HED 1201: Concepts of Fitness and Health

Course Description

This course is designed to introduce you to the fundamental aspects of healthful living. You will participate in determining the health status of your core family and analyze lifestyle risk factor and disease patterns that may exist. You will then develop a personalized risk-reduction plan that explores health-related topics such as nutrition and weight control, chronic diseases, stress reduction, substance abuse, and sexually transmitted diseases. Also, you will learn techniques for researching, preparing, and writing a scientific term paper.

This course is organized into ten units. In most units, you will find the following sections:

• Learning Objectives
• "Test Your Knowledge" (Pre-test)
• Reading Assignments
• Lecture Notes
• PowerPoint Presentations (most units)
• Homework/Activities
• Journal Entry.

You should progress through each unit in order. When you have completed a unit, turn in the homework/activity and journal entry for that unit. In addition to the unit assignments, there is a family tree project that requires data collection, assembly, research, and a written paper. This assignment will be completed over the duration of the course.

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Learning Objectives

Upon the successful completion of this course, you should be able to

• explain the concepts of health, wellness, disease, and disease prevention
• discuss the importance of self-responsibility and knowledge as it relates to personal health and disease prevention
• describe fundamental concepts and facts appropriate for adults related to personal health
• describe the elements of a healthy diet, physical fitness, and weight management program
• give examples of scientifically derived prevention approaches for specific health problems, age groups, and community settings
• analyze health information and research findings presented in popular media and scientific or professional sources.

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Required Text

P.M. Insel and W.T. Roth, Core Concepts in Health, 10th edition, New York: McGraw-Hill (2006). ISBN 0-07-297230-0 The text may be purchased from the Higher Grounds bookstore at the Friday Center in person, by ordering online, or by printing and mailing the book order form. There will also be online supplemental materials provided for some of the units.

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Course Requirements

This course requires you to be an active learner and participant. You will need to study the assigned reading materials, lecture notes, and research topics on the Internet and in professional journals. Also, you must be a keen observer of your own health behaviors and complete personal health assessments that require thoughtful reflection. During this course, you will learn the scientific basis for many health recommendations and will use this information to reflect on your and your family’s health and health behaviors. You will work to formulate realistic action plans to incorporate current health recommendations into your lifestyle.

Successful completion of ten units and the following course requirements will be used to assess your knowledge and performance in the course.

Unit Assignments

In nine of the units, you will be assigned various tasks, such as reviewing Internet sites, completing personal health assessments, and/or detailing and writing about examples of course concepts. These activities require written responses to the instructor.

Family Health Tree and Paper

Unit 10 focuses on the health status of your core family (parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandparents, nieces and nephews). You will collect relevant health information for each family member. All of the health information will be presented on a family health tree, and you are encouraged to be creative. After assembling the health tree, you will examine it for lifestyle risk factors and disease patterns. If particular diseases or disorders run through several members of the family, you will investigate that disease (using textbooks, professional peer-reviewed journals, and Internet sources) to determine what risk factors are associated with the disease and whether or not there is a known genetic or familial predisposition. Based on the analysis of health conditions and risk factors occurring on both sides of your family (maternal and paternal), you will then write a summary of your findings in a research paper and develop personal risk-reduction measures. More detailed instructions on this assignment are located throughout the first several units, with complete instructions in Unit 10. You should read the information in Unit 10 after completing Unit 1, so that you can plan your data collection accordingly. This project should be completed over the duration of the course and in conjunction with the other units. It is recommended that you complete the data collection phase of the project by the time you reach Unit 7. Following Unit 7, you should assemble your family tree, and then write the research paper.

Journal

Each unit will require you to make a journal entry related to the unit topic. The journal entry will explore your attitudes, opinions, and beliefs about health. You should turn in a journal entry for each unit, except Unit 10.

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Grading

Grades are based on the following scale.

Unit Assignments

Grades are based on the organization and the quality of your responses. Also, you will be evaluated on your ability to apply, describe, and interpret scientific principles.

Family Tree

The family health tree is a major assignment and will take considerable effort throughout the entire course. You should spend the first portion of the course collecting data, followed by assembling your tree, and finally writing the paper during the latter part of the course. You will be graded on the following (see Unit 10 for details):

Data (250 points)
Your family tree should include the information below for you and your children, as well as your parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews. (Note: Use the data collection forms to help you stay organized.)

• date of birth
• occupation
• physical description (height and weight: short/average/tall and underweight/normal/overweight/obese)
• health behaviors
  • smoking/nonsmoking
  • alcohol consumption
  • diet patterns (high fat, low fat, low fiber)
  • exercise
  • drug use/abuse/addiction
• diseases and date of onset/diagnosis
• other related health conditions (includes surgeries)
• if deceased, the cause of death and age (if death is caused by disease, also include age of onset).

Organization of family tree (250 points)
You will be graded on the following:

• use of symbols
• use of color
• explanatory key
• easy to read and interpret.

Summary paper (500 pts)
You are required to include the following in your paper:

• description of the disease
• risk factors associated with the disease
• known hereditary links, genetic and/or environmental interactions associated with the disease
• your level of risk, including the number and type of relatives with the disease (first- or second-degree) and early or late onset
• risk-reduction measures recommended in the professional literature that might be prudent for you to take based upon your findings. Also discuss the results from your behavior change contract from Unit 1 and how that contributes to your risk-reduction measures.

Other requirements

1. Use at least three current references from the last five years for each health problem.
2. Use references from all the following: textbook, professional peer reviewed journals, and credible Internet sources.
3. Use citations in the text and have an accurate reference page using APA style.
4. Be sure your writing is grammatically correct and in complete sentences.

All papers will be analyzed by special software to check for plagiarism. Any papers that are plagiarized will be given a zero.

Journal Entries

Journal entries require thoughtful reflection on your personal health. You will also be evaluated on the quality of content. When appropriate, journal entries may require you to discuss ideas and support them by scientific data and references.

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How to Submit Assignments

To submit assignments for grading, click the "Submit Assignment" button at the end of the Written Assignment section of each unit page. Clicking this button provides you with an e-mail message that is pre-addressed to both me and the Self-paced Courses office. It also contains the course number and the correct submission number for that assignment in the subject line. You will need to type your full name at the end of the subject line and then attach the file containing your assignment.

Please follow these requirements when preparing to submit an assignment:

1. When you create your file in a word processing program, name the file with your last name, first name, and unit number. For example, the file name of my first assignment would be "Miller Jill Unit 1."

2. Before beginning an assignment, please make sure that your name, assignment number, and date are at the top of the page.

3. Always copy and paste the question from the Written Assignment section into your document and then follow it with your response.

4. All assignments must be submitted in Microsoft Word (.doc) or Rich Text Format (.rtf). If you are working in WordPerfect or another word processing program, when you save your document, please select Word or Rich Text Format as the file type in the "Save as type" box.

5. Please submit one assignment at a time. You will receive timely feedback on your work; however, please allow enough time for grading, as sometimes I may have other professional obligations at Winston-Salem State University or may be on a holiday.

6. Avoid sending in several assignments at the end of your enrollment period, as it may be difficult to grade numerous assignments in a timely fashion. Create a feasible schedule for yourself that provides ample time to complete assignments and receive helpful feedback. Typically, in a semester-long course, students complete one unit every one to two weeks.

7. Always submit your assignments as an attachment to an e-mail (not within the body of the e-mail message). Include yourself as a recipient of the assignment for your own records.

8. Always save a digital and hardcopy of every assignment.

9. Make sure you use the Submit Assignment button that is provided for that particular assignment, and remember to type your full name at the end of the subject line.

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Online Library Services

Students enrolled in Self-paced Courses can access online library resources from the UNC-Chapel Hill Library System by linking to Library Services for Distance Education Students. If you will be accessing the library resources from a computer that is not on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus, you will be asked to authenticate yourself as affiliated with UNC-Chapel Hill. If you already have an UNC Onyen, log in with your Onyen. If you do not have an Onyen, log in as a Self-paced Courses student and enter your PID. If you do not know your PID, you can look it up here.

UNC library staff is available to assist any students who have difficulties accessing online library resources. If you encounter difficulties, please visit this Web page for reporting a problem. Be sure to tell them your name and that you are taking the Self-paced Courses version of HED 1201.

Course Mechanics

E-mail

Notify me and Janice Durham at the Friday Center if your e-mail address changes.

If you use a filter on your e-mail account, you are responsible for ensuring that it does not prevent you from receiving messages from me or Friday Center staff.

It is extremely important for you to save copies of any work you e-mail me. If I don't receive your work, you must have a copy of the e-mail with the attached file, indicating the date sent, to prove that you submitted the assignment. It is your responsibility to maintain copies of your sent e-mails, as there is no way to guarantee that any e-mail message will be delivered.

Please check your e-mail software to see how it manages sent and saved messages. Some software automatically deletes messages one month after they have been sent; others only save messages if they are filed in folders; others save messages received but not those sent. You may need to send yourself a copy of your e-mailed assignment at the same time you send it to me, or you may need to print a copy of the e-mail message and any attachments to keep in your paper files. No matter how your system works, make sure you know how to save a copy of all work that you submit to me and that you save the copy for several months beyond the end of the course.

Other Questions

Contact me with questions regarding the content of the course and your progress. (There is a link to my e-mail address at the top of every unit page.)

If you encounter any links in this course that do not work, contact the instructional designer at the Friday Center.

If you have any logistical questions as you work through the course (enrollment, credits, extensions, withdrawal, and so on), contact the Student Services staff at the Friday Center (phone 919-962-1134 or 800-862-5669).

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Getting Started

To begin, simply click on Unit 1 in the list below and begin working. It is important that you complete the reading assignment and review the lecture notes before attempting the homework. The lecture notes often include additional information required for completing the homework. I recommend that you print out the lecture notes first and use them as a guide to reading the textbook. As you move through the reading, follow along with the lecture notes and make additional notes as necessary. Using this method will greatly increase your understanding of the material. The most successful students in this course complete the reading and lecture notes before attempting the assignment, answer self-assessments honestly, spend time reflecting on their own health behaviors, learn the scientific basis for health recommendations, and finally, observe their surroundings and how it prevents or promotes healthy lifestyles.

O.K. It’s in your hands now….Time to get started!!

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Unit 1