FitnessGram and Physical Education Research
BackgrounD on FITNESSGRAM
A key research priority in our lab is to enhance the utility and utilization of the FITNESSGRAM youth fitness program. FITNESSGRAM is a youth fitness and physical activity assessment system developed to enhance school physical education programming. Dr. Welk serves as the Scientific Director of the FITNESSGRAM program and conducts research focused on improving the science and practice of FITNESSGRAM use in schools. Members of the lab contribute to the ongoing evaluation of the prominent NFL PLAY 60 FitnessGram Partnership Project. Local lines of participatory research are also coordinated through the Iowa FitnessGram Initiative. See links for additional details. For information about FITNESSGRAM in general visit www.fitnessgram.net
A major focus of Dr. Welk's research has been focused on the FitnessGram health related fitness battery and associated programming. Students trained in the lab have contributed to this ongoing work (particularly Dr. Yang Bai). The team has worked to support research on the NFL PLAY 60 programming and has also established a local programming hub called the Iowa FITNESSGRAM Initiative.
The NFL PLAY60 FITNESSGRAM Partnership Project is a collaborative research initiative sponsored by the NFL PLAY 60 Foundation and coordinated through the Cooper Institute. The project has provided training and support to a network of over 1100 schools (35 site licenses provided to each of the 32 NFL Franchises). Our research team has been handling the longitudinal evaluation of the data compiled through this large network of schools and it offers considerable potential to advance understanding of factors influencing the effective utilization of FITNESSGRAM and NFL PLAY 60 resources. Click here to learn more about the project and the research group.
Iowa FitnessGram Initiative
The Iowa FitnessGram Initiative is a participatory research network focused on promoting and evaluating school physical education programming. The project is supported by the Cooper Institute who has provided schools with access to FitnessGram software to support use by schools. Programming has evolved to also support pilot research on other assessments including the Youth Activity Profile, the incorporation of musculoskeletal fitness programming and assessments, the evaluation of a motor skill assessment called the Dragon Challenge (developed and widely used in the UK). Click here to access the Iowa FITNESSGRAM website
The Iowa FitnessGram Initiative is a participatory research network focused on promoting and evaluating school physical education programming. The project is supported by the Cooper Institute who has provided schools with access to FitnessGram software to support use by schools. Programming has evolved to also support pilot research on other assessments including the Youth Activity Profile, the incorporation of musculoskeletal fitness programming and assessments, the evaluation of a motor skill assessment called the Dragon Challenge (developed and widely used in the UK). Click here to access the Iowa FITNESSGRAM website