In my domain of health and physical education I have began to use more technology each year. I understand that technology in schools is important and that students as well as teachers are growing in their use of educational technology (See Appendix O). I like to use technology to keep my students interested and on task. The use of pedometers and heart rate monitors gives my students visual evidence that they are moving and that their heart rate changes during and after exercise. The American Alliance for Health Physical Education Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) has published articles that prove that when young people are interested in fitness through the use of technology they tend to be more involved (AAHPERD, 1999).
New technology, such as interactive video games, have propelled my PE classes from sports to activities that all students can enjoy and be part of. A few years ago I purchased a Sony playstation and a game called Dance Dance Revolution. At the time this game was well received by the students and was a way to incorporate dance as well as a fun activity into my PE classes. Just last year I was able to purchase a Nintendo wii. The wii fit component of this program allows my students to exercise with a video game. I hated the thought at first, but the students loved it. The Nintendo wii also has many other interactive games as well as sports games, which the students really enjoy. I never thought that I would involve video games into my PE program until I had the chance to see how these games worked.
In the health education setting I use websites such as a calorie converter as well as a step count converter with the pedometers so that the students can convert their steps into calories burned. Also the grade eight slide show (See Appendix K) allows students to produce a PowerPoint slide show from start to finish, along the way collecting information from different websites. Along with the slide show the students must produce a list of references with their work. It is very important to me that the studets learn how to reference material so that they give credit to the author for their work. In order to help the students understand better I provide a few resources to help with their projects. The resources that I give the students to use with this project are a brochure on internet safety Appendix D and a PowerPoint slide show I developed for a graduate course about Plagiarism Appendix L.
Two more tools that I have found very helpful are the OSHA E-tool website for ergonomics at computer workstations and document from EDU-624 about ergonomics and lab set up. I very rarely thought of a workstation being set up for different students but this site really opened my eyes.
American Alliance for Health Physical Education Recreation and Dance. Physical Best Activity Guide�Elementary level. Reston, VA: AAHPERD, 1999.
Collingwood, Thomas R. Helping At-Risk Youth Through Physical Fitness Programming. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 1997.
Hopper, Chris; Fisher, Bruce and Munoz, Kathy D. Health-Related Fitness for grades 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 1997.
Sergiovanni, J.and Strarratt J. 2007 Supervision A Redefinition Eigth Edition McGraw Hill New York New York ,10020.
Virgilio, Stephen J. Fitness Education for Children a team Approach. Champaign, IL : Human Kinetics, 1997>
Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (2008) Computer workstations. Retrieved May 28th, 2008 from httm://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/computerworkstations/.
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