Learning Through Movement: Physical Activity, Technology, and the Cognitive, Self-Regulatory, and Psychosocial Development of Children and Adolescents

Physical activity and movement-based learning are increasingly recognized as valuable educational resources for supporting the cognitive, emotional, social, and behavioral development of children and adolescents. These effects are particularly relevant for learning processes and educational practice, positioning this work within educational psychology. Beyond their established contribution to physical health, educational experiences that integrate movement may influence psychological processes directly involved in learning, participation, and adaptation, including executive functions, attention, self-regulation, motivation, emotional regulation, cognitive engagement, and social interaction. At the same time, digital and methodological innovations are expanding the possibilities for designing, personalizing, monitoring, and evaluating active educational experiences. Nevertheless, important questions remain regarding the mechanisms through which these effects occur, the characteristics of the most effective interventions, the influence of individual and contextual differences, and the educational and technological conditions required to achieve meaningful, inclusive, and sustainable benefits.This Research Topic seeks to address the need for a more precise understanding of how physical activity, sedentary behavior, Physical Education, movement-based learning, and technology-supported educational approaches influence cognitive, self-regulatory, motivational, emotional, and psychosocial processes in children and adolescents. Rather than focusing solely on broad indicators of academic performance, the collection will prioritize studies examining specific mechanisms such as inhibitory control, working memory, cognitive flexibility, sustained and selective attention, metacognition, learning self-regulation, self-efficacy, persistence, autonomous motivation, and cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement. Particular emphasis will be placed on recent advances involving artificial intelligence, wearable technologies, movement sensors, active video games and exergames, virtual, augmented, and mixed reality, gamification, mobile applications, adaptive systems, learning analytics, and real-time feedback. By integrating evidence across these areas, the Research Topic aims to clarify not only whether active and technology-enhanced educational approaches are effective, but also how they work, for whom, through which mechanisms, and under what educational circumstances. By connecting movement science and cognitive mechanisms to educational outcomes, this Research Topic bridges Educational Psychology, Movement Science, and Cognition.The Research Topic welcomes contributions examining physical activity, sedentary behavior, Physical Education, movement-based learning, and the cognitive and movement-science mechanisms underlying technology-supported educational experiences in children and adolescents. Relevant themes include executive functions, attention, metacognition, self-regulation, motivation, engagement, emotional regulation, self-concept, self-esteem, emotional well-being, social skills, peer relationships, school belonging, prosocial behavior, inclusion, psychosocial adjustment, bullying, and cyberbullying. Studies may address Physical Education programs, active breaks, physically active lessons, active recess, active commuting, extracurricular initiatives, whole-school approaches, and pedagogical models that connect movement, technology, and learning. Research on personalization, accessibility, digital equity, ethical use, data privacy, teacher readiness, and sustainable implementation is also encouraged. We welcome experimental, quasi-experimental, longitudinal, cross-sectional, qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies, as well as systematic reviews, meta-analyses, study protocols, and implementation research Topic editors: Alberto Ruiz-Ariza, José Luis Solas Martínez, Alba Rusillo Magdaleno Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/83588/learning-through-movement-physical-activity-technology-and-the-cognitive-self-regulatory-and-psychosocial-development-of-children-and-adolescents