Physical Activity and Learning in the Swdish Bunkeflo Project : evaluation of Motor Skills Training in Compulsory School

The aim was to study relationships between physical activity and school performance in perspective ofresults found in the Swedish Bunkeflo project, also called the Pediatric Osteoporosis Prevention (POP)study. Another aim was to evaluate the model for motor skills training used in the project, the Motorskills as Ground for Learning (MUGI) model – (in Swedish: Motorisk Utveckling som Grund förInlärning).The MUGI model for motor skills training was found to be useful as a pedagogic model forimproving motor skills (balance/bilateral coordination and eye-hand coordination) in school pupils.Both boys and girls improved significantly in motor skills with extended physical education and extramotor training in school. The article proposes a theoretical model for understanding relationshipsbetween motor skills and school performance.Key words: Academic achievements, Cognition, Motor skills development, MUGI, Physical Educationand Healt