AI encourages and supports everyday exercise among schoolchildren
Tuusula is piloting a unique everyday exercise programme for 7th graders in Finland.
Young people’s everyday physical activity has declined alarmingly in recent years, and the consequences are evident not only in their physical functioning but also in their stamina, learning and the general well-being of children and young people. The national Move! measurements conducted by the National Board of Education have shown that there has been a clear decline in endurance fitness in particular.
At Hyökkälä School in Tuusula, this phenomenon is now being tackled boldly and with an open mind – with the help of artificial intelligence. The school’s physical education teachers have collaborated to develop an artificial intelligence solution that generates a personalised daily exercise programme for each Year 7 pupil. The programme is based on the PRE-MOVE measurement carried out in the spring, which involves the familiar 20-metre line run to assess the pupil’s endurance.
Support for everyday mobility in summer
After the measurement, artificial intelligence analyses the results and creates a personalised exercise programme for each student that does not require gym facilities or equipment. This is everyday exercise – walking, cycling, playing in the yard and movement that is part of normal life. The programmes are divided into three levels: maintenance, development and strengthening.
“This is probably the first time in Finland that artificial intelligence has been used in such a concrete way to support young people’s everyday physical activity, with the aim of measuring the results in the Move! programme this autumn,” says physical education teacher Kimmo Kiuru from Hyökkälä School.
“At the heart of the programme is the idea that even small steps can lead to more permanent, health-promoting lifestyle changes,” Kiuru continues.
Towards the autumn Move! measurements
The artificial intelligence programme is designed to support pupils’ physical activity, especially during the summer holidays. In the autumn, the official Move! measurements for Year 8 will show how everyday physical activity during the summer has affected their endurance fitness.
The programme is voluntary and intended for everyone – both active participants in club sports and those who do not engage in any physical activity. Everyday exercise supports not only physical functioning but also recovery, mood and coping with everyday life.
The role of parents is crucial
Parents play a key role in supporting the success of the programme. By asking about their child’s measurement results, encouraging small changes or even suggesting a joint summer run, parents can be a significant source of motivation.
“We’re not aiming for top results. We want exercise to feel good and natural – to spark something that will carry on for a long time,” summarises physical education teacher Janne Paljakka.
In Tuusula, physical activity is not limited to school sports – it is now supported by artificial intelligence in everyday life, during the summer and at a pace that suits young people.
Further information: Kimmo Kiuru, Physical
Education Teacher at Hyökkälä School, kimmo.kiuru@tuusula.fi
This content has been translated using AI