Teaching with Technology Philosophy Statement

Technology is valued in our culture today more than ever before and is essential to successful learning in a classroom, regardless of what subject is being taught. Most people would not associate the use of technology with physical education. In reality, utilizing technology in physical education can greatly enhance what and how students learn by changing the student and teacher roles, increasing motivation and self-esteem, and enhancing technological skills.

According to the Technology and Education Reform, a research project sponsored by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, when students use technology in the classroom, they are in an active role, rather than a passive role. With the use of technology, such as a computer, pedometer, stopwatch, heart rate monitor, PowerPoint presentation, or online blog, they must make choices about how to generate, obtain, manipulate, and display information. This allows more students to be actively thinking about information, making choices, and executing skills.

Another benefit of the use of technology in physical education is the ability for students to define their goals, make design decisions, and evaluate their progress. These are especially relevant in physical education, as students are often tested on their physical fitness levels. With the use of technology, students can more easily monitor their progress, failures, and successes, and teachers can better assess their performance. The teacher no longer has to be the center of attention, but rather can facilitate the technology use, set project goals, and provide guidelines and resources.

Maybe most importantly, learning to use technology can enhance student self-esteem and make them excited about learning. Students may gain a sense of empowerment from learning to use technology in ways they associate with the real world. One of the main goals of education is to prepare students to be productive and functioning adults in the future. I believe that the use of technology in the classroom is critical to doing so successfully.