Incorporation of Physical Activity Challenges Within a Sport Education-Based Physical Education Class

This study examined the impact of including a formal requirement of achieving predetermined energy expenditures as part of students' participation grades during a Sport Education-based college physical education class. Calorie consumption was measured using the Heart Zones Blink 3.0 sensor, and the percentage of students who reached the lesson target was calculated across a 15-week semester. The instructor kept a weekly journal and students participated in interviews at mid and end of term. Results showed that the average calorie consumption across the semester well exceeded the daily targets, while the percentage of students who reached the daily challenge cutoff ranged from 77% to 100% (average = 87%). Analysis of the journal entries and interviews resulted in the generation of four themes: students' commitment to reaching the activity targets, group-based strategies for achieving physical activity targets, activity consequences of officiating roles, and activity challenges problematized skill development for some.
For over 100 years, colleges and universities in the United States have offered physical education or physical activity programs to their students for course credit. Although these programs have been [...]