Comparison of Health Awareness in South Korean Middle School Students According to Type of Online Physical Education Classes during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Coronavirus disease 2019 popularized online classes to prevent educational deficits affected by the pandemic. This study aimed to assess the differences in the importance and performance of health awareness in Korean middle school students according to the types of online physical education classes they attended during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Overall, 583 participants were selected using a convenience sampling method; the data were obtained through an online survey using Google forms. Frequency analysis, reliability analysis, independent sample t-test, and importance–performance analysis were performed. First, the differences between importance and performance were found to be the most for sleep and physical activity management, and the least for disease and hygiene management. In addition, both groups demonstrated higher importance and performance for hygiene and disease management. There were significant differences in the importance and performance of all the sub-factors. Second, hygiene, disease management, and mental health management were found in quadrant I in both groups, while physical activity, sleep, and dietary habit management were in quadrant III. No factors were in quadrants II and IV. Correspondingly, there was no significant difference in adolescents’ health awareness between the assignment-based online group and interactive online group.