Technology and Physical Education Class

Can They Go Hand-In-Hand??

Natalie Clark
Western Oregon University






Typically, when one thinks of a physical education class, technology seemingly has no
place. The main goal for a physical education class is to get the students moving quickly and
effectively. It is important to teach students the skills to play certain sports but also how to live
an active lifestyle. So where do student activities and technologies intersect? Technology is all
around us, even in our physical education classes. Students walking into the gym can bring new
technology shoes that have microchips in the soles to calculate how many steps they take. Only
about 25% of students attend physical education class daily or take part in any daily physical
activity (Payne & Slocumb, 2011, p.44). As PE teachers, we need to make sure that we use the
time we have with our students to the best of our abilities.
The argument against technology in the gym
Students need to be active as much as possible during their PE class. Technology can be
an obstacle in the way of students being active. John Medina (2007) pointed out that, kids pay
better attention to their subjects when theyve been active. Kids are less likely to be disruptive in
terms of their classroom behavior when they are active. Kids feel better about themselves, have
higher self-esteem, less depression, and less anxiety. All of those things can impair academic
performance and attentiveness (p. 18). However in physical education the adoption and
implementation of video games has initially been met with resistance due to the perceived
association with inactive behaviors (Sanders & Hansen, 2008). A common assumption by
parents is that by using technology in the gym, students are naturally less active. Their concern is
that their student will not be getting the full benefit of an active PE class.
Understanding how to use technology effectively in PE is what is most important.
Technology can be an obstacle in a PE class but if the teacher understands how to use it correctly
it can truly benefit the students and teacher. Using practitioner-based articles, movement-based
technologies possess the potential to enable classes to spend time more efficiently, as well as
support the broader goal of encouraging students to become more knowledgeable, confident and
enthusiastic about engaging in movement activities (Hayes & Silberman, 2007). Furthermore,
Cai and Kornspan (2012) suggested that movement-based games possess the potential to enhance
the psychomotor and cognitive learning of sports for students with developmental disabilities.
There are many technological advances that PE teachers rely on in the gym to help them
assess students performances and to increase learning and enjoyment. The following examples
are some of the technologies that are commonly used to support a strong PE program.
Exercise Tracker
Many students in the high school level are purchasing a FitBit. It's a health tracker that
measures how many steps are taken daily, how much time is spent being active, and the quality
of your sleep. Think about the pedometer that came out and everyone thought that was the best
technology. Just 5 years ago schools had a class set of pedometers in their PE program to help
teach the students the importance of being active. Now the FitBit is taking the country by storm.
Most of the elementary PE teachers that I know have a FitBit and use it constantly. Imagine if
teachers were able to get a class a set of Fitbits and have their students log their activity levels
and calories burned while in PE class. PE teachers would then be able to use the students data
and be able to create a math lesson using information that is actually relevant to the students.
Students would also be working on improving their math skills while they are still being
physically active.
By using the FitBit, PE teachers could see what percent of their students were actually
being active during class. If the teacher noticed that the majority of the students are at a low level
of activity, they could reassess their lesson and find a way for their students to increase the
amount of time they are actually moving. This is also a great way for teachers to assess their own
teaching. Perhaps transitions between activities are taking too long or there is a lack of gym
management.
Nike + (Plus) is another device that helps track distance and the pace you walk, jog or
run. This device can be placed in a pair of Nike shoes that has a built-in pocket inside the shoe. It
is able to be linked to the Nike+ Sport Band, iPod Touches, or iPhones. After you have
completed your workout or class, you are able to go online to review your results.
Smart Phones
During my first year of teaching we were not allowed to carry our cell phone with us
during the school day. But in the past two years my administrators have required us to carry our
cell phones at all times. The main reason for this policy change is for increased security on
campus. With the apps that have been created for smartphones, carrying a cell phone in my
pocket can provide many different technology resources for my PE classes. I have noticed that
my students increase their physical activity if I provide upbeat music in the background. My cell
phone has now become a storage device for over 3000 songs for my students to listen to during
class. This wide range of music stored on my smart phone ranges from songs such as The Hokey
Pokey to the most current music playing on the radio. By having a variety of music, I am able to
choose a song appropriate for any student from kindergarten through fifth grade. Being able to
create a music playlist that has a specific time interval, helps PE teachers work on interacting
with the students instead of worrying about the time. Teachers can have a fitness workout circuit
set up around the gym and each time the music stops the students know to rotate to the next
circuit. This allows the teacher the freedom to walk around and work closely with students while
the music keeps them on track.
Useful Applications
Another way a smart phone can become useful in the gym is with a simple application
called Team Shake. This application has been developed to help PE teachers create groups
quickly and efficiently. You are able to upload all of your classes and even have the option of
creating profiles of students that should not work with other students in groups. The application
also can create groups based on the students skill levels so you do not have a team with all the
athletes on it. Once you have selected either the amount of kids in a group or how many groups
are needed, the application will create groups with equal number of students, even taking gender
into consideration. This decreases the amount of time wasted by having students form their own
groups which free them up for more practice or play time.
Being able to keep track of students skill levels, attendance, and behavior can be very
challenging when you have over 400 students. The application entitled Gradepad helps keep
track of your students progress. You are able to customize your assessments to fit your specific
needs. You are able to adjust your assessment with a quick push of a button. This makes grading
all 400 students much more efficient.
Digital Video
The saying goes; a picture is worth a thousand words. In the classroom, when a student
completes a math worksheet and the teacher returns the assignment, they have a physical piece of
paper to look at and figure out what they have done right or wrong. In physical education, it is
hard for a student to take a step back and see him or herself perform a skill. This is where digital
video recording becomes effective. Using an Apple iPad, teachers are able to video record their
students performing a certain skill. It is then possible to review the recording to provide feedback
regarding how to improve the skill. The teacher can create a step by step checklist and have the
students review their video with this checklist to assess their progress. There are two great
benefits for having a recording of a student performing a skill: 1) for the student to be able to
visually see themselves and 2) the teacher now has video to use as an assessment tool when
assigning grades.
Another way digital video can be used in the gym is by showing students a particular
sport before beginning a new unit of study. For example, showing students how a professional
game of volleyball is played provides them with prior knowledge of the sport before starting the
unit in class. Being able to show students the sport being played at the highest skill level can give
them a clear understanding of various aspects of how the game is played.
Stop Watches
You cannot be a good PE teacher without having multiple stopwatches. Most smart
phones have a stopwatch built in them. But the thought of having first graders with cell phones in
PE classes does not sound like a very productive idea. Having a variety of handheld stopwatches
can be very useful in many different situations in a PE class. Teaching students to use a
stopwatch is much easier than you would think. The average stopwatch has three buttons to push:
a start button, a stop button and a mode button. Students are able to time their partners in a
variety of different tasks. Teaching students how to read the time on the stopwatch can introduce
a math concept they could be working on in class. Having students write these numbers down
and then determine which of them is faster, teaches students that having the highest number is
not always the desired result.
Video Games in PE
Since the creation of the Brown Box, invented by Ralph H. Bear in 1967, video games
have entertained children for years (Poh, 2014). In 1989 Nintendo created the running pad which
got children off the couch and actually physically moving. Since the running pad was created,
Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox have created a device to help increase physical activity while
the user plays. Being able to hook up these game consoles to a projector provides an opportunity
where hundreds of kids can be participating in a physical activity at the same time. For example,
at Kennedy Elementary, we have connected a Nintendo Wii to our projector and purchased the
game "Just Dance 4". By projecting the videogame on a 12 x 12 screen we are able to have
over 300 students follow along with the dance. Because of this being a video game, it seems to
intrigue almost all of our students. The ability to have 300 students physically active for 30
minutes straight sounds like a success story to me. From a fitness perspective, gaming
technologies provide students with opportunities to engage in behaviors that positively influence
their overall level of fitness, such as increased level of physical activity (Fogel et al., 2010; Lager
& Bremberg, 2005; Marshall et al., 2004; Krisberg, 2012).
Conclusion
It is apparent that technology is here to stay. If we shut out technology in our PE classes
we will never be able to advance and help our students live a healthy lifestyle. With the amazing
technology that comes out every year, PE teachers need to understand how to adapt them into
their gyms. Technology can increase the enjoyment of a PE class for all students. It was
discovered that the use of technology in physical education programs increased student
motivation and learning (Thornburg and Hill, 2004).We need to embrace these technologies to
improve our students experiences in PE. Technology should not be running our PE classes but
it should be enhancing them in a positive way.













References
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physical activity among inactive children in a physical education classroom. Journal of Applied
Behaviour Analysis, 43(4), 591-600.
-Hayes, E., & Silberman, L. (2007). Incorporating video games into physical education. Journal
of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 78(3), 18-24.
-Medina, J. (2008). Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home and
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