Motivation is Key!!!!
Anything to have kids wanting to get physical would be great. In this day and age kids in the middle school tend to not do things unless they like it. We get much better times in our mile run when we let them use their headphones. Any more idea about motivation.

Elk,

I think it is a great idea for you to let the students listen to their iPods while running. I think it is normal for people to run with their iPods, I know I like to run with mine. At my school our middle schoolers run the cooper run, which is a 12 minute run and the children calculate how many feet they run and keep track of their records in their portfolios. The thing I like about the 12 minute run is that everyone runs for 12 minutes and try to beat their personal best each time we run it. So one a give test all your student are being pushed no matter how good of runner they are. Also, their is no shame in finishing in the bottom, since everyone finishes at the same time.

Keep the Music playing,
Eric

Mike,
Technology is overwhelming at times. I agree with another person who responded that it can be a double-edged sword. However, physical educators need to "pick and choose" the "tech stuff" that works best for them. Ask two questions: 1) will this tech help me be a more efficient physical educator, and 2) will
this tech help my kids learn?
Fred

I am an elementary PE teacher and I chose to use technology to supplement my lessons. The pedometers and monitors do not drive my classes;I use them to encourage students to move more. I have 30 minutes twice a week to get my students to move. If I can have them reach maximum heart rate using technology I would use it - occasionally !

I am currently involved in writing a curriculum for an on-line High School level Physical Education course for those students who do not fit the traditional school setting. In other words, they have opted for the virtual school. I am excited about all of the technological things I will learn from doing this, but am skeptical of the whole participation part of the course and how you hold a student accountable. It would be easy if you could require them to have a heart rate monitor or a pedometer where the data could be uploaded on to the computer and sent on-line. However, the logistics and cost of that are out of the question. I also have concerns for liability, and whether a student should be required to submit a physical or doctor's release prior to taking the course. I would love to hear from anyone who teaches in a school that offers on-line high school PE courses that have researched these issues.

I agree that it would be hard to manage the students productivity. In your class you could require the student to participate in a local race towards the end of the class as a final project. The student could work towards completing this race. Many road races results are posted on line. You could also require the student to complete the race in a certain time.

If used correctly, video games, computer programs, etc can but helpful in PE. A local school has a software station set up in their fitness center that enhances their fitness room. That school uses the program to track diets, activity level, and exercise times. What a great way to give the students rest while incorporating the academics related to PE.

What I see at our school is students who sit in front of an Xbox, PS2 or game system and play Madden Football and count that as exercise. We recently purchased several DDR (dance dance revolution) systems and set them up on bad weather days. The kids participate while watching by shadowing the "playing" students.

I too, purchased some DDR's for my middle school morning fitness program that I do at my school. Since we only have five DVD's with 10 mats, I use it as one station. My other stations include: jump roping, pilates' balls using 3, 4, or 5 lb. weights, scooter hockey, and gatorball. The kids love rotating every 10-12 minutes and really get a well rounded workout.

I agree with so many of the people that use the word balance in their use of technology. Most of the technology I use helps me to promote fitness (pedometers,heart rate watches etc.) We also bought DDR equipment but I use it with heart watches so in order to stay "dancing" you have to have a high enough heart rate. Another thing I do with DDR is make sure they pick random for songs. This way no one fights about what song they want and more important, they keep moving. I feel if I use technology it has to benefit their fitness.

Dan, here was your first post on discussion board May 27, 2007. I will evaluate all post when you let me know if you are going to do project # 6. Glenn

I think you need to find a balance in what you are using technology for. I have found many excellent lesson ideas on the web that I use to teach my students. I also use a PDA in my classroom to test my students in fitness testing and just our normal curriculum. It has saved me a lot of time which I can use to better prepare myself to teach. But It can also be wasted time that the kids could be active.

I absolutely agree. I am recently graduated out of college just 4 years and I feel that there is sometimes too much emphasis on utiliziing technology in P.E. I feel the philosophy of this is to attract the target audience, however, the "new" PE is sometimes not as beneficial physically as when I went to school. I feel as though kids are always looking for the easy way out, and with the new wave of technology in PE, sometimes this occurs. However, I do like such things as pedometers, because I feel it is interesting (as my students have as well) to see the number of steps taken in a certain time, so it creates a competitive atmosphere of sorts. But...I do agree that technology is a lot of the time adding to laziness of our society.

I agree that there has been so much emphasis put on incorporating technology into the curriculum. I think it is wonderful when it works for your teaching situation. But you need to pick and choose what will work best. At the high cost of and low bugets, it can be pricey to maintain. It helps if everyone in your department are all on board also. The need for new technology designed to enhance a PE program is easier to sell to a PTO, school board or administrator when they know it will be used by all students.

I myself have fallen victim to trying to incorporate technology so much that I lost valuable time in the gym. I wanted students to log their food and activity into a website, so we would go once a week in a 5 times a week class. It was too much and the kids often asked what was the point. I believe the information is valuable but the movement is so much more important in a time where kids are planted in a seat for 4.5 hours of a 6 hour school day just so they can pass the "test".

I believe the key is to make technology work for us and the kids. Technology can be used in PE to make us more efficient with tasks like recording fitness scores and attendance. For students technology should be used to enhance the learning experience. Creating videos and commercials based on what they are learning are great assessments. Video feedback of skills can be used for peer evaluations. Students can use fitness videos as a choice fitness activity. Some students may prefer Pilates to Tae Bo. The power of choice is key to promoting lifelong physical activity.

You have a great outlook on using technology use in the classroom. If the students know how to use the technology and have practiced with it, your class will run a lot smoother. Heart rate monitors always take a week or two for all students to understand and do it on thier own. When they get it everything falls in place. I have lost time in class teaching technology but the students will get it and you will teach them a valuable lesson. Keep up the good work.

I see both the postive and negative of using technology. I believe in some cases it takes away from "movmement" and "activity" time. Kids today need to get up and move more often. I think the technology we use in PE has to be easy, convenient and helps to maximize time. For example the new Polar heart rate monitors that can be read by a pocket pc and information is downloaded in seconds. Using ipods/playlists to motivate students is another great way to use technology.

I think some of the other postings hit the nail on the head so to speak. The two points that stand out for me is the fact that a balance has to be achieved between surfing etc and actually "doing" where the students are physically active and expressing themselves.
The second point is using the technology out ther e to make a connection with the students so that they can see the interconnection with technology and physical activity and how the two can blend together and possibly motivate them become active.
Balance is key!

I really think that some technology can help but you can't focus your entire class on teaching the how to.
I don't see my classes often enough to take time to explain to them or to use the technology and take away from my attention to the class.

Technology is a great motivational tool for students these days, but with class sizes as they are it is difficult to organize, issue and collect with the 30 min. I have with them.

I believe the use of technology in physical education can only enhance the learning of our students and increase their interest in the content area. The world we live in is so technology savvy and I feel we must embrace this and use it to our advantage. Students love using computers, gadgets and other forms of technology. By utilizing these things in the classroom it allows you to reach your students with something they already have an interest in. Pedometers, heart rate monitors and the world wide web are just the beginning. I cannot wait until we have the capability to use virtual reality and other forms of game simulation to help us teach skills and assist in classroom instruction. These things will really blow kids minds and get them really excited about P.E. class.

I totally agree with technology and it's benefits in PE. The other day, I was showing my students a video in health class called Super SIze Me and it featured a physical education program somewhere out west where the students were using stationary bikes/Spinning while they played a bicycling videogame as if they were actually involved in this virtual race. My students thought that was awsome and even said "why can't we have that? I would totally participate if we had that type of equipment!" So if they get excited about this type of technology it just goes to show you that it does bring some benefit to exercise and physical activity.

You raise some good questions. I think that since you are sensitive to the issue you will probably make the right choices as you go. It is difficult to know just how things will progress but those of us who love movement will not allow our classes to give up on this part. Instead we will find ways to make technology help us do what we do better.

We are implementing 1:1 or 1 computer for every student. I was wondering if anyone else has done this in their school?

I am getting on the technology train this coming school year and am excited to begin using pedometers and hopefully some type of heart rate monitor. You make some great points that I may have not thought about.
My classes will be a great change this year with the use of technology.
My plan is to gradually work the plan and see how things go. Recording steps and keeping track of target heart rates and entering them on the website will be a start. I will try this the first quarter and adjust accordingly.
Time will tell on this one, but as of now I am excited to try something new.

COST ALOT OF MONEY ALMOST ALL OF MY BUDGET
AND WE DONT USE THEM ENOUGH

THE BIGGEST PITFALL IS MONEY
TO DO ALOT OF THINGS THAT YOU SEE ON TV AND THE INTERNET IT TAKES ALOT OF MONEY

Mike,

I feel that technology has really had an effect on kids imagination. Since, the advancement of technology I don't see as many children playing and making up games. The computer games today have such amazing graphics that children don't have to use their imagination. I feel the more technology advances the less that our children will go outside an play in the fresh air.

Eric

You make a great point. When I grew up we were outside every day, playing sports, or even just climbing trees, or building forts. I remember baseball games with every kid in the neighborhood, and football games too. I also had a hoop in my driveway and we played all the time. I do not ever remember being inside with friends. There just was not anything to do. That is because we did not have a television in our rooms, and we did not have video games.
Now students do not play sports together. Their parent’s pay for them to play on teams and a coach tells them what to do when to do it. They never have to cooperate and figure out on their own who is on whose team, or figure out what rules they want to play by. Students, or athletes do not have to think for themselves.
Students also are more stationary then ever before. They are playing video games, or they are playing on the computer, or they are watching television. Yes there are a lot of sport video games, and it does teach students how to play, and it teaches them the rules, but it does not help in the coordination or the skills that are needed to play the sport.
So I guess I think technology, when it comes to entertainment for students, is not something that I am a fan of. My husband and I are trying hard to not fall into the trap. We have four children, and we do not have televisions in their rooms, they do not play video games. They each have 1 hand held game that they can play on the weekend, when their homework is done. As for going outside, they are out every day, and they play games on their own. Technology for teachers and for organization and efficiency is something I am a fan of. It allows us to give more time to the students, and a lot of technology is for the purpose of keeping our students as healthy as we can, and in a safe manner.

I always think of the Rocky movie when the Russian is training withall the high tech stuff, and Rocky just runs through the snow. Both were finely tuned athletes.

I am sure there are those teachers that use technology to a fault. I agree that there is a fine line that seperates a Physical Education class from a technology use class or a Physical Science class. However, I think we need to use some technological resources to show students how their heart works and how they can measure certain things. Things like heart rate, body mass, exersion during exercise etc...

I think this is an excellent question. Being a "gadget" guy, I am usually on board with trying to purchase and incorporate technology into PE. However, I beleive you must stick with the things that you are comfortable teaching and build from there. It is way to exspensive to try multiple ideas during a school year. The resources will never be used and the money you spent will be wasted. Also, make sure kids know how to calculate their own heart rate manually by looking at the clock and finding their pulse. Heart monitors do this for them and they may miss the whole idea of target heart rates. We have built our weight room with game bikes and DDR's and the school has purchased an IPOD for our department. This is a good place to start if you are thhinking of purchasing a few things.