Affective responses of undergraduate students to water aerobic class

 

Introduction

Exercise has been shown to enhance various indexes of mental health. Research findings showed that aerobic exercise could improve psychology state, well-being, as well as decreased negative mood states. Water aerobic dance was new in Taiwan physical education curriculum. It was popular among college students. The purpose of this study was to investigate the affective responses of 38 undergraduate female students to water aerobic class.

Methods

Data collection included instructor’s observation field notes and students’ written assignments (reflective journal) for a whole semester of 18 sections. The qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis method. Categories derived from the analysis were reason for enrolling in water aerobic class, and perception of teacher’s expectation, course content, hidden curriculum, and physical activity.

Results

The findings were as followed: (a) reason for enrolling in water aerobic class were weight control, body shaping, and avoid sweating, (b) positive perception of teacher’s expectation about exercise with pleasant feeling and learning without pressure, (c) positive perception about course content using variety of teaching apparatus such as kicking-boards, aqua-noodles and plastic bottles, and (d) positive perception of hidden curriculum, (e) positive perception of physical activity such as more vigorous, less fatigue.

Discussion/Conclusion

Findings of the study were consistence with past research which had positive psychology state, well-being, as well as decreased negative mood states through aerobic exercise. It was concluded that undergraduate students in this study have positive affective responses to water aerobic class.

 

References

[1]. Bartholomew, J. B. & Miller, B. M. (2002). Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 73, 301-309.

[2]. Bibik, J. M. (1999). Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 18, 255-276.

[3]. Daley, A. J. & Buchanan, J. (1999). Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 70, 196-200.