6th grade students' perceptions of a technology-mediated after-school running program

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate participants' perceptions of a 6-week after-school running program among thirty-eight 6(th) graders. Participants ran for 20 minutes per day three days per week. During the running program, participants completed a weekly running journal, where they recorded their running steps, charted their progress, and set goals. After completing the program, participants responded to six evaluation items with a 6-point likert scale. Individual items were used to assess participants' continual participation in the running program and intention to use pedometers after school. Two items were used to assess participants' interest and their perceived effort in the program. The results indicated that interest in the pedometer program was associated with higher levels of effort, continual participation in running program, and intention to use a pedometer after school. Participants had positive perceptions of the running program, which suggests that use of pedometer and goal settings might be an effective component in physical activity program interventions.