Effects of Hybrid Active Learning Classrooms on Cognitive Performance and Physical Activity Among School-Age Students

Background: Prolonged sedentary behavior in classrooms may reduce physical activity and impair cognitive performance in school-age students. Hybrid active learning classrooms (HALCs), which integrate structured movement and interactive learning into daily instruction, may support both cognitive and physical development.
Objective: To examine the effects of hybrid active learning classrooms on cognitive performance and physical activity among school-age students.
Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted with 140 students (ages 8–12 years) assigned by classroom to an intervention (n = 70) or control group (n = 70). The six-week intervention incorporated flexible seating, brief movement tasks integrated with academic content, and interactive learning activities. Cognitive performance was assessed using a composite of the Digit Span, Flanker, and Trail Making tasks. Classroom physical activity was measured with accelerometers. Post-intervention outcomes were compared using ANCOVA.
Results: Students in HALCs showed significant improvements in cognitive performance compared to controls (F = 34.7, p < 0.001, partial η² = 0.21). Physical activity increased substantially in the intervention group: classroom steps (F = 152.6, p < 0.001, partial η² = 0.53), moderate-to-vigorous activity (F = 126.4, p < 0.001, partial η² = 0.48), and sedentary time decreased (F = 98.1, p < 0.001, partial η² = 0.46).
Conclusions: Hybrid active learning classrooms enhance cognitive performance and increase physical activity in school-age students. Embedding movement and interactive learning into classroom routines provides a practical, evidence-based strategy to support both cognitive and physical development.