Which strategy would most effectively increase students' participation in physical activity?

Which strategy would most effectively increase students' participation in physical activity?

• A. Inviting a guest speaker who is an accomplished athlete to talk to the class about health
• B. Asking students to work in pairs to discuss activities they have enjoyed in the past and to choose a physical activity they will try in the next week
• C. Discussing with the class the benefits of physical activities
• D. Asking students to research various physical activities and create posters with data about each

Answer: (B)

Engaging students with a plan they help create and share with peers tends to boost participation because it combines personal relevance, autonomy, and social support. When students discuss activities they’ve enjoyed in the past and then choose one to try in the coming week, they’re more motivated to act: they’ve selected something they find interesting, they set a concrete goal, and they have teammates who can encourage and hold each other accountable. This taps into intrinsic motivation by giving a sense of ownership and feasibility, and the collaborative element helps sustain effort. Inviting a guest speaker can be motivating, but it doesn’t guarantee ongoing action or a plan to participate regularly. Discussing the benefits of physical activity increases knowledge but doesn’t necessarily translate into behavior. Researching activities and making posters is informative yet often separate from actually trying them, whereas selecting and committing to a specific activity with a peer group directly leads to participation in the near future.

Engaging students with a plan they help create and share with peers tends to boost participation because it combines personal relevance, autonomy, and social support. When students discuss activities they’ve enjoyed in the past and then choose one to try in the coming week, they’re more motivated to act: they’ve selected something they find interesting, they set a concrete goal, and they have teammates who can encourage and hold each other accountable. This taps into intrinsic motivation by giving a sense of ownership and feasibility, and the collaborative element helps sustain effort.

Inviting a guest speaker can be motivating, but it doesn’t guarantee ongoing action or a plan to participate regularly. Discussing the benefits of physical activity increases knowledge but doesn’t necessarily translate into behavior. Researching activities and making posters is informative yet often separate from actually trying them, whereas selecting and committing to a specific activity with a peer group directly leads to participation in the near future.