This document proposes creating a virtual fitness lab in Second Life to support physical education instruction and encourage physical activity. The lab would have 3 modules: 1) instruction on fitness testing, 2) practice simulations of tests, and 3) a community space where users can create avatars, complete pre/post-tests, and track fitness progress. The goal is to help students learn exercise concepts hands-on through virtual simulation without expensive equipment or endangering subjects, while also motivating real-world fitness. Challenges include planning, funding, maintenance, and community collaboration.

1. The impact of a virtual fitness lab in physical
activity participation:
A Second Life’s project
SUSANA JUNIU
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY, USA
MIRI SHONFELD
KIBBUTZIM COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ISRAEL
ADIT GANOT
KIBBUTZIM COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ISRAEL

2. Purpose of this project:
 To explore the instructional uses of a Virtual
fitness as part of the teacher education program in
Physical Education
 To support the community in becoming
knowledgeable about fitness and health and to
encourage individuals to be more physically active

3. What it’s second life
Virtual worlds such as Second
Life (SL) or as it called in
general MUVE (Multi User
Virtual Environments) are of
increasing interest to social
studies and therapy field as for
its potential to stimulate real
places, and situations
Multi-User Virtual Environments)
www.secondlife.com

4. What it’s second life
 A three-dimensional (3D) shared space:
 Enhances imagination, creativity, motivation and
engagement
 Breaks physical, geographical, generational, and
professional boundaries
 Facilitates collaboration
 Provides a sense of presence and belonging
 Offers an environment for authentic learning
 Provides visual representations of labs, classrooms,
meeting places, and secure spaces for the individual

5. Real and Virtual World
 Real world behavior is positively influenced by:
 The individual own self-representing avatar behavior and
appearance (Fox and Bailenson, 2009)
 Users may adjust their identity to match that of their avatars
 Individuals with avatars who engage in physical activities in SL
are more likely to engage in physical activities in real life
(Dean, Cook, Keating, and Murphy, 2009)
 Smoother transitions into real world fitness

6. Why an Exercise Physiology Lab?
 Exercise physiology concepts are abstract, complex
and difficult to communicate through simple lectures
and textbooks
 Virtual exercise physiology labs could support the
learning process by:
 Providing the students with an environment that through
simulation will demonstrate a number of tests in a non-
intrusive manner
 “Through visualization and education, [students]
they can try activities that they had not tried
before.” Jeanne Johnston, Indiana University

7. Virtual Research Projects - Weight Loss
 Traditional health club sessions vs 3D virtual world (Jeanne
Johnston, Indiana University)
 Participants in two weight-loss programs -- one involving
traditional health club sessions and the other delivered online
in a 3D virtual world -- lost similar amounts of weight and
body fat
 Online in a lost similar amounts of weight and body fat, but the
online contingent reported significantly greater gains in
behaviors that could help them live leaner, more healthful
lifestyles.

8. Virtual Labs in second life
 Virtual genetics laboratory in Second Life - University of Leicester
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMMfHZUNpZY
 Interactive Science Lab Version 2- Ohio University
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiwG-RzeDow&feature=endscreen&NR=1
 SSU Virtual Design Lab, Quick Tour 2.mov- Shawnee State
University
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeFpOCf8sQ0

9. Weight Management Gym in Second Life
 Second Life Weight Management Gym Introduction
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yhuMLHresk

10. Physical Education Equipment in Second Life
 Market Place Secondlife
 https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/52817?id=52817

11. Premise
[Creating a context that emulates real-
life problems and settings is
fundamental in (a) helping students
integrate, analyze, and apply concepts of
exercise physiology and (b) engaging
individuals in meaningful physical
activity experiences]

12. Virtual Fitness Lab
 Purpose:
 To support classroom
instruction through virtual
simulation and
 To serve the a community where
an individual can create an
avatar and experience the
effects of virtual exercising on
the level of fitness and health
through the changes of their
body shape.

13. Virtual Fitness Lab:
 The project is designed based on 3
modules:
 Instruction
 Practice
and research
 Community support

14. Instruction
 Students will review:
 Learning modules on the different fitness tests
 Anthropometric testing
 Blood pressure
 Body composition
 Cardiovascular endurance
 Muscular Strength and Endurance
 Flexibility
 Nutrition
 Procedures for test administration
 Videos
 Animation
 Applications

15. Virtual Practice
 Students will:
 Apply knowledge acquire during the instruction session
 Practice the tests through simulation
 Adjust equipment based on age, weight, time, resistance,
inclination
 Simulation will adjust resistant, calculate calories, etc.

16. Community Support
 The clients will complete:
 Pre-Tests, baseline results
 Fitness Test
 Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire
 Medical history questionnaire
 Exercise Perception and Attitudes Questionnaire
 Create an exercise program in the virtual fitness lab
 Formative assessments
 Post-test
 Fitness test
 Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire
 Medical history questionnaire
 Exercise Perception and Attitudes Questionnaire

17. Through virtual simulation:
 Support students in Exercise Science
 Learn fitness concepts
 Acquire fitness assessment skills
 Apply in a real world setting.
 Support classroom instruction
 Virtual simulation of the various tests without bringing the
subject to exhaustion
 Conduct tests and research without the need expensive
equipment and running by a trained professional
 Practical and an effective alternative to using traditional
laboratory experiences that necessitate the use of subjects
and/or expensive equipment.

18. Challenges
 Plans
 Budget
 Maintenance
 Community Collaboration

19. Ideas and Questions
 email us at:
Susana Juniu
junius@mail.montclair.edu
Miri Shonfeld
mirish@macam.ac.il
Adit Ganot
adit_gan@smkb.ac.il