The use of new and amazing technology in the classroom is important in order for students to utilize the advantages technology has to offer. However, in a physical education setting, technology might not always be the best option. Technology can be useful in a physical education setting when used properly. If technology is misused, we can completely ruin the purpose of physically educating students.
It is essential that a physical education class is active for 51% of the class period. Technology can be utilized in planning, assessment, and organization and help save time. For example, technology can contribute to the creation of a well-made lesson plan. This can help a teacher keep time managed properly and that students are active for a majority of the lesson. Also, technology can be very helpful in assessment. Teachers can easily monitor progress of students and also easily keep data throughout the year. However, as a physical educator, it is essential to make sure we are keeping students active during lessons. It is easy to overuse technology that will actually take away activity time from the students. There needs to be a balance that allows technology to enhance a lesson without taking activity time away from students.
Using technology as the sole means of accomplishing physical education should not be relied upon. Online Physical Education is not successful and cannot be relied upon. Rather, technology and online resources can be used to supplement class lessons. Students will not partake in enough physical activity if P.E. is taught completely online, but if a teacher requires/provides online resource for the students to view outside of class, more can be accomplished out of one lesson. Also, technology can be utilized to help students track personal progress. For example, if students use a heart rate monitor or pedometer every class period, they can track how many steps they take, or if they reach their target heart rate.
Finally the use of video and video recording during physical education can provide a useful tool in demonstration as well as self-reflection. Using videos in physical education should probably only be done for demonstration and only if it enhances the lesson. In terms of video recording, I feel every beginning teacher should use this tool. By going back and examining tapes of lessons, a teacher can learn what to do in different situations and reflect on the decisions they made during the lesson.
Technology is constantly being developed to help enhance our lives. In physical education, technology can be used to help improve lessons. As an educator, I need to constantly be reminded that technology can be overused in a physical education setting. There needs to be a balance in which technology is used only to enhance lessons but does not take away from activity time and our ultimate goal of educating students for lifetime activity.
Matt, I agree with you that technology can easily be overused and not used properly in physical education and can result in a lack of activity time during class periods. It definitely is important for a physical educator to utilize their class time effectively. You are right in saying that technology is important for preparing for class and can help in evaluation of students. I am not really sure what Online Physical Education would consist of, but as a future physical educator it sounds contradicting to everything I have learned. P.E. teachers definitely need to be careful when using technology. I think it can help expand the physical education curriculum by helping motivate more students to become physically active, but we need to be careful because if we become too reliable on it then our teaching profession as it is known will cease to exist.
ReplyDeleteMatt, I like how you provided good examples of some of the usefulness of technology in a P.E. setting. Technology is super helpful when coordinating and planning a lesson plan and can really keep the classes running smoothly. I also like how you discussed using technology outside the classroom as a way of students to track their progress. While I think that'd be a great idea, as a teacher I would be cautious about requiring too much outside the class work and more focused on what the students partake in during class. Furthermore, your point on video taping as a way to assess or for review of student skills is something that can be easily added to any class room setting. Use of videos and video recordings can be a fun and interactive way to give the students a more visual demonstration of how to complete a skill more efficiently or to the standards set by the teacher. All in all, good post!
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