The kinesiology department may have limited ways to measure the success of their students as classes have transitioned online in response to the coronavirus pandemic, but professors are offering other methods their students can use to recreate their learning experience at home.
“The whole point of activity classes is for students to do the activity, and in most cases, now they can’t,” Shirley Reekie, professor and former chair for the department of kinesiology, said in an email.
Gong Chen, a kinesiology professor who teaches tai chi and table tennis, is learning to adapt his classes to an online format from the comfort of his house.
Additionally, he sends his students home videos through Canvas showing table tennis techniques and other exercises to keep fit during quarantine.
“Students are pretty much learning tai chi techniques on their own by watching a video of the 24 forms,” Chen said. “For table tennis, I am not able to make them do anything physical but they are watching professional games to learn how to play.”
Chen recommends that more people take an interest in tai chi while people are stuck at home because it is an exercise that doesn’t require much space and is stress relieving and revitalizing.
Reekie said that the department as a whole has developed online theory classes, covering aspects usually mentioned while taking classes in person.
“While this may be a stressful time for many, physical activity is now more important than ever,” said Reekie in the email. “But most instructors can no longer evaluate the skills of the activity, as outlined in the course descriptions, exhibited by each student, so I was personally pleased when the university chose to use credit or no credit grading for activity classes.”
Reekie said the department has developed a physical activity log to be completed by each student and turned
in weekly.
“I am very pleased that the state [of California] understands the vital importance of [physical] activity so that it has been made a special exemption, along with visits to buy food and get any needed medications,” Reekie said in the email.
Students are also requesting to take their PE classes again next semester, so that they can complete all their kinesthetic learning in person. Reekie said she hopes the department finds a way to make that happen.
Sports teams have also been hit hard by the cancellations caused by the pandemic.
Kinesiology instructor and women’s rugby head coach James Fonda said he sympathizes with his graduating rugby players who will not be able to play in their final games and actually experience the outcome of the season.
“They were on a path to [the] playoffs, maybe nationals,” Fonda said. “It was shaping up to be a pretty good season and now all of a sudden, that’s just been taken away with a matter of an email basically.”
From meeting five times a week to not at all because of social distancing, Ella True, a junior forward on the women’s rugby team, said she and her teammates stay in touch online through iMessage group chats, Zoom chats and other social media platforms.
“My rugby team is the only thing that’s keeping me sane. We do game nights over Zoom,” said True in a phone call. “I’m still really involved with my team, even though I can’t see them in person.”
Fonda said that this time can be used as an early healing session for their bodies, which would normally happen at the end of their season in June.
However, members of the women’s rugby team have different goals that they are creating together online.
True said that the team is sharing workout tutorials to do at home so even when they are apart, they maintain the same practices as if they were together.
