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ABSTRACTAlthough educators in the field of kinesiology implement online education in various forms, online education rarely receives attention in literature. The purpose of this study is to explore online courses in the subject matter of kinesiology through the community of inquiry framework. This mixed-method study adopted a multiple case study approach collecting data using survey, learning management system analysis, and semi-structured interviews. The analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data revealed that instructors shared high intentions toward the implementation of teaching and cognitive presences. The online instructors expressed much lower levels of intentions to support the social presence. The authors suggest online instructors be mindful of students’ engagement that is bound to the interplay of different types of learning activities. This study is expected to serve as a meaningful contribution to the understanding of the status of online teaching and learning in the field of kinesiology.

ABSTRACTThe quality of interaction is an essential factor leading to learner satisfaction, academic achievement, learner engagement, and a positive attitude toward distance education. The purpose of this study is to examine different types of interactions within online kinesiology courses. Adopting a multiple case study design with a mixed-methods approach, the researchers analyzed learning activities and categorized them as: (a) learner-content, or (b) learner-instructor, or (c) learner-learner type of interaction. The interview transcriptions added instructors’ rationale for including specific learning activities as supplemental data. The analysis across the courses revealed that there was a similar pattern of interaction regardless of the course content or course instructor and instructors still see their main role as content providers. The findings suggest the need for further studies to focus on the different types of interactions and their effectiveness on instructional settings in online learning environments. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

ABSTRACTOnline education is an evident trend in higher education, and likewise, the field of Kinesiology has expanded online teaching. Such expansion, however, was too fast to make a proper adjustment and was not supported by an online specific theoretical foundation. The purpose of this systematic review was to offer an overview of issues and trends related to online teaching and learning in higher education. In this review, the authors focus on the Community of Inquiry framework – which is the most widely used framework for online education research. To that end, the researchers used a systematic review method, which included searching databases (Education Source, ERIC, PsycINFO, and SPORTDiscus) for peer-reviewed articles: (a) with a focus on online teaching and learning in higher education, (b) that were situated in the Community of Inquiry framework, and (c) that were published in academic journals in English between 2009 to 2019. 23 articles that matched all of the inclusion criteria were identified and selected. The analysis led to identifying (a) the characteristics of the online higher education studies (b) instructional strategies and their effectiveness and, (c) variables measuring students’ learning. These results are discussed in detail regarding the relevance to Kinesiology. The review concludes by suggesting implications for future research on online education in our field.

Rates of physical inactivity and obesity in the United States have reached epidemic proportions. This study estimates the linkages between health care expenditures for treatments of circulatory problems, physical inactivity, obesity, and the supply of recreation opportunities in West Virginia. Estimation of a spatial econometric model shows that rates of physical inactivity for counties are positively related to expenditures on health care treatments of diseases and disorders of the circulatory system. Results also show that quantities of variously measured recreation opportunities are negatively related to rates of physical inactivity, but not to obesity. The recursive nature of our model demonstrates that physical inactivity explains spatial patterns of obesity, but not vice versa. Therefore, increasing recreation opportunities have the potential to decrease health care expenditures and rates of obesity through increasing rates of physical activity.