Browsing by Subject "Setting Goals"
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item How can a Health and Fitness Mobile App lead you to a healthier life?(2020-05) Eackles, Cameron; Walsh, Greg; Summers, Kathryn; University of Baltimore. Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences; University of Baltimore. Master of Science in Interaction Design and Information ArchitectureWhile obesity-related diseases are affecting people around the world, health and fitness mobile apps have been developed in the effort for individuals to lose weight and improve their overall health. Throughout the past few years, many weight loss programs have begun, including coaching support either through one-on-one virtual sessions or by using automated coaching. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of automated coaching versus no interaction with a coach (human or automated) in mobile health and fitness apps on one’s motivation to develop healthy habits. Ten individuals between the age ranges of 18-54 were included in the study. The participants were assigned to two different mobile apps; the Lark app, which provided an automated coach (chatbot), and the Centr app, which does not offer a direct means of coaching support. All participants received weekly surveys for a total of four weeks and were encouraged to submit video diaries. The participants' weight was self-reported in the first and final weeks, along with their physical activity and feedback on the app's features throughout the study. At the end of the study, the amount of overall weight loss was minimal. Among the Lark group, only one participant lost weight. However, four out of the five participants from the Centr group lost weight, one of which lost 11 pounds. Even though the results on the scale varied across the two groups, this study also examined the features of each app, frequency of app use, and coaching to determine the impact on motivation to improve one’s healthy habits. Participants provided both positive and negative feedback of the Lark and Centr apps that can be applied to design strategies in the future of health and fitness mobile apps.Item Setting Goals and Reading Comprehension: An Examination of the Role of Setting Goals in Reading Comprehension(2017-05) Wieland, Erika; Dangel, Timothy; Gallo, Susan; Brennan, Sarah; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this action research study was to investigate how setting reading comprehension goals specific to third grade Reading Literature, Common Core State Standards would impact a third-grade students’ reading comprehension level. In this quasi-experimental, pretest/posttest control group design, 43 third-grade students were examined to see if a goal setting intervention would help increase student performance in reading comprehension. The measurement tools used were from the Jacob’s Ladder Reading Comprehension Program for Grades 2 and 3. Students were in one of two classes based on their homeroom teacher. The control group and treatment group were both expected to participate in lessons from the Jacob’s Ladder Reading Comprehension Program. During the six-week study the treatment group was also taught how to set and manage reading goals focused on reading comprehension. Per the posttest results, there were no significant differences between the class that was trained to set reading goals and the class that was not trained to set reading goals. There were significant results when analyzing the differences between the pretest and posttest scores from the class that participated in the intervention. Research on the impacts of teaching students how to set and manage reading comprehension goals in the classroom is warranted and should continue to occur.