12059

12059

General Session - Conference Presentation and Interactive Activity Only (40 minutes, no formal paper)

Kirsti Dyer, Columbia College, California, USA, dr.kdyer@gmail.com
 * Growing Online Education and Use, Sedentary Lifestyles, Rising Obesity and Overweight Rates: Are there connections?**

The rate of offering and enrollment in online education or web-based classes is growing. In a recent 2011 report, it was estimated that more than 6.1 million people were taking at least one online course during the fall 2010 semester; this reflects an increase of over half a million people from the previous year. Reasons for increased online enrollment include choice, convenience, flexibility, scheduling and ability to take courses from home. One downside to online education is that taking classes online can contribute to a more sedentary lifestyle not only for students but also for instructors.

Currently about one-third of U.S. adults are obese, with at least another one-third or more classified as overweight. Over the past two decades there has been an increased in the obesity epidemic along with a rise of overweight adults and children. Researchers are demonstrating that sedentary lifestyles increase our risk of obesity and other aging-related diseases. Some healthcare professionals are advocating that we need to target sedentary lifestyle as a way of managing the obesity epidemic. Consequently, while the rise in online education might be good for education, it might not be good for the health of online students and instructors. Needless to say, this is a concerning trend for lifelong online learners and online instructors.

In this thought-provoking general session conference presentation and interactivity, participants will learn more about the potential connections between online education, sedentary lifestyles and the rising obesity and overweight rates. In addition participants will have the opportunity to explore some of their own experiences with online education, a sedentary lifestyle and find ways to incorporate activity reminders and activity into their semester courses along with suggestions for including wellness programs as a resource for online students.

The session will conclude with an online interactive brainstorming session of all participants to come up with more ways to decrease the online sedentary lifestyle and increase activity in their online classes or in their daily lives.

//Interactivity// Using a series of online polls participants will have the opportunity to explore some of their own experiences with online education and living a more sedentary lifestyle.

The session will conclude with an online interactive brainstorming session of all participants to come up with more ways to decrease the online sedentary lifestyle and increase activity in their online classes or in their daily lives.

All Audiences Online Education, Online student wellness programs, Lifelong learning, Benefits Online Education, Sedentary Lifestyle, Obesity Epidemic