Effective instruction in a university physical activity program is essential if the program desires to meet the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE, 1998) guidelines for an appropriate college/university physical activity instructional program. To meet these guidelines, an instructor can use the Personalized System of Instruction (PSI) model. The purpose of this study was to measure the effectiveness of using the PSI model in a university physical activity weight training course. Participants (n = 22) enrolled in a beginner weight training course were administered the FITNESSGRAM fitness test and a 50-question knowledge test before and after the 15-week PSI weight training course. Paired-samples t tests with Bonferroni correction revealed no significant difference in the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) test, back saver sit and reach test, and trunk lift test, but did reveal a significant difference for curl-up test, t(21) = -4.335, p less than 0.007; push-up test, t(21) = -5.080, p less than 0.007; percentage body fat, t(21) = 5.722, p less than 0.007; and knowledge test, t(21) = -7.247, p less than 0.007. If a goal of the beginning weight training physical activity course was to promote student learning, the PSI weight training course was effective. (Contains 4 tables.
