Perceivant, an Indianapolis based education technology company that replaces traditional textbooks with cost-effective and interactive digital courseware, will offer a new Introduction to Kinesiology course beginning in the fall of 2020. Practical Content for Beginning Kinesiologists will focus on the field of kinesiology and the careers that stem from its study, adding to Perceivant’s growing list of customizable digital courses that cover topics from health and wellness, psychology, sociology, public speaking, art, economics, and others.

Kinesiology broadly refers to the scientific study of human movement. More specifically, it explores how the coordination of bodily systems is impacted by physical activity, exercise, nutrition, aging, training, injury, and more. The field of kinesiology is diverse and leads to careers in clinical exercise physiology, strength and conditioning, corporate fitness, athletic training, physical therapy, occupational therapy, kinesiology studies, sport and fitness management, and others. According to the authors of the course, Dr. Matthew J. Garver and Dr. Whitley J. Stone, there are growing opportunities for students majoring in this field.

“The Bureau of Labor Statistics gives clear evidence that careers arising from kinesiology are in high demand,” says Garver, Associate Professor at the University of Missouri. “Financial security, long-term career stability, career advancement, and the abundance of job prospects should be attractive to the kinesiology majors of tomorrow.”

Practical Content for Beginning Kinesiologists explores ancient human activity, briefly connecting the ancient Olympiad to the modern Olympic games, as well as how the effects of technology, war, and the physical demands of life have shaped how we view kinesiology today. The text discusses the effects of physical activity on the human body’s physiology after first covering critical anatomical concepts. Mainly, the book dives deeply into a number of the careers available to students interested in kinesiology, including athletic training, physical therapy, occupational therapy, personal training, strength and conditioning, and pedagogy.

According to Garver and Stone, it is not uncommon for kinesiology students to feel lost when it is time to determine an occupational path, as they are often overwhelmed by the extent of career opportunities, many of which they are minimally informed. “Understanding the breadth of careers birthed out of kinesiology focused programs is valuable to college or university learners,” says Stone, Assistant Professor at Western Kentucky University.

The text alleviates some of this uncertainty by exploring the history of and organizations behind the possible careers, as well as what level of education and certifications are required. It also looks at the day to day activities for professionals in each of these careers, including expert advice from actual professionals in the field, giving students a clear idea of what to expect when working in each of these careers. According to Garver, the course is meant to give aspiring learners the chance to more fully explore the subdisciplines of kinesiology.

“Often, students come into kinesiology due to isolated connection to the field—a past injury has connected them to athletic training or physical therapy, a parent or grandparent has attended rehabilitation, there is an innate love of sports or fitness, or they have an affinity for personal training or strength and conditioning,” says Garver. “However, these same individuals might not know that occupational therapy has similar attributes as athletic training or personal training, that kinesiology can lead into cardiac or pulmonary rehabilitation, or that loving sports or fitness may not mean you love to study it.”

According to Perceivant’s President, Jason Konesco, the book’s many features are quite advantageous for students, as they connect learning to life in a purposeful way. Along with the many feature boxes that focus on careers and the principles of the human body and movement to real life circumstances, embedded links and videos, guided learning questions, presentation slides, assignments and activities, and other resources guide students through an interactive learning experience.

“We're thrilled to be partnering with our authors and offering online content that is engaging with perpetual attention to having all content in alignment with organizing bodies and leading agencies,” says Konesco. “This Kinesiology course fits the Perceivant model very nicely, allowing students to explore content on their own through embedded live links and videos.”

The course’s design offers guidance to professors and students through Perceivant’s easy to use learning management system, which can integrate with a school’s existing platform. The instructor dashboard enables instructors to easily teach the course in the classroom, in an online/in-classroom hybrid, or completely online. Analytics provided through the dashboard allow instructors to quickly identify and offer support to struggling students. Also included is a mobile companion application that provides students a consistent learning experience.

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