Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Physical Education Lessons through the Mobile Application Programs on Students’ Healthy Behaviors during the Pandemic

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the participation of students in physical activity to increase physical health through the application.

Design: The method of the present study was pretest-posttest.

Participants: The statistical population of this study consisted of students of Urmia University who had chosen the physical education unit virtually according to the corona pandemic. 165 students were selected by convenience sampling and then randomly divided into intervention and control groups.

Intervention:  The intervention included a physical activity program in 10 workouts with body weight using a mobile application for 20 days, which was presented to the intervention group. The control group simply performed their usual programs in the physical education classes offered to them through the LMS system.

Main Outcome Measures: Students in both groups completed questionnaires on physical activity, basic psychological needs, subject vitality, depression, headache, and sleep disturbance in three stages: pre-test and one and two post-test.

Results: The results showed that physical activity through the application increased satisfaction with the basic psychological needs related to workouts. Depression, physical health problems, headaches, and sleep disturbances also decreased. The results in the control group showed that physical activity, and subjective vitality significantly reduced, while depression, headache and sleep disturbance increased.

Conclusions: It is suggested that in order to promote the physical health of students in physical education units, physical activities be performed using a smartphone with the approach of supporting basic psychological needs.