Environmental Exercise Physiology

Purpose: to help other instructors teaching the same course

Common Course ID: KINE 4300
CSU Instructor Open Textbook Adoption Portrait

Abstract: This open textbook is being utilized in a Kinesiology course for undergraduate students by Nathaniel Bodell at California State University, San Bernardino. The open textbook provides curated lectures exploring Environmental Exercise Physiology. The main motivation to adopt an open textbook was to save on costs that students incur. Most students access the open textbook through a shared link.

Course Title and Number - Environmental Exercise Physiology.  KINE 4300
Brief Description of course highlights:  This course examines the acute and chronic physiological responses to exercise in a range of environmental conditions. Emphasis is placed on how the human body adapts to environmental stressors such as heat, cold, altitude, and pressure, as well as the prevention and management of injuries and illnesses associated with exercising in extreme environments. (3 units)

Student population:  Primarily Exercise Science majors with prior coursework in exercise physiology and foundational knowledge of human physiology.

Learning or student outcomes: 
LO1: Describe human temperature regulation and physiological responses in hot environments
LO2: Describe human physiological responses in cold, wet, and hyperbaric environments
LO3: Describe human physiological responses in hypoxic, high-altitude, and microgravity environments
LO4: Evaluate additional environmental considerations including pollution, chronobiology, cross-adaptation, and individual variability

Syllabus/Assignments: Includes a syllabus and multiple case-based in-class assignments applying environmental physiology concepts 

Textbook or OER/Low cost Title: Instructor-Developed Environmental Exercise Physiology Materials

Brief Description:  A collection of instructor-developed materials including lecture slides, structured notes, and curated research articles informed by Advanced Environmental Exercise Physiology and current literature.

Please provide a link to the resource  
Environmental Exercise Physiology, Lecture 1
© 2025 by Nathaniel Bodell is licensed under 

 Authors:  Nathaniel Bodell, Ph.D.

Supplemental resources:  PowerPoint presentations slides and PDF documents, study guides, quizzes and case-based assignments, delivered through Canvas (with optional printed use)

Provide the cost savings from that of a traditional textbook.  Approximately $100 per student

License*: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International 

OER/Low Cost Adoption Process

Provide an explanation or what motivated you to use this textbook or OER/Low Cost option.  To reduce the financial burden on students while maintaining high-quality, research-informed content

How did you find and select the open textbook for this course?  Materials were developed from Advanced Environmental Exercise Physiology and peer-reviewed research articles

Sharing Best Practices: Start with existing materials and gradually build and refine content over time

Describe any key challenges you experienced, how they were resolved  and lessons learned.  Developing lecture materials from scratch required significant upfront time investment but improved alignment and flexibility

Instructor Name - Nathaniel Bodell, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Calif State Univ., San Bernardino

Please provide a link to your university page.
https://www.csusb.edu/profile/nathaniel.bodell

Please describe the courses/course numbers that you teach.  Motor Learning and Control; Motor Development; Environmental Exercise Physiology; Physical Activity and Aging

Research Interests: Environmental exercise physiology, motor learning, and lipid metabolism

Describe your teaching philosophy and any research interests related to your discipline or teaching.  To create a positive and supportive learning environment that promotes engagement and application of concepts