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The Edutopia Poll
by Sara Ring
Like so many other aspects of education, gym class is going digital. At least several hundred schools across the country now incorporate into their fitness curriculums Dance Dance Revolution, a video game in which students mimic on-screen directions to perform intricate dance routines. West Virginia, which suffers one of the nation's highest obesity rates, intends to include the game in every public school by the end of the 2008-09 school year. Though no schools have entirely replaced standard activities, such as rope climbing, calisthenics, and the much-dreaded dodgeball, the popularity of digital fitness programs could sound the death knell for the traditional workouts that have defined PE. Is the kid-friendly, aerobic nature of digital fitness superior to activities that emphasize athletic ability, teamwork, and competition? Tell us what you think!
PE & Dance
Submitted by Nancy Carr (not verified) on July 23, 2008 - 13:12.
Physical Education is a phenomena of United States schools and is a set of core expectations through eight component strands and three standards(at high school level) or five (elementary level) in California. Physical Education is not simply a focus on one thing, dance taught to physical education standards, a team sport or the like. It is a set of learning expectations at each grade level K-8 and a set of learning expectations for high school in our state. To do only "one thing" such as this program suggests is NOT physical education, it is an activity that is physical. The same is true of football, swimming, and the like - they are not physical education but a sport or athletics that is active. Physical Education prepares students for a healthy and fit life beyond school.
Physical Educator
Submitted by Mary (not verified) on July 18, 2008 - 14:19.
DDR is cost prohibitive, this is a great activity to put in the student center for access during lunch. Physical Education in the State of CA has a rich curriculum. I have just taken a summer fitness class in core strength and stability, I taught it as part of the fitness portion of my classes last year. Fitness is much more than cardio, what about strength and balance? Core fitness and stability is non stop, different every day and has strong appeal for the student who wants to get fit and not be bored. Furthermore, DDR is not an example of "technology in education" anymore than wearing an IPod while jogging is. Please.
Online physical education programs
Submitted by Emily Grice, Eagle Harbor HS (not verified) on July 17, 2008 - 13:08.
Companies like Apex Virtual School offer an on-line PE that helps students set up a personal workout program, gives exercise instruction that doesn't require fancy equipment, and had interactive learning about related topics like healthy hearts, nutrition, and safety. Many students, like myself as a child, are intimidated by dodgeball but love jump rope. Having an individualized program builds self-esteem while establishing life-long exercise habits.
Digital PE
Submitted by therese Duffy (not verified) on July 15, 2008 - 19:38.
If the traditional PE workout were working, we wouldn't have an abundance of obese students in our population. Digital is where todays students live, educators need to join the digital reality and change the way we teach in all areas including PE.
Digital PE
Submitted by Nicole Frase (not verified) on July 17, 2008 - 12:47.
It isn't the traditional PE classes that is resulting in an abundance of obese students, it is their lifestyle. The way we eat and our exercise level all, obviously, effect our health. Americans do not eat healthy, and unfortunately our youth are becoming less and less physically active. Perhaps adding a new, digital portion to PE would spice the classroom up a bit, however, I believe it to be a unfair and innacurate suggestion that traditional PE classes are the cause of rising obesity.
Obesity not due to ineffectiveness PE program
Submitted by Shane Roberts (not verified) on July 17, 2008 - 02:51.
It is a narrow minded view to blame the presence of obesity on supposed ineffectiveness of current PE programs. What innovations like Dance Dance do is replace a teacher in front of the class leading the physical activity, they do not change activity levels. Is it a benefit to role model to students that adults aren't active by replacing them with animation? What changes activity levels (which are completely different to obesity) is the passion of the teacher and the commitment of the school. If it is not seen as important, it won't work.
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