Physical Activity Courses Research Articles

Experiences of Undergraduate Students Enrolled in a University Instructional Physical Activity Course: Exploring Factors Contributing to Behavior Modification

Background: There is a trend of decreased daily physical activity among college students. Demands of coursework, hectic schedules, and stress often prevent students from engaging in regular exercise, leading to negative impacts on mental and physical well-being. University Instructional Physical Activity Programs have the potential to address this issue by offering courses that can encourage healthier habits and promote wellness. Aim: The purpose of this study was to analyze the experiences of undergraduate students enrolled in a two-credit elective physical activity course. Methods: Participants were 587 undergraduate students enrolled in an online instructional physical activity course. Data collection included a survey consisting of three questions on a five-point Likert scale and one open-ended response regarding their experience in the course. Results: Descriptive survey data indicated positive trends regarding participants’ experience. Based on thematic analysis, qualitative data produced four themes including (1) awareness, (2) accountability, (3) ease and convenience, and (4) behavior change. Conclusions: Participants had an overall positive response to wearing an activity tracker in an online physical activity course and believed the awareness the activity tracker provided changed their daily behaviors, enabled health outcomes, and changed future intentions for physical activity. This study provides insight into the inclusion of technology to facilitate physical activity in college-age students. Aim: The purpose of this study was to analyze the experiences of undergraduate students enrolled in a two-credit elective physical activity course. Methods: Participants were 587 undergraduate students enrolled in an online instructional physical activity course. Data collection included a survey consisting of three questions on a five-point Likert scale and one open-ended response regarding their experience in the course. Results: Descriptive survey data indicated positive trends regarding participants’ experience. Based on thematic analysis, qualitative data produced four themes including (1) awareness, (2) accountability, (3) ease and convenience, and (4) behavior change. Conclusions: Participants had an overall positive response to wearing an activity tracker in an online physical activity course and believed the awareness the activity tracker provided changed their daily behaviors, enabled health outcomes, and changed future intentions for physical activity. This study provides insight into the inclusion of technology to facilitate physical activity in college-age students.

201 Assessing medical students satisfaction with a physical activity and health course: results from the VANGUARD European Union Erasmus+ Project implementation in Portugal

201 Assessing medical students satisfaction with a physical activity and health course: results from the VANGUARD European Union Erasmus+ Project implementation in Portugal

The efficacy of the TEACH e-Learning course at improving early childhood educators’ physical activity and sedentary behaviour self-efficacy, knowledge, intentions, and perceived behavioural control: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundEarly childhood educators play a critical role in promoting physical activity and reducing sedentary time in childcare centres. However, early childhood educators receive limited specialised pre- and in-service learning opportunities relating to these behaviours and may lack the capacity to effectively engage children in healthy movement behaviours. This study aimed to examine the efficacy of an e-Learning course on increasing early childhood educators’ physical activity and sedentary behaviour-related capacities.MethodsA two-group parallel randomized controlled trial was conducted with early childhood educators in Canada (Mage = 41.78, 97% female). Participants randomized to the intervention group were asked to complete a physical activity and sedentary behaviour e-Learning course within a 4-week period. Participants randomized to the waitlist control condition were assigned to a waitlist to receive the intervention after the testing period. Participants reported on their self-efficacy, knowledge, intentions, and perceived behavioural control relating to physical activity and sedentary behaviours at baseline, post-intervention, and 3 months follow-up. Linear mixed effects models were estimated to determine difference in changes in outcomes from baseline to post-intervention, and follow-up.ResultsA total of 209 early childhood educators participated in the study (intervention n = 98; control n = 111). The TEACH e-Learning course was found to be efficacious at improving all of the examined outcomes, with standardized effect sizes ranging from d = 0.58 to d = 0.65 for self-efficacy outcomes, d = 0.66 to d = 1.20 for knowledge outcomes, d = 0.50 to d = 0.65 for intention outcomes, and d = 0.33 to d = 0.69 for perceived behavioural control outcomes post-intervention. The intervention effects were sustained at follow-up for all outcomes apart from perceived behavioural control to limit screen time. Additionally, the magnitude of the effect for knowledge outcomes decreased at follow-up, with standardized effect sizes ranging from d = 0.49 to d = 0.67.ConclusionsThe e-Learning course was highly successful at improving early childhood educators’ capacity pertaining to physical activity and sedentary behaviours. Providing training content through e-Learning may be an efficacious approach to providing continual professional learning opportunities relating to physical activity and sedentary time to early childhood educators on a large scale.

Promoting adapted physical activity within kinesiology undergraduate programs: a RE-AIM perspective

ABSTRACT Disabled persons face an array of barriers to quality physical activity programming. Nonetheless, kinesiology undergraduate programs have historically neglected to focus on disability. Hence, it is unsurprising that ableist norms permeate throughout many kinesiology professions. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the RE-AIM approach as conceptual framework for the implementation of introductory adapted physical activity college courses within kinesiology undergraduate programs. Such an approach could shift the attitudes and knowledge of kinesiology undergraduates such that they are better prepared to support disabled persons in quality physical activity. Each dimension of the RE-AIM approach is examined and discussed in relation to the potential impact and sustainability of integrating adapted physical activity courses into a core curriculum for kinesiology undergraduate programs. We argue this development and expansion of adapted physical activity courses can serve as an important component to begin to address pervasive health disparities and ableist norms that permeate physical activity spaces.

Higher Learning as a Conduit to Healthy Living: A Review of Physical Activity and Health Education Courses Offered and Required at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

ABSTRACT Most college students do not engage in adequate physical activity. Physical education requirements (PERs) are often viewed as a potential solution to physical inactivity within this population as these courses provide opportunities for students to be physically active and/or become educated about healthy lifestyles. The potential benefits of these courses are particularly salient for Black college students who face many health disparities. The purpose of this study was to examine the health education and physical activity course offerings and requirements at Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs). We examined the online course catalogs of all four-year accredited HBCUs in the United States (N = 86) to determine if they 1) offered and/or 2) required their students to take any health education or physical activity courses. Overall, 81 of the four-year HBCUs in this study (94%) at least offered their students a physical activity or health education course, although only 42 schools (48.8%) required either course for graduation. The remaining 44 institutions (51.1%) did not require their students to take a health education or physical activity course for graduation. PERs appear to be more prevalent at HBCUs compared to non-HBCUs; however, there has been a reduction in PERs across all institutions alike over the past few decades. Future studies should explore whether higher PERs at HBCUs are associated with Black students’ actual physical activity behaviors. HBCUs are presented with a unique opportunity to support the health behaviors and knowledge of Black college students.

Assessing the Use of Recommended Practices in Adapted Physical Activity/Education Experiential-Learning Programs.

This study investigated the use of recommended practices in university-based experiential learning associated with adapted physical activity and education (APA/E) undergraduate courses. Participants (N = 165) were instructors of APA/E courses with an experiential-learning component and/or professionals involved in APA/E experiential-learning programs at their university. Participants completed an online questionnaire designed to describe program characteristics and evaluate the use of two sets of practices, including those recommended for involving students and people with disabilities. Findings highlight low proportions of the use of practices recommended for people with disabilities and indicate that significantly more practices recommended for students were implemented (Z = -10.45, p < .001). Findings from this study have several implications for evaluation and intervention in APA/E experiential learning, such as including the disability community in planning and designing programming to benefit both students and people with disabilities. Instructors should aim to increase their implementation of practices recommended for involving people with disabilities.

Fyzická aktivita detských pacientov s nešpecifickými črevnými zápalovými ochoreniami – výhody a limitácie

Summary: Introduction: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are a group of diseases including Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and unclassified IBD. They are chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Due to their extraintestinal manifestation, they are considered to be systemic diseases. IBD has a negative impact on health-related quality of life. The treatment is life-long and may be accompanied by side effects. Low-intensity activity of moderate duration is sufficient to elicit improvements in fitness, decrease stress, and improve symptoms. In this study, the relationship between physical activity and IBD development and course is described. Aims: To assess the relationship between physical activity and exercise capacity and the severity and course of IBD. Methods: Probands with IBD and healthy controls underwent pulmonary function testing (PFT) and cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). The results were compared between these two groups; in the IBD group, the results were correlated with disease activity parameters as well. In the IBD group, the probands were encouraged to perform regular physical activity. After 0.5–1 year, they underwent another CPET. Their exercise capacity development was objectively assessed and it was correlated with their IBD development. Results: Forty-one children were included in the study. Twenty of them were healthy controls, while 21 comprised the IBD patient group. These probands underwent the PFT and CPET. When comparing healthy controls and IBD patients, significant differences were found in peak oxygen uptake and peak work rate. In the IBD group, a negative correlation was found between peak work rate and C-reactive protein concentration. In faecal calprotectin, a significant correlation was found only in the subgroup with ulcerative colitis – the negative correlation with peak oxygen uptake and partial pressure of CO2 in exhaled air in the peak of the exercise. PCDAI correlated positively with ventilatory index, peak dead space and tidal volume ratio but negatively with peak work rate, work rate at the time of anaerobic threshold, peak oxygen uptake and oxygen uptake efficacy slope. In PUCAI, we found a positive correlation with CO2 ventilatory uptake at the time of anaerobic threshold and negative correlations with peak oxygen uptake and oxygen uptake efficacy slope. In further CPET in the IBD group, a significant decrease was found in faecal calprotectin and PCDAI or PUCAI; there were also positive correlations between PCDAI/PUCAI changes and resting heart rate changes. The negative correlation was found in the correlation with the changes in peak oxygen uptake, metabolic index and ventilatory equivalent for CO2 at the time of anaerobic threshold. Conclusion: These results suggest that regular recreational physical exercise positively impacts IBD. When adhering to treatment recommendations, doing sport professionally is also possible. Key words: inflammatory bowel diseases – physical activity

O.4.4-3 Developing a bespoke undergraduate physical activity course for a Portuguese Medical School - the VANGUARD European Union Erasmus+ project

Abstract Purpose Embedding physical activity in the undergraduate curricula of frontline health professionals is one of the policies recommended by the World Health Organization and the European Commission to promote health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA). The VANGUARD project is supported by the European Union Erasmus+ Programme, and aims to embed physical activity in the undergraduate curricula of healthcare professionals in European countries. Within this project, this work aimed to describe the bespoke development of a physical activity and health course integrated into the undergraduate medical curriculum of a Portuguese Medical School. Project or policy description The School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences of the University of Porto (ICBAS) was the invited Medical School to implement the VANGUARD project in Portugal - led by the Institute of Public Health of the University of Porto (ISPUP). An auscultation process with the undergraduate medical students was held to evaluate the importance of HEPA in their curriculum and assess the preferred operational characteristics of including a physical activity and health course in the Integrated Master’s degree in Medicine. A course proposal structure was then developed by the VANGUARD project Portuguese team from ISPUP, the Director of the Integrated Master’s degree in Medicine, and the Coordinator of the Medical Education Office of ICBAS, based on the students’ acceptability, the Medical School constraints, and VANGUARD project goals and resources. The course integrates 26 lessons, from physical activity technical terminology, epidemiology and guidelines, going through its relation with noncommunicable diseases (using #MovementForMovement resources), to Portuguese National Health Service brief intervention tools and community-based exercise programs - in a total of 20 hours of contact, including continuous evaluation and final case studies analysis. The course will be offered on an optional basis to 2nd-year medical students, on an online training platform, using a self-paced learning method. After embedding this course in ICBAS, it will be presented to the Council of Portuguese Medical Schools to be scaled up nationally. Conclusions Medical doctors and Medical Schools are key stakeholders in HEPA promotion, especially in the health sector. Successful implementation of HEPA policies requires tailored solutions to organizations and direct involvement of target groups in policy development.

Public health education: the status of health and health-related physical activity courses in Texas community colleges.

There is an inverse relationship between disease and both health literacy and physical literacy. Courses taken during the completion of degrees at community colleges help to prepare students to be productive members of society by teaching knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for employment and good citizenship. Coursework in public health education and health-related behaviors should be included in the overall community college curriculum. The purpose of this study was to determine the status of Health/Wellness/Physical Fitness Lecture (HWPFL) and Health-Related Physical Activity (HRPA) courses in Texas community colleges. A review of the institutional websites of Texas community colleges (N = 50) was performed to access information regarding HWPFL and HRPA courses and graduation requirements. Information regarding the Texas Core Curriculum was reviewed for any local additions to the state mandated requirements that students are required to complete prior to the attainment of Associate in Arts (AA) and Associate in Science (AS) degrees. Individual colleges were grouped into those with <5,000 students (N = 21), those having 5,000-10,000 students (N = 16), and those with >10,000 students (N = 13). Three (6%) institutions require a HWPFL course for AA and AS degrees and 49 (98%) had such courses available for elective credit. Two (4%) colleges require an HRPA course for AA and AS degrees whereas 47 (94%) offer such courses for elective credit. There was one college that only offers a HWPFL course. One college did not offer either HWPFL or HRPA courses. There were many identical courses offered by various colleges for required and elective credit. Requiring health, wellness, and health-related physical activity requirements in Texas community colleges can be a policy solution for improving health and physical literacy in students. This research study demonstrated the prevalence of health, wellness, and health-related physical activity requirements in the 50 public community colleges in the state of Texas. Offering courses in health, wellness, and health-related physical activity as required or elective courses for graduation from Texas community colleges is a means through which to develop health literacy and physical literacy in students resulting in a positive influence on public health.

Disability Simulation Design and Implementation in Adapted Physical Activity Coursework – Reports from Faculty

ABSTRACT Despite wide use in adapted physical activity (APA) courses, disability simulations are heavily critiqued for not being culturally responsive and for perpetuating negative stigmas. The present study explored the extent to which critiques have been addressed. Specifically, we aimed to appraise the design of disability simulations. A convenience sample of 14 APA instructors were surveyed and 8 opted-in for follow-up, semi-structured interviews. Adopting a pragmatic, interpretivist lens, we critically evaluated course artifacts and instructors’ descriptions of their assignments. Four assignment types were identified: evaluating accessibility of facilities, experiencing adaptations for activities of daily living, participating in disability sport, and practicing effective teaching modifications. While instructors agreed on a general definition of disability simulations, they were often hesitant to identify their assignments as such, especially disability sport-types. As teacher-researchers, who ourselves employ disability simulations in our courses, we confronted this ambiguity to explore implications for our teaching practices.

A Forced Shift: Effects and Outcomes of Online Higher Education Physical Activity Courses

ABSTRACT Higher education institutions often provide physical education activity courses designed to meet learning outcomes associated with physical activity. However, these activity courses were shifted online during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated the impact of an online learning environment on educational outcomes of physical activity courses. Final reflection assignments from a variety of 7-week activity courses were analyzed. Students reflected on the execution of a personal fitness plan, goals, goal progress, barriers, and personal impact on purposeful physical activity. Qualitative document analysis was used to determine themes and to identify patterns. Four major categories emerged across the reflections: physical activity plan, motivation, barriers, and future plans. Students discussed creating and modifying individual physical activity plans. Motivating factors for physical activity were both internal and external, including class accountability and available time and locations to be active. A variety of barriers were identified, including illness and injury and psychosocial factors. Finally, students indicated a desire to continue to be active beyond the class environment. Overall, our results suggest students still met learning outcomes even in online learning environments. In fact, students were able to retain the well-being benefits typically associated with physical activity. Additionally, these courses provided a sense of accountability and students felt the instructors played a key role in their overall enjoyment.

An International Perspective on Strategies to Increase College Students’ Empathy in Gymnastics Courses

The purpose of this article is to explain an international perspective on strategies to increase college students’ empathy in gymnastics courses. One of the most popular basic physical activity courses in Japan is a trampoline-based gymnastics course that helps college students practice the safe use of the trampoline based on their own developmental interest and skill level. Instructors who teach gymnastics in basic instructional courses must understand the background of their students and should reduce the academic and social uncertainty and anxiety associated with gymnastics performance and practices in their courses. The authors explain four instructional strategies that foster the development of empathy in gymnastics courses in higher education. These strategies are (a) perspective taking through understanding different roles, (b) refraining from judgement and learning how to give empathy-based feedback, (c) recognizing emotion in others, and (d) self-assessment of empathy through communicating the understanding of another person’s emotions. While our materials and examples are unique to gymnastics and trampoline, the structure of the materials can be applied across physical activity settings at the secondary school and university level. Motor learning experiences in physical education and physical activity classes can help improve empathy when presented using the strategies and components introduced in this article. By having similar experiences through physical activity, we can come to understand each other’s emotions, and based on this understanding, we can communicate with others in a positive, empathetic manner.

The Perspectives of Preservice Kinesiology Students Concerning Autism and Physical Activity: Differences by Adapted Physical Activity Exposure.

This study investigated the effect of an adapted physical activity (APA) course on knowledge and perceptions of preservice trainees regarding physical activity (PA) and autism spectrum disorder in 3 areas: knowledge/perspectives, importance and ease of improving developmental domains, and importance and ease of improving motor skills. Four hundred upper-level undergraduate students were recruited to participate in this survey-based study (251 APA students and 149 non-APA students participated). Survey data were analyzed using multivariate analyses of variance. Participants estimated that the moderate to vigorous PA recommendations are 39.34minutes per day, that 46.65% of moderate to vigorous PA occurs during school, and that 61.03% of children have motor difficulties. Participants perceived activities of daily living, sleep habits, and heart health as the easiest domains to improve, and problem behaviors, social skills, and self-esteem as the most difficult domains to improve. Knowledge/perspectives regarding autism spectrum disorder and PA were different by APA exposure (F12,324 = 3.11, P < .001). Differences included self-efficacy in providing PA advice, knowledge of PA guidelines, and willingness to provide motor assessment referrals. Students differed by APA exposure in the importance of developmental domains (F8,381 = 4.37, P < .001) but not ease of improving those domains. Results suggest that APA education and contact with children with disabilities improves self-efficacy, perspectives, and knowledge of PA and motor concerns in children with autism spectrum disorder.

Life course research in physical activity: Pathway to Global Action Plan 2030.

Current global trends in physical activity levels demonstrate that the world is not on track to achieve the 2030 target set by the Global Action Plan. The Action Plan posited that physical activity should be an integral component of "daily lives" of all individuals "across the life course." Potential contributions to achieve global physical activity goals include the utilization of compositional data analysis and life course epidemiology to provide a framework for the composite nature of physical activity and complex life course relationships. Combining these two traditionally disconnected fields represents a paradigm shift in physical activity research. Here, we discuss how these combined fields enable a reinterpretation of previous research findings and explore their impact on policy and potential advantages and challenges. Careful consideration needs to be given to the implications of both fields remaining disconnected and the alternate option of consolidation to realize ambitions.

“A bunch of big idiots smack into each other” – A mixed-method investigation of learning rugby through video gaming compared to traditional instruction

The two-pronged purpose of this study was to determine: 1) whether playing a sedentary sport video game (SSVG) is more effective than traditional hands-on instruction in learning a new sport, and 2) whether playing a SSVG motivated the future viewing orplaying intentions of the authentic sport.A mixed-method multi-phase intervention was conducted with two quasi-experimental groups. Participants (n = 38) were college students enrolled in an undergraduate physical activity course with little prior knowledge of rugby. The first semester of data collection included the Instruction First (IF; n = 19) group taking a rugby pre-test, performing two rugby instruction sessions, taking a mid-test, performing two rugby gaming sessions, taking a post-test, and finished with a focus group session. The next semester, the Video Gaming First (GF; n = 19) group replicated these procedures, but the order of gaming and instruction sessions were switched. Results indicated the gaming sessions alone significantly (p <.05) increased overall rugby knowledge test scores for the GF group. Focus group findings revealed the SSVG motivated intentions to watch rugby, but not to physically play it. Overall, SSVGs might be used to augment, but certainly not replace, traditional sport instruction.

Technology-Supported Physical Activity Course for Increasing Physical Activity Levels of University Students: System Development and Pilot Implementation

This paper investigates and pilots design principles focusing on developing a technology-supported physical activity course for increasing university students' physical activity levels. Four initial design principles from a previous systematic review were confirmed and validated in a series of Focus Group discussions with twenty-two participants (10 lecturers and 12 students) from one public university in Bandung, Indonesia. As a result, an additional three initial design principles were created. A technology prototype was developed based on the seven initial design principles. A prototype LMS (PESSPA), incorporated within a smartphone application (PESAPA), was designed, validated, and built on during this phase. A pilot study was conducted involving two physical education classes at the public university in Bandung, Indonesia to test and evaluate the prototypes. Two lecturers and 39 students participated in the pilot study. One lecturer implemented the technology prototype in the intervention group (n=22). The control group (n=17) was taught with a control lecturer with the same content but without PESSPA and PESAPA for 16 weeks. Findings showed that there were no significant differences in post-test scores between the intervention and control groups in all outcomes except for amotivation (P = 0.022). Positive small to medium effect sizes were found for intervention participants, compared with control participants, for all outcomes including physical activity outcomes (moderate intensity [d=0.09], total physical activity [d=0.21], and vigorous intensity [0.37]), motivation outcomes (introject regulation [0.14], intrinsic regulation [d=0.25], identified regulation [d=0.74]), and physical activity knowledge (d=0.20). The class observations and feedback from the intervention lecturer and students during the pilot study were analysed, resulting in nine revised design principles. The prototype should be modified based on the revised design principles and tested with a larger sample size in a randomised controlled trial.

Restructuring a University Health-Related Physical Activity Course with Technology: A Design-Based Research

The purpose of this study was to investigate the restructuring process of a university health-related physical activity course with technology and its impact on teaching &amp; learning practices. Using a design-based research approach, data were collected in five semesters by applying the technology integration strategies iteratively. Beginning with the needs assessment, the longitudinal study continued with the first and second pilots, and the process ended with improvements in the design and implementation phases. Data were collected through class observations, field notes, and interviews with the students and the instructor. Thematic content analyses were carried out with Nvivo software. Data and researcher triangulation were done for reliability and validity. Findings indicated that technology enhancement would contribute to the quality of health-related physical activity courses and the impact of technology integration was documented in detail. Implications and recommendations were given to stakeholders of the education environment; researchers, practitioners, administrators, technology coaches, and policymakers.

블랜디드 러닝을 적용한 교육대학교의 체육실기 강의에 대한 효과적인 운영 방안 탐색

Purpose: The purpose of this study aims to investigate the effective ways to implement a physical activity course based on blended learning at a national university of education.BR Method: Five participants who actively participated in the course were recruited for this study. Various qualitative data were collected as part of this qualitative research, including in-depth interviews, memory notes, and evaluation outcomes from motor skills and written tests. For data analysis, a constant comparative method for inductively analyzing data was used to categorize themes connected with the research questions regarding limitations and effectiveness on the physical activity course.BR Results: The results of this study largely derived two broad categories. First, ‘limitation on motor skills development’ includes ‘the lack of desire and motivation’, ‘low level of fundamental motor skills’,and ‘limitation of class environment.’. Second,‘increasing teaching confidence and interest on the physical activity units.’was connected with ‘confidence on teaching behavior for content development’and ‘development of positive consideration about physical education as a school subject.BR Conclusion: It will be necessary to implement physical activity courses based on blended learning focusing on not only developing motor skills, but also promoting cognitive and affective learning so as to maximize the effectiveness of physical activity courses, especially for pre-service elementary teachers who have low levels of interest and motor skills.

Exploring learning outcomes among undergraduate kinesiology students in response to an inclusive physical activity promotion message assignment

Numerous professional bodies and curricular models in kinesiology call for the development of undergraduates’ cultural competency. In short, a culturally competent professional (a) mitigates personal biases from adversely affecting others, and (b) is aware of how societal patterns marginalize people (e.g., unquestioned norms; Gill, 2007). The present study aimed to evaluate the extent to which undergraduate students demonstrated learning in response to completing an inclusive physical activity promotion message assignment, which included a focus on designing materials inclusive of people with disabilities. A scholarship of teaching and learning approach was adopted to critically evaluate and reflect on an assignment used in an undergraduate kinesiology course. This case study drew on artifacts from a convenience sample of 10 undergraduate students enrolled in an introduction to adapted physical activity course. A descriptive discourse analysis was conducted of students’ reflections about what they learned from the assignment. Student responses were appraised with Fink’s (2013) taxonomy of significant learning for evidence of learning across six domains: i.e., foundational knowledge, application, integration, human dimension, caring, and self-determination. Student responses were coded and verified. Consensus was reached on all discrepancies. Student reflections signaled learning across four domains: foundational knowledge (n = 9), application (n = 3), integration (n = 5), and human dimensions (n = 6). Developments in the caring or self-determination domains were not evident. The findings indicate potential for the assignment to enhance Kinesiology curricula. As teacher-researchers, we discuss the findings in relation to further development of the assignment to better promote cultural competency.

Sport Video Gaming Verses Direct Instruction: Examining Sport Knowledge and Future Sport Intention

While video gaming has pervaded society, dearth research exists investigating the ramifications of incorporating sport video gaming into sport-based physical activity courses. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) Determine whether direct instruction or video gaming (or a combination of both) is more effective in learning about a new sport; and 2) Examine to what extent does physically playing or playing a sport video game (or a combination of both) impact one’s intention to want to watch or physically play the sport in the future. This study employed a mixed methods pre/mid/post intervention design with two quasi-experimental groups. Participants included two classes of American university students with little prior knowledge of cricket enrolled in a “Global Games” course. Data was collected across two semesters with students enrolled in this course. During the first semester of data collection, participants first took a demographics questionnaire and cricket pre-test. This “Video Gaming First” (VGF; n = 17) group then played two 50-minute sessions of the video game Don Bradman Cricket, and then took a cricket mid-test. Next, participants partook in two 50-minute direct instruction physical activity lessons on cricket and then took the cricket post-test. Finally, the group participated in a 50-minute focus group session. The subsequent semester, to account for the order effect, all methods were replicated with the second class, except the two video gaming sessions were preceded by the two direction instruction sessions for this “Direct Instruction First” (DIF; n = 17) group. Results indicated that cricket knowledge significantly increased for the VGF from mid-test to post-test (p < .05, η² = 0.71), while the pre-test to mid-test did not significantly differ. For the DIF group, there was a significant increase in cricket knowledge from pre-test to mid-test (p < .05, η² = 0.77), while the mid-test to post-test did not significantly differ. No significant results were found regarding future intention to play or watch cricket. Overall, findings indicated that both groups significantly increased cricket knowledge from direct instruction but not from the cricket video gaming. However, while not statistically significant, the video game sessions did further increase cricket knowledge. Higher education physical activity course instructors may consider using a combination of video games and traditional instruction to teach sports to beginners, but the amount of video gaming equipment available and student training on how to use it should be considered.