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Introduction
Despite the success of the Quality Daily Physical Education initiative in the school curricula across Canada (Chad, Humbert and Jackson, 1999; Luke, 2000), over half of Canadian children and youth aged 5 to 17 years are not active enough for optimal growth and development (Craig, Cameron, Russell and Beaulieu, 2001). In light of the fact that over 35% of children withdraw from competitive, privately funded sport programs annually (Gould, 1987; Butcher, Linder and Johns, 2002), school-based Physical Education programs still remain a critical site for children and youth to become introduced to physical activity programs and healthy lifestyle choices (WHO, 1998). Admittedly, however, more needs to be done with regard to long-term activity adherence. Research in the area of youth sport and Physical Education indicates that motivation is a key factor that encourages youth to adhere to an active lifestyle (Auweele, Bakker, Biddle, Durand and Seller, 1999; Kientzler, 1999), and also, that parents and the community provide an important social context for youth to select and persevere in their active lifestyle choices (Weiss and Petlichkoff, 1989; Finn, 1998; Weiss and Ferrer-Caja, 2002; Humbert and Chad, 2003).
For over two decades, educational research has indicated that computer technology has the potential to positively impact teaching and learning at all levels of education (Reeves and Reeves, 1997; Wilkinson, Hiller and Harrison, 1998; Hokanson and Hooper, 2000). In the field of Physical Education, technology has been effectively used through computer-assisted instruction and assessment techniques in the classroom (Mohnsen, 1995; Silverman, 1997; Monsma, 2003), and through the exchange of information and resources available via the World Wide Web (Elliot and Manross, 1996).
Although use of Physical Education websites have been used as a source of information and promotion for Physical Education programs (Wood and Lynn, 2000), incorporating the use of a classroom website as a formal and structured part of the elementary health and Physical Education classroom has not been fully explored. Once designed, for example, would students visit a Physical Education website? How would they use it? What classroom supports, school and community information and/or 'fun' sites would they find useful? Would the use of a Physical Education website lead to an increase in physical activity interest and activity? Given the pervasive presence of computers in nearly...