In this ever changing and expanding world we live our practices should inquire new technology that is being developed to increase physical activity participation, enjoyment, and understanding. Physical Education does not consist of just rolling balls out and letting children have free time to do whatever they want. In involves helping children to achieve a life long participation in physical activity. By adding technology into the mix it lets children indulge themselves into new practices and develop a better understanding of the motor skills they are participating in.
Physical activity and lack there of has become a hot topic in our society. With the expanding virtual world children are living vicariously through these animated characters and losing out and living their own lives. Physical educators can take old and new technology and implement it into the classroom to grab their student’s attentions. It can range from something as simple as a Jane Fonda work out tape for the class to follow or something as sophisticated as the swing doctor to help children develop a crisp and proficient swing. With all the new developing activities it is easy to find things that children are going to want to participate in.
There are so many activities and opportunities for children to partake in that as physical educators we need to make the activities we choose enjoyable for children. Youngsters are not going to do something that they are not actively engaged in or enjoying. In the past children were just excited to go to an open park and play a pickup game of baseball. Recently children need to be convinced to participate in an activity.
Wii Fit is a great piece of technology that mixes physical activity and gaming in a child friendly environment. Although the virtual experience is not as active as the real experience, it still allows for children to enjoy the activity. Once students start to enjoy the activity they are going to want to know how everything works.
Knowledge is a powerful tool in life. Children know how to kick a ball but, do they understand the mechanics behind kicking a ball? As technology evolves our understanding of the world develops further. We need to teach our students the fundamentals of movement. A program named Digi-Net98 is a motion analysis of electronically stored images. This program allows for students to understand coordination, degrees of freedom, and motion.
As the world continues to develop so will the technology. Technology has developed from new videos to new ways to watch and correct a golfers swing through motion analysis. As educators we need to realize that every student learns in a different way. We need to utilize every tool we can to reach children and help the create a life long devotion to participate in physical activity.
Jack,Jim,James,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that kids are much more involved with technology. I have a 10 year old sister and everyday I feel she is talking about a new device that her or one of her friends has. There is, in my opinion, less kids engaged in pick up games,Flashlight Tag, or even bike rides. It is much more convenient for them to go in a basement and play on the computer. So I do feel it is our jobs to connect with the students and what interest they have. Growing up my teacher use to play the new music, name games after movies. Instead of positions we had names of characters from a game or movie. I feel that was a smart idea to keep kids interested. Also Wii fit seems like a smart idea because I know a lot of kids like that and the technology is going to get more advance. That Digi-Net98 seems like a sweet idea also.