Effectiveness of an Online and Traditional Physical Activity Class on Promoting Physical Activity in College Students

摘要

Over the past 10 years there has been an exponential increase in the number of college courses offered in a web-based or online format. Given the increased online learning opportunities and the decreased physical activity (PA) in college students, there may be an opportunity to blend college physical activity courses with online learning to increase physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in college students. However, an issue of concern in self-paced PA courses is adherence to the activity(s) and maintenance or improvement of fitness and health. The purpose of this study was to determine if an online PA class could be as effective towards promoting PA as a traditional, supervised PA class. Undergraduate students enrolled in a general education PA class at a mid-western university participated in this study. Of the 161 students enrolled in the course, 55 volunteered for the online course (a€?weba€?) and 106 remained in the traditional supervised course (a€?classa€?). The YMCA 3-Minute Step Test (a€?Step Testa€?), a measure of CRF, was used as a proxy to determine PA participation. The step test was administered during the third (baseline) and 15th week (endpoint) of the semester, with recovery heart rate (RHR) recorded after each test. The RHR scores from the baseline and endpoint step tests were compared to determine changes in fitness, and therefore, participation in PA. The male students in both the web and class group improved their CRF, and likely PA participation, from baseline to endpoint of the semester, regardless of course enrollment. The women in the web group also recorded an improvement in CRF and PA participation. The women in the class group, however, experienced a decrease in CRF, indicating a likely decrease in PA participation. Therefore, the online course seems to work better for improving PA participation (measured through changes in CRF) in female students, compared to the traditional supervised class setting. For male students however, the course type appears to have no effect on PA participation. Similar studies with larger sample sizes are needed to substantiate these results.