A Guide to Integrating Physical Education and Technology

A Guide to Integrating Physical Education and Technology

http://www.fitrated.com/resources/physical-education-technology-guide/

This article had a lot of insightful information about why I should use technology in my physical education class.  Physical education is an important part of students' lives and education growing up.  There are a lot of benefits of taking part in physical activity whether it is physical, social, or mental.  Every year in class I try to produce positive changes in my students and guide them to become lifelong learners in physical activity.

Often times, it can be difficult to engage students and make them feel motivated to exercise on a daily basis whether it is inside or outside the classroom.  According to the article many PE teachers have started turning to technology to create a dynamic and interesting classroom environment where students are excited to work out and overcome challenges.  I have always been looking for new ways to incorporate technology into my physical education classes.

I agree that more young students have their on smartphones and we might as well take advantage of it.  There are many applications that can be found on a smart phone that helps students keep track of movement, nutritional help, or anything else that has to do with physical activity.  Some of the physical activity apps the article listed to be very beneficial are; cardiograph, coach my video, coach's eye, steps pedometer & counter tracker, and google drive.

Two more if the technologies that could be beneficial to use in class are pedometers and smart watches.  The pedometers will give my students opportunities to sets goals and they be able to watch themselves progress tremendously.  Students are able to stay active and keep track of their progress.  Smart watches would be a step up from pedometers and you can even access music.  They also help students keep track of their heart rate and how many calories they've burned.  

I did enjoy looking at the list of applications they listed in the article and I plan on using them in my classroom,since we are becoming more technology bound.

I'm excited that we are going to be using more technology in our class next year, so my students and I can check out Vimeo or YouTube to checkout different fintiess combinations or demonstrations for skill development.  I also love the idea the article mentioned about the students creating their own instructional work of their own and then they will teach it to the students.  This i a fantastic idea and I can't wait to try it!  We have tried doing games like Wii sports or a Just Dance game in class before.  It was fun for majority of our students.  I think it depends on how  many students we have in class, but with us having more technology in our classroom next year-we can maybe setup the games into stations.

As PE teachers, we need to teach our students how to use various forms of technology for their fitness and healthy just like any other teacher would show their students what expectations they have for their class when they use technology.   I also believe that using technology in physical education class will boost efficiency and keep my students motivated to track their fitness on a Day-To-Day basis.  

10 Reasons Today's Students NEED Technology in the Classroom

https://www.securedgenetworks.com/blog/10-reasons-today-s-students-need-technology-in-the-classroom


Why do students today NEED technology in the classroom?  Well to put it simply, they will miss out on many opportunities without it.  The problem is, some schools are very limited on what they can provide for their students, whether it's funding for computers or tablets, or access to WiFi.  Another problem is that some administrators and teachers are very much "old school" and don't believe that technology is needed in order for students to learn.  Although this is a true statement, what these people need to realize is that many of today's students have been using tablets and mobile devices since they could crawl.  It would be unreasonable to assume that they would not be able to thrive with the technology they have available. 

By giving students technology, you open a whole new realm of teaching!  Will it be different than the way you and I learned in school?  Absolutely!!  I can't even imagine what the world would be like today had we grown up with all of this information at our finger tips!  We have only just begun on the journey.  Technology is still very new and there is still so much that we don't know.  What we can do as educators is to guide them on how to use this technology safely and prepare them for the digital age.  For myself personally, it will mean learning right along with them.........and most likely, having my students teach me a thing or two, because let's face it, they have probably taught themselves how to do most everything anyway, right?

This article is 100% correct.  Children NEED technology in the classroom.  Whether today's society wants to accept it or not.  Technology is here and it's available.  Information is one click away, right at your finger tips.  Why make what used to take hours of us searching through microfish, or library cards to find what we need to write a paper?  Ok, maybe that's taking it a bit too far, but for these kids making them learn the same way we did, may not always be the best way and it's certainly not the quickest.  Technology not only gives us multiple ways to teach, but it also saves a lot of time.

When Classroom Technology Impedes Student Learning

https://www.aei.org/publication/when-classroom-technology-impedes-student-learning/

This article reflected on a study in which high school students were given three choices prior to taking a three and a half hour final exam. The first being that they could take the test without any technology. The second choice was "technology-at-will", which allowed students to freely use a tablet when they wanted. The last choice was for students who were restricted to taking the test using only a tablet.

The final results found that students who took the test without the use of a tablet, scored higher than the students who used any form of technology. This study took place over two terms and it analyzed 726 students in 50 different classrooms. The article said that technology can be a powerful tool to engage students, but what matters is how it is used. Many schools are concerned with keeping up on the newest hardware and software when implementing technology in the classroom. However, schools should be more concerned with giving students the attention and support needed when using these technology devices.

I would have to agree with that statement. I think that technology allows me to engage students and facilitate learning in a different way. I think that most of us take our technology for granted sometimes. However, I think that instruction should be meaningful and intentional in nature. I feel that teachers sometimes implement technology games into instruction because it's "easier", but is it actually supporting student learning?

10 Reasons Todays Students NEED Technology in the Classroom

10 Reasons Todays Students NEED Technology in the Classroom

People are wary of technology in the classroom because its seen in a negative light. Technology is seen as a distraction rather than a tool or the cost and infrastructure needs seem too lofty a task to take on. However, our world is becoming more and more automated, in order to succeed students will need to know how to use technology as more than just an entertainment device and apply it to learning.

We, as educators, want to set our students up for future success as much as possible. Preparing them to use technology purposefully will help them succeed in future careers. Technology also allows to more differentiated learning for students of all styles of learning. And while they are given the opportunity to learn in their own way, they are able to stay on track with their classmates as well as interact or collaborate with them. Technology in the classroom could be used to create a more engaging environment and can connect students to richer and new content that couldn't previously be provided to the students. Technology in the classroom can also be a great catalyst for understanding and practicing responsibility. The student has to learn digital responsibility, the importance of an appropriate online presence, but also general responsibility for property. It also encourages the teacher to break out of a passive lecturer role and become fully engaged with the students learning.

The second concern that many have when talking about integrating technology into the classroom is the logistical concerns, wifi infrastructure and cost. The article advocates putting a lot of forethought into systems and technology chosen so it can be integrated seamlessly.

Classroom Technology: What's new for 2017? Kristi Neal

Classroom Technology:  What's new for 2017?

http://www.edudemic.com/classroom-technology-in-2017/

There is even more technology to use in the classroom in 2017 and it shows no signs of slowing down.  Sixty percent of teachers expect to use more technology in their classroom this year then they did last year.  Seventy five percent of teachers say they use some sort of technology in their classrooms every day.  The most popular technology that teachers use in classrooms are small laptops and tablets.  Chromebooks have recently become popular due to their low cost.  Teachers can control student activity on them and they can be preprogrammed with educational apps.  Some teachers have also been using smart boards.  These can be used in class and then the lesson can be saved so students can watch it again at home.

Some teachers are using virtual reality to teach lessons.  Students can use Google Glass or Google Cardboard VR Headgear to view virtual reality.  The headgear is inexpensive, uses free apps, and uses a smart phone to operate. 

The technology trend will continue beyond 2017.  Many of the future technologies are in software and apps.  Online learning is one of the biggest trends going forward.  This helps teachers provide students with quality teaching tools.  This technology will connect classrooms world wide for more diverse learning.  Another major technology that is coming is 3D printing.  Also wearable technology may be coming in the future. 

There are many technology devices that won't be making their way into school because they are too expensive, impractical, and dangerous.  Some of these include:  nanobots, drone engineering, cyber warfare, hoover boards, and crash proof cars.

Technology as a Tool to Support Instruction

Technology as a Tool to Support Instruction 

Link:  http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech004.shtml


    I found this article intriguing just based off of its title because I don't think everything has to involve technology, but it can definitely be used as a tool to support instruction. In the beginning part of the article, the author discusses that technology is a tool. Technology can be used as a tool to enhance learning and to encourage the creativity of many answers rather than relying on a single correct answer on a paper/pencil assessment. Although technology can potentially boost students learning, the article discusses that it can be a messy process so teachers must thoroughly model and practice exactly how to use technology in the manner that the teacher wants. That process in itself can take time, but is a major factor in having a successful experience with supporting your instruction with technology. A part in this section of the article that I found interesting was when the article shares that students don't "learn" technology, but rather technology provides the provides the tools for students to experience meaningful learning.

   The second section of the article discusses the importance of choosing how to use technology as a school. All teachers don't have to use technology in exactly the same manner, but the article discusses the importance of keeping all teachers informed and up to date how to operate using technology. For example, there should be staff developmental days focused on certain uses of technology if the school is expecting teachers to use certain technology. The article really makes a solid point while discussing this part of the article because more and more schools/administrations are utilizing technology so it is important for teachers to learn how to properly use it.

   The final part of the article is all about "working together". This not only means working together as a classroom and school, but as a community as well. Teachers need to keep parents and the community up to date about how they are using technology. Teachers need to share with parents how they utilize technology in their classroom so that parents understand why their child is doing what they are while at school. In addition to this, teachers should strongly consider sharing pictures/moments from how they have used technology in their classroom with the person who runs the school website. If a teacher shares how they are using technology in their classroom on the school website, parents and the entire community can begin learning the effectiveness of how technology is being used with their own children/school. 

A Quick Synopsis and Reaction to "In Classroom of Future, Stagnant Scores"

In the New York Times article "In Classroom of Future, Stagnant Scores" from September, 2011, Matt Richtel discusses how many classrooms with increased access to technologies have, despite our hopes and expectations, reflected no significant increase in student test scores. I was surprised and skeptical. Upon reading the title, I made immediate note of the publication date and searched for more recent articles on the same topic. Surprisingly, I found another article from 2015 that concluded similar findings. Then, of course, there are other articles claiming the exact opposite. Wary of the debate, I pressed onward with my original article and found some items worthy of consideration.

The first item I had not considered fully is that technology is a significant investment. More specifically, technology is an investment that can drain from all the other investments schools need to make for their students. In his article, Richtel refers mainly to the Kyrene School District in Arizona. Despite purchasing a significant technological upgrade, Kyrene saw no improvement in test scores while neighboring districts, who did not receive these upgrades, saw noticeable improvements. From his research, Richtel suggests that one of the main contributors to this discrepancy in scores may be that Kyrene was no longer investing in many important things it once had. With the tech requirements draining the budget, the district had not given their teachers raises in three years, had not hired new teachers despite an increase in classroom size, and had slashed their budgets for subjects like art, physical education, and music. As class sizes increased, students had lessened accessibility to teachers. Also, many teachers reported being in need of basic supplies like Kleenex and pencils.

Another proposed contributor to the stagnating scores, according to Richtel, is that many teachers allow the technologies in their classrooms to become distractions rather than instructional tools. He contends that many students, although assigned a task, end up just playing around. As an example, Richtel discusses a student he finds playing an alien math game. To do well in the game, math is required. If you perform your addition correctly, then you shoot the spaceship. However, the student Richtel observed was selecting answers at random just to take shots at the ship.

A few other interesting points Richtel made: tech supporters prescribe to the idea of "upgrade first and ask questions later," many students reported no preference between doing a class activity on paper or online, there was no significant research on the efficacy of online courses, and the tech companies profit more than any other group.

In the article's defense of technology, Richtel appeals to technology's capacity to inspire and engage students and its value in providing students with skills outside of the main core subjects. Unfortunately, neither of these values are easily quantifiable. Evidence that students are engaged requires behavioral observations, and we have yet to develop a standardized test that shows student mastery over skills like: internet resource literacy, organization, confidence with professional writing tools, and collaboration. I would agree that all these skills are important.

After reading this article, my hugest concern is that school districts are not investing in technology at appropriate times. I would hope that more school districts are realizing that technology can only be an effective tool when all the other needs of the students and teachers are met first. Then, I would be really curious to see the progress of this district after six years. After introducing a significant learning curve, as technology could be considered, I would expect little to no improvement in other educational areas. If students are busy learning to navigate all their teachers' new technological requirements, focusing on core subjects may be a challenge. Thus, I would be curious if they now show improvement.

However, even if students' core subjects reflect no sign of improvement over six years of intensive technological implementation, I do not think it really matters to the question of what we as teachers need to do. Students have to learn how to navigate responsibly through all the technology that develops, so teachers must teach with it. As an English teacher, I can probably wait to make it the center of my own classroom, but I need to show my students how someone using my discipline uses computers and devices and internet to learn and contribute.