m always like it’s 15 min. But it’s not. It turns into 20–25 min pretty much everyday. But I plan accordingly. And it’s a routine, it’s something we do everyday.” (Implementer 3)

Behavioural regulation

Writing it down (on timetable, board) helps us remember (F)

Teachers who implemented DPA regularly discussed the importance of writing it on their timetable or the board in order to remind themselves to conduct DPA.

“I do that [schedule it in] because that’s just - well, that shows my thinking and it’s my plan. And then ugh, it reminds me to do it, or that kind of thing. Umm, and then I also put it on the board, right? Because everyday the agendas up.” (Implementer 5)