Teaching health-related fitness and nurturing a sustaining interest in it represents an important mission for physical education. Using a quasi-experimental design, this study examined the effects of Physical Best (PB) on adolescents’ knowledge and interest in health-related fitness.
Method:
Seventh graders (N=217) from eight classes were randomly assigned into either PB (n=109) or comparison (n=108) groups. Both groups completed 20 physical education lessons over a three-month period, with PB group using PB lessons and comparison using the county ones. Adolescents took two pre and posttests on health-related knowledge and pre-post measures of personal interest at the beginning and end of the study. The knowledge test results were converted to percentile scores. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were conducted to examine the program effects on adolescents’ knowledge and interest in health-related fitness.
Analysis/Results:
Adolescents on average scored 60±14.74 on energy balance and body composition, and 60.93±15.95 on exercise principles and other health-related fitness components in the pretests; 66.32±15.53, and 67.58±16.19 points in posttests, respectively. Overall, adolescents reported moderate levels of interest in health-related fitness, averaging 3.99±1.77 in pre, and 3.98±1.67 in posttest. MANCOVA results (Pillai’s λ=.13, F2,212=15.06, p<.01, η2=.13) showed significant differences in posttest scores while pretests were controlled, favoring the PB group. ANCOVA result showed no significant difference in personal interest controlling its pretest measure (p=.86).
Conclusions:
Compared to the comparison program, PB had a significant moderate effect (η2=.13) on improving health-related knowledge, but showed no significant effect on enhancing personal interest in health-related fitness through the 20 lessons.