ERIC Number: EJ867740
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009-Dec
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1043-4046
EISSN: N/A
Evaluation of the Virtual Physiology of Exercise Laboratory Program
Dobson, John L.
Advances in Physiology Education, v33 n4 p335-342 Dec 2009
The Virtual Physiology of Exercise Laboratory (VPEL) program was created to simulate the test design, data collection, and analysis phases of selected exercise physiology laboratories. The VPEL program consists of four modules: (1) cardiovascular, (2) maximal O[subscript 2] consumption [Vo[subscript 2max], (3) lactate and ventilatory thresholds, and (4) respiratory exchange ratio. The purpose of this investigation was to compare student learning from the VPEL program with that from traditional "hands-on" exercise physiology laboratory activities. Student participants from the spring 2009 Integrated Fitness Programming course were randomly assigned to either experimental "group 1" or "group 2." "Group 1" completed a hands-on version of a typical [Vo[subscript 2max] laboratory activity, whereas "group 2" completed the VPEL Vo[subscript 2max] module. Both groups then completed the same assessment to evaluate their understanding of [Vo[subscript 2max] laboratory concepts. "Group 1" then completed the VPEL lactate and ventilatory threshold module, whereas "group 2" completed a hands-on version of that same activity. Both groups then completed the same assessment to evaluate their understanding of lactate and ventilatory threshold laboratory concepts. Mean [Vo[subscript 2max] assessment scores were 86.39 plus or minus 4.13 and 85.64 plus or minus 6.72 and mean lactate and ventilatory threshold assessment scores were 85.50 plus or minus 8.05 and 86.15 plus or minus 6.45 for "groups 1" and "2," respectively. These findings lend additional support to the following conclusion of similar investigations (2, 4, 6): that virtual laboratories instruct students as effectively as hands-on laboratories.
Descriptors: Exercise Physiology, Laboratories, Instructional Effectiveness, Simulation, Virtual Classrooms, Computer Uses in Education, Data Collection, Data Analysis, Comparative Analysis, Conventional Instruction, Experiential Learning, Undergraduate Study
American Physiological Society. 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814-3991. Tel: 301-634-7164; Fax: 301-634-7241; e-mail: webmaster@the-aps.org; Web site: http://advan.physiology.org/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Florida
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A