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The Effect of Technology and 21st Century Skills Practice in Physical Education: Cooperation, Collaboration and Creativity in 7th Grade Students
Problem Analysis
Physical education is critical to the overall physical, mental and social health of our youth. It is a uniquely different subject in many ways.
In the physical domain, students continually work on increasing their cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength. Engaging in weight bearing exercise lays down the foundation for developing strong bones. All exercise and weight training contribute to maintaining a healthy weight.
In the mental health area, physical education class provides an outlet for stress. Exercise can enhance mood, reduce the risk of depression and even help improve sleep. Movement itself can oxygenate the brain providing academic benefits. It is in the social realm there is the opportunity for students to hone their talents in many of the 21st century skills. The ability to be creative, cooperate, communicate, and collaborate are critically important skills both in physical education and in life. Learning from and working with students from other cultures, religions and lifestyles in a playful and supportive environment is a huge benefit.
What is not in physical education curriculum is technology. Technology continues to play a larger part in our student’s lives all the time. They were born with the Internet and most have mastered the art of communicating with it. Capitalizing on this phenomenon and finding ways to engage them with it, I believe, is the task at hand. Incorporating technology into a fifty-minute physical education class period, however, is as important as it is complex. The lack of readily available hardware and insufficient instructor training in this realm are tremendous issues. Because physical education is inherently a ‘human movement’ class there also needs to be a colossal paradigm shift.
The time has come to embrace technology and all that it offers to engage, enrich and hone the 21st century skills of our students in the realm of physical education.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to incorporate technology and 21st century skills practice into physical education at Redwood Middle School to see if it increases the cooperation, collaboration, and creativity of 7th grade students.
Research Question
To frame the research, I asked the following question: Does incorporating technology and 21st century skills into my physical education classes improve the cooperation, collaboration and creativity of my students?
Strategies and Activities
After securing parental permission to study their children, I surveyed all students using a Lichert type scale. This survey asked students questions about basic attitudes, values and use of 21st Century skills in their physical education class.
Self-selected student groups were then presented with the task of inventing or creating a game using any equipment of their choice or design. Students groups were to define the rules and parameters of their game. They were to practice playing and teaching their game to another group.
The project’s final piece was to submit their game in a digital format to be presented to the class and then uploaded to a class website.
Students were to use any device to video or photograph their game. The project demanded a BYOD situation or bring your own device. The final product could be a power point, video, Prezi, Glog or any other presentation of their choice. I hope to, with parental permission, be able to upload their projects onto our school website.
At the end of the unit, the students were surveyed again, using the original Lickert type survey to see if a Creative Games class and the use of technology to create their final projects had any effect on perceived collaboration, value of ideas, communication, and creativity.
In the physical domain, students continually work on increasing their cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength. Engaging in weight bearing exercise lays down the foundation for developing strong bones. All exercise and weight training contribute to maintaining a healthy weight.
In the mental health area, physical education class provides an outlet for stress. Exercise can enhance mood, reduce the risk of depression and even help improve sleep. Movement itself can oxygenate the brain providing academic benefits. It is in the social realm there is the opportunity for students to hone their talents in many of the 21st century skills. The ability to be creative, cooperate, communicate, and collaborate are critically important skills both in physical education and in life. Learning from and working with students from other cultures, religions and lifestyles in a playful and supportive environment is a huge benefit.
What is not in physical education curriculum is technology. Technology continues to play a larger part in our student’s lives all the time. They were born with the Internet and most have mastered the art of communicating with it. Capitalizing on this phenomenon and finding ways to engage them with it, I believe, is the task at hand. Incorporating technology into a fifty-minute physical education class period, however, is as important as it is complex. The lack of readily available hardware and insufficient instructor training in this realm are tremendous issues. Because physical education is inherently a ‘human movement’ class there also needs to be a colossal paradigm shift.
The time has come to embrace technology and all that it offers to engage, enrich and hone the 21st century skills of our students in the realm of physical education.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to incorporate technology and 21st century skills practice into physical education at Redwood Middle School to see if it increases the cooperation, collaboration, and creativity of 7th grade students.
Research Question
To frame the research, I asked the following question: Does incorporating technology and 21st century skills into my physical education classes improve the cooperation, collaboration and creativity of my students?
Strategies and Activities
After securing parental permission to study their children, I surveyed all students using a Lichert type scale. This survey asked students questions about basic attitudes, values and use of 21st Century skills in their physical education class.
Self-selected student groups were then presented with the task of inventing or creating a game using any equipment of their choice or design. Students groups were to define the rules and parameters of their game. They were to practice playing and teaching their game to another group.
The project’s final piece was to submit their game in a digital format to be presented to the class and then uploaded to a class website.
Students were to use any device to video or photograph their game. The project demanded a BYOD situation or bring your own device. The final product could be a power point, video, Prezi, Glog or any other presentation of their choice. I hope to, with parental permission, be able to upload their projects onto our school website.
At the end of the unit, the students were surveyed again, using the original Lickert type survey to see if a Creative Games class and the use of technology to create their final projects had any effect on perceived collaboration, value of ideas, communication, and creativity.