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Welcome to PED 116 offered by the Extended Learning Institute of Northern Virginia Community College.

PED 116 is the study of fitness and wellness and how they relate to a healthy lifestyle.  In other words, although this course is listed as “PED” it is not a skills-related physical activity course; it is a health-related physical activity course (early in the semester you will learn about the difference between the two).  Everywhere today, there is an abundance of information about the “health care crisis” in America: heart disease, diabetes, and obesity are rampant, and we each have a responsibility to address these preventable conditions in our own lives.  In this course, you will be given an opportunity to learn about the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle and to actively engage in making positive changes to your personal fitness and wellness. You are probably taking this course because it is a requirement for your program; however, with the right mentality and a bit of hard work, this course has the potential to truly impact your life for years to come. I hope you are ready to begin your journey to a healthier lifestyle.

Please note: this is a one-credit 12-week version of PED 116.  It corresponds to the 2012-2013 NOVA catalog. If your curriculum was established under an earlier catalog, you might need to take the two credit version of the course.  Consult with your advisor to make sure you take the correct version.  Please expect to spend 2-3 hours per week on readings and assignments.

As you move through the course, you will see that PED 116 might be different from other on-line courses you have taken. Many people like on-line learning because it is flexible, self-paced, and can be accessed from almost anywhere.  While PED 116 can be accessed from almost anywhere, it has limited flexibility and self-pacing.  There are mandatory weekly due dates that will help you learn about fitness and wellness in a structured manner.  You will also see that the course is a learning community, which means the focus is on group interaction more than solely one-on-one student-instructor interaction.  You will learn more about our learning community when you click on the Instructor’s Notes button.

How to get started

There is much to learn about fitness and wellness, and I hope you have fun along the way.  Here are the steps you must follow to get started:

• Before you do anything else, assess whether or not distance learning is a good fit for you.   ELI has a great tool that can help you make the decision that is right for you.  This is an optional activity, but you can earn up to 5 points in extra credit for completing it. Please follow this link:  http://nvcc.smartermeasure.com and answer the questions there (see the ELI welcome above for log-in information.  Once you have completed the assessment, click on the “Course Units” button on the course menu area then click on “Unit 1: Preparation” and “Week 1: Pre-Course Assessments” and follow the directions to submit your results under the last activity (“Is Distance Learning for you?”). If you have already completed the assessment for another course, you do not have to take it again.  Simply upload your previous results.
• Next, click on the Health, Safety, & ADA button to your left and read all information there.  This is crucial because some students might need to withdraw from the course, and you do not want to risk losing your financial aid or other tuition payment – which can happen if you wait too long to address the information there.
• Click on the Syllabus button to read through each section of the course SYLLABUS carefully. Be sure to review the “Overview of Assignments”  and “Grading, Withdrawals, and Incompletes” sections. These sections include information on assignment completion dates to prevent automatic withdrawal from this course.
• Click on the Instructor’s Notes button to view important notes that will help you be successful in this course.
• Click on the Faculty Information button for office hours and specific information about me.
• After reading the Syllabus, Instructor’s Notes, and Faculty info,  take a brief pre-unit quiz under the “Course Units” section, and introduce yourself to your classmates. The quiz is worth up to 15 points toward your grade, and you must take it before you begin your actual coursework. Your introduction to the class (including your “hello” to a classmate) must be posted by the stated deadline to avoid being removed from the course by the “First Assignment Deadline.”
• Once you have taken the quiz, move on to the rest of the Course Units area and begin. Are you ready? Let’s go!

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