Master's Theses

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Date of Award

Spring 1989

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Health and Human Performance

Advisor

Mark Giese

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of an interdisciplinary cognitive fitness program on the fitness knowledge of fourth grade students. The subjects that participated in this study were selected from a population of fourth grade students enrolled in Wilson Elementary School in Hays, Kansas. The fourth grade students were randomly assigned to each classroom by the principal of Wilson School. Both the experimental and control group consisted of 19 male and female students. The Fort Hays-Mihalicz Cognitive Fitness Test, developed by the researcher was used to measure the fitness knowledge of the fourth grade students. The test was evaluated for reliability using test/retest and Spearman Brown Split Half technique, and r values of .84 and .89 respectively were found. The test was also sent to a number of physical education specialists to examine for face validity. All subjects in the control and experimental group were pretested on the Fort Hays-Mihalicz Cognitive Fitness Test. Students in the experimental group each completed the Feeling Great With Fitness Work book which was integrated into the classroom. The fitness workbook was developed by the researcher and designed to teach cognitive fitness concepts while improving reading comprehension, vocabulary, and writing skills. It was tested for readability using the Fry Readability Test. It was also examined for face validity by a number of physical education specialists. The subjects in the experimental group completed the workbook in eight weeks. At the end of the eight weeks, the experimental group and the control group were post-tested on the Fort Hays-Mihalicz Cognitive Fitness Test. An analysis of covariance revealed a significant gain in fitness knowledge (p > .05) for fourth grade students participating in the experimental group. Based on the results and within the Limitations of the study, it was concluded that the interdisciplinary cognitive fitness program significantly affected the fitness knowledge of fourth grade students. The implication of this finding was that fourth grade students can learn physical fitness concepts through the use of student workbooks and that cognitive fitness concepts can be incorporated into the classroom.

Comments

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Rights

© 1989 Brenda M. Mihalicz

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