Children's Perceptions of Fitness Self-Testing, the Purpose of Fitness Testing, and Personal Health.

Flohr and Williams (1997) emphasized the importance of assessing students' attitudes about fitness testing as it contributes to effective, positive, and motivating physical education (PE) classes. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify fifth and sixth graders' perceptions of fitness testing using FITNESSGRAM in a self-testing format. Specifically, this study evaluated (a) children's perceptions of FITNESSGRAM, administered in a self-testing format, (b) children's understanding of the purpose of fitness self-testing, and (c) the effects of participation in FITNESSGRAM self-testing on children s perceptions of personal health. This study used questionnaires (n = 78) and follow-up interviews (n = 45) to identify children's perceptions of their experience. Using inductive content analysis (Lincoln & Guba, 1985) of student perceptions, three main categories emerged: (a) self-testing procedures, (b) cognitive understanding, and (c) overall influence of fitness testing. Findings revealed that children enjoyed a self-testing format, understood the purpose of fitness self-testing, and connected their FITNESSGRAM results to their overall health lending support to the use of a fitness self-testing approach in PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]