Abstract:
School Physical Education programs provide key opportunities to promote lifetime physical activity (PA) to students, while at the same time students can build a sense of enjoyment. The purpose of this study first sought to determine the effects of varying instructional approaches on the enjoyment and PA levels of students participating in Physical Education and second, of students with disabilities participating in those same classes during the health-related fitness portion of middle school lessons.
One hundred and twenty-two students (four with a disability) participated in the study. The teachers implemented four different instructional conditions to their
classes which consisted of (a) traditional calisthenics-style fitness with no active
supervision, (b) fitness routines with no active supervision, (c) fitness routines with
active supervision, and (d) fitness routines with active supervision and music. The
conditions were rotated on a random basis with the succeeding lesson. The participants’ perceived enjoyment levels were assessed using a one question 6-point
Likert type scale completed daily at the conclusion of the fitness activities. PA levels were assessed using Walk4Life pedometers (percent of time spent in activity), while the four students with disabilities were assessed using SOFIT’s student activity level categories during time allocated for fitness instruction.
The results of the repeated measures ANOVA showed significant differences on enjoyment level between groups, (F[2.26, 121] = 10.44, p = .001, partial η2 = .08). To follow up the Bonferoni pairwise comparisons indicated during lessons that included fitness routines with music and teachers actively supervising students, higher enjoyment of physical fitness activities were exhibited by students. Furthermore, students’ PA level results were significantly lower during the baseline sessions, compared to all intervention conditions (F[3, 121] = 4.90, p = .05, partial η2 = .04). Visual analysis indicated no clear differences in enjoyment or MVPA levels of participants with a disability during time allocated for fitness instruction. Through implementing fitness routines (i.e., choices/options), students’ PA levels are increased and their experience is more enjoyable. In addition, music and
teachers’ encouragement and support (i.e., how the teachers present and instruct the
content), may entice students to continue participation in PA beyond school.
