Evaluation of a community college fitness course on self-efficacy to exercise

There is a need for interventions that promote physical activity for college students, because half are not meeting public health recommendations for vigorous physical activity. Questions of how to increase the percentage of people who are physically active through physical education programs remain unanswered. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a community college fitness education course on motivation to exercise.; One question this study attempted to answer was which particular curricular and instructional strategies presented in the curriculum of a community college fitness education course promote motivation to initiate and maintain physical activity. This study also investigated if a community college fitness course had an influence on self-efficacy to exercise and if college students become more physically active as a result of the fitness course.; This study was a first attempt to explore Albert Bandura's social cognitive theory and the four methods to enhance self-efficacy and apply them to a community college fitness education setting. Participants included 50 students enrolled in a Health Analysis and Improvement I course taught by the same instructor at Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida. As no previously tested instrument could be found that assessed all components as desired, an instrument had to be developed that measured self-efficacy and the four methods to enhance it. The survey was administered at the beginning and end of the semester and provided data for statistical analysis. Regression analysis and dependent t-tests were conducted, along with calculations of frequency distributions and percentage scores.; The results of this study were consistent with Albert Bandura's social cognitive theory and confirmed the relationship between self-efficacy to exercise and teaching methods. The results demonstrated a statistically significant relationship between self-efficacy to exercise and the four teaching strategies to enhance self-efficacy. The findings of this study also indicated individuals improved in self-efficacy to exercise and exercise frequency. Suggestions for further research and specific recommendations for researchers and practitioners were presented.