A survey of teacher and student perspectives on how running is taught and evaluated in British Columbia schools.

Objective: Running is a simple and inexpensive exercise to maintain cardiovascular health. We aimed to evaluate student and teacher perspectives on the incorporation of running in physical education classes in British Columbian schools to determine how running is taught in schools. Methods: All 60 superintendents representing the school districts in British Columbia were contacted. They gave written approval for our research team to send a survey to schools within their districts. Teacher and student perspectives on running in middle and high schools were collected. Results: Teachers (n=63) and students (n=597) would like more information on proper running form and the cardiovascular benefits associated with this exercise. There is inconsistency in reporting medical conditions, and it is not clear whether students are graded fairly in comparison to one another (p<0.05). Conclusion: There is a lack of education in schools on running. Improvements to the incorporation of running within the physical and health education curriculum may enhance student enjoyment and in turn help reduce sedentary behaviours and associated comorbidities in the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]