The development of an instructional package for the grade X credit physical education programme entitled Measuring fitness

Abstract

Using an instructional development model an instructional package was developed for use in the Province of Newfoundland's Grade X credit physical education programme. A survey of teachers indicated that the subject areas: -- i. Measurement of fitness. -- ii. Maximum oxygen uptake test. -- were considered most needing of additional instructional materials. A further survey indicated that the preferred instructional media was a student booklet. -- The booklet was produced and refined through a process of formative evaluation in which changes were suggested by content, learner and media experts, and by a sample of learners. -- A summative evaluation was undertaken using a two group design in which group A undertook a pre-test studied the material and then took a post-test, which group B studied the material and then took the post-test. Basic biographical data was collected from both groups. -- The results indicated that by virtue of the instructional package learning occurred to a significant degree and that post-test scores were not affected to a significant degree by exposure to the pre-test or by the student's previous or concurrent exposure to high school biology. -- It was concluded that the instructional package met the pre-determined criterion of acceptable performance in that greater than 80% of the sample achieved success on 80% or more of the stated behavioral objectives.