Wellness Literacy

General Education Requirements

As part of Appalachian State University's General Education Curriculum, all students are required to complete two semester hours of wellness literacy (WL) coursework.

Physical Education courses PE 1530-1549 and PE 1700-1889) meet the General Education Wellness Literacy requirement.

What is Wellness Literacy?

Wellness Literacy is "the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions" (adapted from USDHHS). The person who is literate in wellness has a strong foundation in science-based health and fitness concepts, selects reliable sources of health and wellness content, and is capable of applying wellness skills.

How is Wellness Literacy developed in PEA Courses?

Fitness Assessments: Students complete a personal fitness assessment.

These assessments provide students quantitative data for each area of health-related fitness (aerobic capacity, muscular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, and body composition).
This data, related national standards, and in class discussions, helps students understand their fitness level for each of the health-related fitness healthy fitness zones.
The person fitness assessments also provide students context for understanding the positive and negative effects their lifestyle choices have on their health, wellness, and health-related fitness (the ability to perform work/daily tasks).
Students use the fitness assessments and the goal setting process to diagnose personal fitness and health risk, develop personal wellness goals, design and implement a personal wellness plan.

Goals/Plan: Students set personal health-related fitness/wellness goals and create an exercise plan to achieve those goals.

Goal setting concepts are covered through instruction and in written course material.
Students are instructed on the FITT principles, which outline exercise prescription for each area of health-related fitness (FITT-frequency, intensity, time, type).
Students learn about exercise prescription application while developing their goals/plan.
Students receive faculty feedback on their goals and plan before beginning their journal.

Journals: Students complete fitness journals documenting the execution of their goals/plan.

Health and wellness are complex areas that require understanding and integrating a broad range of concepts. Recording behaviors, activity, choices, and monitoring goals in the journal is where students begin to merge knowledge and action.
Students complete journals recording their activity, health/nutrition choices, improvements in health-related fitness, mental health, skill development, and progress toward their goals.
Students also reflect on challenges and barriers and how routine exercise affects them and their future choices.
Students receive faculty feedback and guidance during the journal process.

In Class Activity: Students participate in activity/exercise in class.

Students build health-related fitness and skills through instruction and while participating in activity/exercise during class time.
Students develop personal and social responsibility through instruction and while participating in activity/exercise during class.
Participation in physical activity/exercise in class provides students with authentic, practical, experience with the supporting elements and barriers to success.
Students develop knowledge of the vocabulary, skills, rules, tactics, etiquette, equipment, history, and culture, necessary for participation while participating in course specific activity/exercise during class.
Students’ attendance and meaningful participation in class is required and assessed.
Students will use the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skills they gain for successful participation throughout their lives.

Skill Assessment: Students learn and practice psychomotor skills in class.

Students develop competency in skills/tactics needed to successfully participate through instruction, skill assessment, and practicing skills during class.
Formative and summative skills assessments are conducted to provide students feedback they can use to improve their physical skills.

Cognitive Course Specific Knowledge: Students are provided written, video, and web-based information and are assessed on their knowledge.

Students develop knowledge of the vocabulary, skills, rules, tactics, etiquette, equipment, history, and culture, through instruction, participating in class, studying course material, and completing completing written cognitive exams.
The knowledge students gain will improve their ability to assess their personal wellness and make healthy decisions throughout their lives.

Cognitive Wellness/Health Knowledge: Students are provided written, video, and web-based information and are assessed on their knowledge.

Students develop knowledge of wellness concepts through instruction, participating in class, studying course material, and completing completing written cognitive exams.
The knowledge students gain will improve their ability to assess their personal wellness and make healthy decisions throughout their lives.