Truman State Truman State UniversityUniversity

Health 198: Lifetime Health and Health 198: Lifetime Health and FitnessFitness

Jana Arabas, Instructor Jana Arabas, Instructor

Jessie Harney, Student ConsultantJessie Harney, Student Consultant

Personal Well-Being: An Essential Skill

A liberally educated student acknowledges personal responsibility for achieving and maintaining wellness. To live life fully, with vitality and

meaning, a person needs to actively engage in a healthy lifestyle. The knowledge learned through the Personal Well-being Essential Skill provides

persons with the skills necessary to evaluate their current lifestyle behaviors and make adjustments to

improve their civic contributions as well as their own quality of life.

Course DescriptionCourse Description

• The purpose of this course is to integrate The purpose of this course is to integrate material from a range of disciplines including material from a range of disciplines including (but not limited to) human physiology, (but not limited to) human physiology, psychology, sociology, and nutrition to psychology, sociology, and nutrition to present an interdisciplinary framework for present an interdisciplinary framework for disease prevention and health promotion. disease prevention and health promotion. The course focus is to promote a behavioral The course focus is to promote a behavioral lifestyle change in which students integrate lifestyle change in which students integrate into their lives patterns of physical activity, into their lives patterns of physical activity, health, and well-being. health, and well-being.

Course Redesign: Control Course Redesign: Control vs. Experimentalvs. Experimental

• CONTROL GROUP:CONTROL GROUP:– HLTH 195 – Lifetime Health and Fitness HLTH 195 – Lifetime Health and Fitness

(On-Campus)(On-Campus)– HLTH 196 – Lifetime Physical ActivitiesHLTH 196 – Lifetime Physical Activities

• EXPERIMENTAL GROUP:EXPERIMENTAL GROUP:– HLTH 198 – Lifetime Health and Fitness HLTH 198 – Lifetime Health and Fitness

(Online)(Online)– HLTH 198L – Lifetime Physical ActivitiesHLTH 198L – Lifetime Physical Activities

Courses and AnalysisCourses and Analysis• Four sections of HLTH 195Four sections of HLTH 195

• One section will not be included in part One section will not be included in part of the analysisof the analysis– One instructor is alleged to have provided One instructor is alleged to have provided

excessive amounts of information about excessive amounts of information about the final exam questions prior to the final exam questions prior to administrationadministration•HLTH 195 final exam scores are significantly HLTH 195 final exam scores are significantly

higher with this section’s scores included; this higher with this section’s scores included; this is not the case when this sectionis not the case when this section’’s scores are s scores are removedremoved

Comparison of Final Exam Comparison of Final Exam ScoresScores

• With With allall sections: sections:Course Mean Standard Deviation

HLTH 195 86.51 8.267

HLTH 198 83.91 8.643

• T-Test Results for comparing final exam scores in HLTH 195 and HLTH 198:

t = 3.611 p = .0003 df = 552

Comparison of Final Exam Comparison of Final Exam ScoresScores

Course Mean Standard Deviation

HLTH 195 84.46 8.248

HLTH 198 83.91 8.643

Table 1.2: Means and Standard Deviations of Final Exam Scores in both HLTH 195 (control) and HLTH 198 (experimental)

• T-Test Results for comparing final exam scores in HLTH 195 and HLTH 198:

t = .707 p = .480 df = 476

Successes: Student Successes: Student OutcomesOutcomes

Final Exam Grade Range

HLTH 195 HLTH 198 TOTAL

<50 1 1 2

50 – 59 1 5 6

60 – 69 7 13 20

70 – 79 46 40 86

80 – 89 90 126 216

90 – 100 69 79 148

TOTAL 214 264 478

Table 1.1: Distribution of Final Exam Scores in both HLTH 195 (control) and HLTH 198 (experimental)

• 77.65% of HLTH 198 students scored an 80 or higher on their final exam.

• 74.30% of HLTH 195 students scored an 80 or higher on their final exam.

Successes: Student Successes: Student OutcomesOutcomes

Successes: Improved Successes: Improved AttitudesAttitudes

• Attitudinal SurveyAttitudinal Survey– Mostly similar responses between the Mostly similar responses between the

control and experimental groupscontrol and experimental groups– However, the following items were more However, the following items were more

commonly reported from students in HLTH commonly reported from students in HLTH 198:198:•Exercising more as a result of taking the courseExercising more as a result of taking the course

•Learning new ways to exercise and Learning new ways to exercise and implementing them into daily routinesimplementing them into daily routines

•Using more stress management techniquesUsing more stress management techniques

Implementation IssuesImplementation Issues

• Greatest Challenges:Greatest Challenges:– Blackboard issuesBlackboard issues

•CompatibilityCompatibility

•AccessibilityAccessibility

– Class e-mailClass e-mail•Response TimeResponse Time

Implementation: Student Implementation: Student AttitudesAttitudes

• Many students expressed disinterest Many students expressed disinterest in the coursein the course– Some students in related majors (Health Some students in related majors (Health

Science, Exercise Science, etc.) were Science, Exercise Science, etc.) were more enthusiastic.more enthusiastic.

• Still, many students expressed a Still, many students expressed a desire to become healthierdesire to become healthier– Diet and/or exercise changeDiet and/or exercise change

Implementation: Student Implementation: Student AttitudesAttitudes

• Course ContentCourse Content– More HLTH 195 students expressed that the More HLTH 195 students expressed that the

material covered on the test was not representative material covered on the test was not representative of what was covered in the courseof what was covered in the course

– HLTH 198 students thought the course content was HLTH 198 students thought the course content was fairly appropriate to what was covered on the testsfairly appropriate to what was covered on the tests

•However, supplementary materials were less However, supplementary materials were less helpful (e.g. powerpoints)helpful (e.g. powerpoints)

•General consensus was that students relied on General consensus was that students relied on the bookthe book

Implementation: Student Implementation: Student AttitudesAttitudes

• HLTH 198 students enjoyed the HLTH 198 students enjoyed the flexible schedule.flexible schedule.

• However, students also appreciated However, students also appreciated that weekly assignments were due at that weekly assignments were due at the same time each week.the same time each week.– This balance of flexibility and structure This balance of flexibility and structure

seemed appropriate and beneficial to seemed appropriate and beneficial to student success.student success.

Implementation: Student Implementation: Student AttitudesAttitudes

• HLTH 196/198L:HLTH 196/198L:– Most students were satisfied with their Most students were satisfied with their

exercise course.exercise course.– Some students in HLTH 198L courses Some students in HLTH 198L courses

expressed that they liked having the expressed that they liked having the course taught by a student.course taught by a student.•Could more easily relate to their instructor Could more easily relate to their instructor

and vice versaand vice versa

Faculty/Department Faculty/Department ReactionsReactions

• HLTH 195 Professor IssueHLTH 195 Professor Issue

• Resistance to changeResistance to change

Future Improvements: Future Improvements: AnalysisAnalysis

• Attitude SurveyAttitude Survey– More in-depth questions about the course content More in-depth questions about the course content – Demographic informationDemographic information

•AgeAge

•GenderGender

•Ethnicity/RaceEthnicity/Race

•MajorMajor

• Including a focus group for the professorsIncluding a focus group for the professors

Future Improvements: Full Future Improvements: Full ImplementationImplementation

• Reduce amount of supplementary Reduce amount of supplementary materialsmaterials

• Create quizzes in BlackboardCreate quizzes in Blackboard