Reflection #9

In Physical Education classes, teachers are beginning to use heart rate monitors during lessons. This can help students understand and gage what the heart is doing, while exercising. There are different benefits pending your heart rate while exercising, and with the use of heart rate monitors, this allows teachers to include and teach what these benefits are. All this information can be taught and even performed by simply including a heart rate monitor during an exercise lesson.

Reflection #8

Another way technology has been integrated into PE classes is through the use of video game systems, such as Xbox Connect and Nintendo Wii. This has become more common due to the advancements in the video game world. I have talked to a few Physical Education teachers who have incorporated this method and the students’ love it. Kids love video games and now they are able to by being active, rather than just sitting on the couch. I feel at times this can be a positive way to promote exercise and activity in a PE class. 

Comments

http://joshuastechinedblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/reflection-11.html?showComment=1335645218737#c8691586045159856285

http://laurynernster.blogspot.com/2012/04/blog-assignment-week-thirteen.html?showComment=1335645713064#c8237181172689371879

http://beththegingergeek.blogspot.com/2012/04/reflection-9.html?showComment=1335646559595#c5574733260542025232

http://kristinestipp.blogspot.com/2012/04/week-14.html?showComment=1335647213520#c453175756347012358

http://jordynwilsonsblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/reflection-9.html?showComment=1335649035896#c1051063057944939350

Week 14

I found an article on the “flipped classroom method” called How the Flipped Classroom Is Radically Transforming Learning written by two teachers named Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams. A flipped classroom delivers instruction through interactive videos created by the students’ teacher. Although the lecture is watched online, the homework and class activities will be done collectively in the classroom.  

One of the benefits described by Sams and Bergmann that stood out to me in their article was the increased teacher/student interaction.  Student interaction grew for them under the flipped classroom strategy because the teacher became more of a guide and learning coach, rather than a lecturer. In this method the traditional role of the teacher transitions to one a tutor, or a facilitator. Teachers can observe whether the student understands the material and can gage each student more accurately. Instead of the students watching the teacher talk, the teacher can watch the students work.

The flipped classroom is very beneficial for students who miss a lot of class due to sports, music, etc. This method will allow students to stay caught up with the class material and not fall behind (similar to Panopto). I do wonder though, if you carry out this method for the whole class’ setting, how much will each student remember when watching the lecture online prior to class time? Will this all become counter productive or create a greater difference in the level of understanding from student to student?

Reflection #7

Technolgy in the classroom is also beneficial for students who are legally blind.  After doing some reading, I started thinking of ways technology could assist students of this special need.  Beyond glasses, the classroom could focus of the use of braille.  There are braille keyboards and printers to help integrate technolgy in the classroom.  Also, the use of voice recording would be helpful.  This would allow teachers/students to be more discriptive and is a way students could complete assignments as well.

Week 13 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Word: spell check, dictionary, thesaurus, word count, formatting

Excel: recording data, formulas for efficiency in data entry

PowerPoint: for presentations, images, graphs, video clips

Word: Students will write a paper that is sectioned off into specific word counts, formatting, spell check, thesaurus, images/graphs, etc using many tools from word.  The students will have to have the paper put together under specifics such as: Margin and font sizes, font style, image placement throughout the paper, and proper range of word count.

Excel: Students will have to choose an athlete and record their career or season averages in excel. They will to find the athlete’s per game average of a certain stat and have it formatted, so excel is formulated automatically and the final stat appears without manual change. The math for the final averages will be done for the student by excel.

PowerPoint: Students will do a biography presentation on an athlete of their choice.  In this presentation PowerPoint is mandatory. They will need to include a video clip, images, and text throughout the slides of their presentation.

Week 12

In the article Integrating Technology into the Classroom using Instructional Strategies by Dr. Robert Marzano and co. they touch on how games can be a great teaching tool in classrooms. There are many online games and resources, which provide a wide variety of assistance in lessons. Kids enjoy games and I never really acknowledged the learning potential games could have in the classroom, of course when used appropriately.

A comment in Dr. Marzano’s article, which stood out to be the most was when he emphasized the need for student interaction. He made crystal clear the importance of mingling and open group discussion in classroom, and lessons and teaching methods cannot always be technologically based or behind a screen. We still need to make sure as teachers that we do not neglect or restrict developing the students’ social capacity.