Career readiness of individuals obtaining an accredited personal training certification and suggestions for professional education
- UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Brian G. Sutton (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
- Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
- Advisor
- Paul Davis
Abstract: Sedentary living is a primary contributor to the rise of chronic disease, whereas physical activity is proven to lower the incidence of chronic conditions. Given the current state of health in the United States, the need for well-educated personal trainers is at an all-time high. However, research has failed to examine the teaching practices of accredited personal training certification organizations. Most notably, no scientific study has investigated the pedagogical practices of the National Academy of Sports Medicine’s Certified Personal Trainer program (NASM-CPT). An analysis of NASM’s pedagogical practices was warranted to determine if NASM’s program adequately prepares aspiring personal trainers for their profession. The evaluation used a mixed-methods design and was conducted in two parts: administering a survey and hosting subsequent interviews with personal trainers who recently earned NASM’s CPT credential. Results of the study indicated that most respondents' initial reaction to the NASM-CPT program was favorable, and they believed they had acquired the intended knowledge from the program. However, the delivery of content needs significant revision. The NASM-CPT is an online, self-paced, and self-taught eLearning program and entails mostly passive learning (reading and watching content). A consensus was determined when evaluating the data: aspiring personal trainers seek a sense of community and opportunities to communicate with peers, interactive simulations to practice creating customized exercise programs, and instruction from qualified instructors. Based on the available data, the PI recommends investing in additional eLearning technologies to better prepare aspiring personal trainers for their profession.
Career readiness of individuals obtaining an accredited personal training certification and suggestions for professional education
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Created on 8/1/2024
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Dissertation
- Language: English
- Date: 2024
- Keywords
- National Academy of Sports Medicine, Personal Training, Personal Training Certification, Personal Training Education
- Subjects
- Personal trainers $x Certification
- National Academy of Sports Medicine