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AIA BOLDOVSKAIA
Research
Movement changes lives—research shows us how.
Don't call me
Dr Aia (yet)
Dr Aia (yet)
I am an early career researcher and PhD candidate in Education at the Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisbon. Before diving into research, I wore many hats—trainer, educator, and entrepreneur—which gave me a deep understanding of the real challenges people face when it comes to movement. This unique mix of experiences helps me bridge the gap between theory and practice. At the end of the day, my goal isn’t just to write papers—it’s to help create a world where everyone has the skills and confidence to move and to thrive.
- Mathematics and Information TechnologyBSc / PetrSU, Russia / 2011
- Sports Science - Exercise for HealthLic / UEuropeia, Lisbon / 2020
- Sports, Education and Physical LiteracyMSc / ULusofona, Lisbon / 2023
My PhD project, supported by an FCT doctoral grant (2024.00594.BD), is all about helping future physical education teachers bring physical literacy to life—right from the start of their careers. I’m developing and testing creative ways to teach pre-service teachers how to effectively boost not only their students’ movement skills but also their confidence, motivation, and love for being active. This way, kids (and teachers!) can enjoy being active for life.
Researcher / 2024
Moving for Health is about transform the perception of health and wellness—whether at school, in sports clubs, at work, or in communities. This project connects educators, trainers, healthcare providers, and community leaders to develop strategies that help people move more and live healthier lives. The idea is to map existing resources, identify what works, and build a network to make physical and health literacy accessible for everyone. Supported by the European Union, the project is creating practical tools to inspire lifelong movement and well-being across different settings.
Moving for Health is about transform the perception of health and wellness—whether at school, in sports clubs, at work, or in communities. This project connects educators, trainers, healthcare providers, and community leaders to develop strategies that help people move more and live healthier lives. The idea is to map existing resources, identify what works, and build a network to make physical and health literacy accessible for everyone. Supported by the European Union, the project is creating practical tools to inspire lifelong movement and well-being across different settings.
Voluntary Research Assistant / 2024-2025
Think of GoPE! as the world’s watchdog for physical education. The project tracks what’s happening in schools across different countries—who’s moving, who’s not, and what needs to change. By collecting and analyzing data, it will help governments, teachers, and researchers figure out how to make physical education better and accessible for all kids. Because every child deserves the chance to move, play, and build a lifelong love for being active!
Think of GoPE! as the world’s watchdog for physical education. The project tracks what’s happening in schools across different countries—who’s moving, who’s not, and what needs to change. By collecting and analyzing data, it will help governments, teachers, and researchers figure out how to make physical education better and accessible for all kids. Because every child deserves the chance to move, play, and build a lifelong love for being active!
Junior Researcher / 2022
LusofonAtiva is getting the entire Lusófona University of Lisbon moving! This project is designed for students, faculty, and staff with two main goals: creating a digital system to track active and healthy lifestyle habits and launching a dynamic campaign to promote movement and reduce sedentary behavior. How? Through creative activations, tailored messages, and multiple formats that encourage people to sit less and move more every day.
LusofonAtiva is getting the entire Lusófona University of Lisbon moving! This project is designed for students, faculty, and staff with two main goals: creating a digital system to track active and healthy lifestyle habits and launching a dynamic campaign to promote movement and reduce sedentary behavior. How? Through creative activations, tailored messages, and multiple formats that encourage people to sit less and move more every day.
Recent projects
Past and ongoing projects that keep me busy (and hopefully help others move more)
Selected publications
What I’ve been researching (so you don’t have to)
Sintra Grows Healthy: Examining the impact of professional development and co-teaching in physical education on primary students’ motor competence
(In submission)
(In submission)
Can training teachers improve kids’ motor skills? Co-teaching in PE
We all know that kids need to move, but who’s best at teaching them how? This study explored whether training primary school teachers—with or without the help of specialist PE teachers—could boost children’s motor skills. Over 200 students and their teachers participated in a professional development program, some with co-teaching, some without. The result? Everyone improved, but there wasn’t a clear extra benefit from the co-teaching model. While the pandemic threw a wrench in the plans, this was the first study in Portugal to examine co-teaching in PE, opening the door for better training models in the future!
We all know that kids need to move, but who’s best at teaching them how? This study explored whether training primary school teachers—with or without the help of specialist PE teachers—could boost children’s motor skills. Over 200 students and their teachers participated in a professional development program, some with co-teaching, some without. The result? Everyone improved, but there wasn’t a clear extra benefit from the co-teaching model. While the pandemic threw a wrench in the plans, this was the first study in Portugal to examine co-teaching in PE, opening the door for better training models in the future!
Literacia Física e mobilidade ativa em contexto universitário: um estudo observacional transversal
(Dias, 2024)
(Dias, 2024)
Physical literacy & active transportation—do they go hand in hand?
Being physically literate means having the confidence, skills, and motivation to stay active for life—but does that influence how we move around our cities? This study surveyed nearly 500 university students, staff, and faculty to explore the link between physical literacy, physical activity levels, and sustainable travel choices. The results? Those who were more physically literate tended to be more active, but surprisingly, this didn’t always translate into choosing greener, more active transportation like walking or biking. The study raises important questions about how physical literacy connects to sustainable living—and how we can bridge the gap between being active and making eco-friendly travel choices!
Being physically literate means having the confidence, skills, and motivation to stay active for life—but does that influence how we move around our cities? This study surveyed nearly 500 university students, staff, and faculty to explore the link between physical literacy, physical activity levels, and sustainable travel choices. The results? Those who were more physically literate tended to be more active, but surprisingly, this didn’t always translate into choosing greener, more active transportation like walking or biking. The study raises important questions about how physical literacy connects to sustainable living—and how we can bridge the gap between being active and making eco-friendly travel choices!
Validation of the Portuguese Version of the Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument
(Boldovskaia, 2024)
(Boldovskaia, 2024)
Testing physical literacy—now in Portuguese!
Ever wondered how physically literate you are? This study took an existing tool, the Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument (PPLI), and adapted it into Portuguese to measure how adults perceive their own movement skills, confidence, and knowledge. It looks like the adapted version works well, capturing essential aspects of physical literacy. While there’s still room for improvement, this tool is a solid step toward helping Portuguese researchers and professionals support more people in staying active.
Ever wondered how physically literate you are? This study took an existing tool, the Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument (PPLI), and adapted it into Portuguese to measure how adults perceive their own movement skills, confidence, and knowledge. It looks like the adapted version works well, capturing essential aspects of physical literacy. While there’s still room for improvement, this tool is a solid step toward helping Portuguese researchers and professionals support more people in staying active.
Physical literacy assessment in adults: A systematic review
(Boldovskaia, 2023)
(Boldovskaia, 2023)
Measuring physical literacy in adults—are we doing It right?
We know physical literacy is key to staying active for life, but how do we actually measure it in adults? This study dives into existing assessment methods to see if they truly capture what it means to be physically literate. Turns out, many tools were borrowed from other fields and may not fully reflect the complexity of adult physical literacy. The takeaway? We need better, more comprehensive ways to assess physical literacy—ones that actually fit adults and don’t just repurpose tests designed for kids.
We know physical literacy is key to staying active for life, but how do we actually measure it in adults? This study dives into existing assessment methods to see if they truly capture what it means to be physically literate. Turns out, many tools were borrowed from other fields and may not fully reflect the complexity of adult physical literacy. The takeaway? We need better, more comprehensive ways to assess physical literacy—ones that actually fit adults and don’t just repurpose tests designed for kids.