Department of Kinesiology
KIN 210 - Concepts of Fitness and Wellness (Online Course)
Course Syllabus
Instructors:
Greg Welk, Ph.D. ( gwelk@iastate.edu
) – faculty instructor
Karissa Peyer ( kpeyer@iastate.edu
) – Ph.D. student teaching assistant
Catalog Description:
This online course will provide students with knowledge and skills needed to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles. Students will complete a variety of self-assessments and learn how to plan personalized programs for physical activity, nutrition and other healthy lifestyles. Students will also learn consumer skills needed to make effective use of products and services related to health.
Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes:
The course provides non-Kinesiology majors with opportunities to learn about personal fitness and wellness. However, the course will also advance broader Kinesiology learning outcomes:
1. Communication .
Uses clear and effective written, oral, visual, and electronic (WOVE) communication techniques to foster inquiry, collaboration, and engagement in physical activity and health related settings.
2. Lifelong learning, assessment, and self-reflection .
Analyzes and evaluates one's own knowledge, abilities and actions relative to professional standards, seeks opportunities to grow professionally, and utilizes selfassessment and assessment of others to foster physical, cognitive, social, and emotional well-being.
3. Content knowledge, discovery, and critical thinking .
Understands fundamental concepts of physical activity and health, conducts scientific inquiry, and applies critical thinking to solve problems from personal, scholarly, and professional perspectives.
4. Ethics, diversity, and social justice .
Demonstrates leadership and social responsibility to improve quality of life for others and ensures equitable access for diverse groups by creating appropriate environments to initiate and maintain a physically active, healthy lifestyle.
.
Course Textbook
The class will be taught using Concepts of Fitness and Wellness 10e. Each “Concept” in the book (i.e. chapter) is broken up into short concept statements that provide summaries of key points. Students should read the assigned concept(s) prior to completing the assignments and especially before completing the quizzes.
Course Format:
The class will be taught completely online using Blackboard and an integrated course delivery tool (Connect). The Connect assignments provide opportunities to reflect on and apply the content covered in the book and provide the primary learning opportunities. The assignments are released each Monday at 6:00 am and are due the following Friday at 11:59 (about 12 days). It is highly recommended that you complete the assignments each week (before the next set are released). However, the buffer period gives you some flexibility to catch up if you had a busy week. Several individual and group reflection activities will be incorporated to promote interactions in the course and these will contribute to the Participation component of the course.
The course will also include two tests on the book material. Through the personal exploration of the material, students will learn how to take personal steps to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles. See description of assignments below .

Grading Criteria and Descriptions of Assignments for KIN 210X:
The course is scored using standard University grading criteria with the grade determined by the total percentage of accumulated points. The percentage will be computed for separate course components and then weighted according to the distribution below.
Lab Activities (15%):
Labs assignments are completed individually by students using available resources and facilities. Some will involve completing simple surveys while others will involve evaluating your fitness levels or monitoring your diet or activity levels. If you are unable to complete a certain lab assessment (e.g. due to lack of access or physical limitations) contact the instructor for an alternative lab activity. The focus of the labs is not your scores but your interpretation of your scores.
Application Activities (15%):
Application assignments will allow you to apply principles or ideas covered in the concepts. Some may involve interpreting content on the web or an issue raised in the text. There are no right or wrong answers so your grade will be based on the depth and organization of your response
.
Video Activities (15%):
Video assignments will involve watching short 2-3 minute videos and answering questions based on the video content. Some videos (Clarify) will cover supplemental content and the questions will assess your understanding of these points. Other videos (Reflect or Take a Stand) will enable you to provide your own perceptions and comments and will be graded on the depth and organization of your response.
Quiz Activities (15%):
Quizzes will be assigned for each concept and these should be done after reading the concept. These are designed to assess your understanding of the key points in the concepts. You will have 2 chances to take the quiz but questions may vary between the quizzes.
Participation (10%):
Participation grade will be based on active involvement in reflection and discussion activities. Students will be provided with topics to comment on or discuss in small groups. Some discussion topics will require students to state their own opinion while others might ask students to summarize group discussions or to comment on other posts. The comments are intended to be based on your opinion but participation will be tracked to ensure that students are objectively scored based on their degree of participation. Students will also complete several personal reflections of their own health, fitness and wellness reflections.
Tests (30%):
Two tests will be administered in the course (midterm and final). The tests will each cover approximately half of the material in the book. The tests will be completed online and will be open book. They will have specific time controls but, like the quizzes, a student can take the exam several times (with questions varying randomly each time). Students should be familiar with the material in the book BEFORE taking the exam in order to do well. However, as an open book test, a student would have the option to refer to the book when completing their answers.
- Test 1 (weeks 1-7): Concepts 1, 2/3, 4, 5/6, 7/8, 9, 10,
- Test 2 (Weels 8-16): Concepts 11, 13, 14, 15, 16/17, 18, 19/20, 23/24

Summary of Weekly Topics ( See Blackboard "Assignment Tab" for Lists of Assignments )
Week # Assigned Topics (Concepts / Tests / Reflections) Assigned
Date
1 1/12
Due
Date *
1/24
Closing
Date **
3/5 Concept1 – Health, Wellness and Fitness
2 Concept2 – Self Management and Self Planning
Concept3 – Preparing for Physical Activity
1/19 1/31 3/5
3 1/26 2/6 3/5
4
Concept4 – Health Benefits of Physical Activity
Concept5 – How Much is Enough
Concept6 – Lifestyle Physical Activity
2/2 2/13 3/5
5 2/9 2/20 3/5
6
7
8
9
10
Concept7 – Cardiovascular Fitness
Concept8 – Active Aerobics
Concept 9 - Muscular Fitness
Concept 10 - Flexibility
Midterm (Concepts 1-10) - Mon-Wed
Concept 11 - Posture and Back Health
Concept 13 - Body Composition
Concept 14 – Nutrition
2/16
2/23
3/2-3/5
3/02
3/9
3/16
2/27
3/7
3/14
3/21
3/28
3/5
3/5
5/1
5/1
5/1
Points
400
500
400
500
500
400
500
400
400
400
11
12
13
14
15
Concept 15 - Weight Control
Concept 16 - Stress and Health
Concept 17 - Stress Management
Concept 18 – Tobacco
Concept 19 – Alcohol
Concept 20 - Drugs
Concept 23 – Consumerism
Concept 24 - Healthy Lifestyles
3/23
3/30
4/6
4/13
4/20
4/3
4/10
4/17
4/24
5/1
5/1
5/1
5/1
5/1
5/1
400
500
400
500
500
16
17
Make Up / Review Week
Final Exam (concepts after midterm) - Mon-Wed 5/4-5/6
4/27 – 5/1
Notes: Each week, you should read the assigned Concept(s) and then complete the designated assignments in the
Assignment Tab of Blackboard. Students will complete four different types of assignments each week (Video,
Application, Lab and a Quiz). Each set is worth a total of 100 points (400 total) but some weeks have two assigned concepts and will have a total of 500 points since there are two quizzes. Assignments are released
Monday morning at 6:00 am and are due on Friday of the following week (12 days later) at 11:59 pm. Grades for assignments will be posted through Blackboard a week after the assignment was due and the accumulate percentage achieved will be computed to provide feedback during the course. Any Video, Lab and Application
Assignments turned in after the Due Date (*) are scored a zero (0 points) but can be turned in for partial credit (50%) if received by the listed Closing Date ** . All assignments before Midterm close at the end of the
8 th week. All assignments after Midterm close on the last day of class. Quizzes are automatically scored down 2 points per day late.