Kinesiology means ‘study of movement’. It is interdisciplinary field of study of sport, exercise, movement, and well-being. Sports related instructional activities can provide striking links to individuals personal identities and for learning engagement. Kinesiology is a STEM course because it interlinks physics, chemistry, biochemistry, statistics, advanced math, biology, anatomy and physiology, neuroscience, and the social sciences. For example, chemistry is used to learn about the behavioral and performance effects of lactate production during exercise in athletes. Physics is used for exploration of Newton’s Laws in football, turbulence in the design and flight of golf balls and curve balls, and our ability to produce speech sounds.
Kinesiology can be an effective link between science concepts and student’s everyday lives and can stimulate science engagement. Kinesiology motivates students to empower others by restoring physiological health or promoting overall wellness. There is a critical need for health care professionals to help people manage chronic conditions and address lifestyle related epidemics, such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Kinesiology as a STEM course should be focused to enhance students learning abilities. Kinesiology can help students to engage in scientifically oriented questions and determine how to answer these questions and pose hypotheses. And, to evaluate their hypotheses in the light of their data and consider possible alternative explanations. It can also aid students to broaden their understanding of the scope and interrelationships of science and math and to be exposed to various subdisciplines of the kinesiology and start to associate it with other STEM disciplines. Kinesiology improves students by providing understanding of exercise physiology, biomechanics, motor control, athletic training, and sport injury.
STEM education in schools should be improved as it is important to prepare students for the increasing number of jobs as personal training, respiratory or cardiopulmonary therapy, cardiac rehabilitation, sports nutrition, massage therapy, medical technology, fitness coordination, and athletic coaching etc.
Kinesiology as an exercise science degree provides students with an entrance into a field with diverse career options. Approximately 70% of exercise science graduates go on to a professional program in graduate education within the health sciences, and the remaining 30%seek employment in the health fitness industry and other areas.
Kinesiology proves to be very profited STEM course, not only because it provides more employment opportunities but also enhances the overall understanding of sports. Those who have strong athletic sense with interest in medical field should pursue it. It is an integration of a lot of fields and results in dynamic field for those who are interested in it.
Written By Hafsa Bibi (Blue Lunar)
