As online higher education continues to roll forward, evolve, and update, we can't help but notice that online education has naturally made its way into K-12 (specifically secondary) education. You probably went to high school everyday (never cut, of course you were the perfect student) and you went to your actual high school building. You navigated the jungle of the hallway system, survived the lunchroom, and made your way into a classroom with other peers, a teacher, and a set of content that the teacher rolled out through lessons, activities, and assessments. But now think of high school like this: you wake up, roll out of bed, get your tablet booted up, and check your online course's module or daily update. You watch your teacher teach via webcast and all of your quizzes are online. You submit a paper, but you don't print it out--you upload it. You interact with your classmates through forum-based chats and teleconferencing. There's no hallway jungle, no fear of getting caught in a food fight, and no hard desk seat (unless your home is equipped with one-armed school desks).
Sounds brilliant, right? But what about classes like music where you play or sing with other people, in person/together? Or, even closer to home, what about Physical Education--how to do run, or work on game play as a team, or develop muscular endurance online? At least you could shower in the privacy of your own home, but what would a Physical Education "class" actually be like when you're alone at your laptop?
The next two weeks of PHED 370 will be directed around exploring the good, the not-so-good, and the potential of online Physical Education and online fitness programming. Get ready to think outside the gym and outside of your comfort zone.
First, watch this short video: Today's Active Digital Learner
Next check out some examples of what is available currently for online Physical Education in a district in Minnesota. Check this out and think about what it could be like as a student in this kind of a Physical Education class and what it would be like to teach Physical Education this way.
Florida Virtual Schools
Home page: http://www.flvs.net/Pages/default.aspx
Watch the FLVS quick start video:
In the myFLVS page, click on "Get Involved" and browse through
options to be involved online in student organizations & clubs
Physical Education in the FIVS Catalog:
And a little closer to home, Michigan is starting to develop an online high school education presence:
Michigan Virtual High
School
Check out some of their Physical Education Department options:
Personal Fitness Course
Blended Physical Education
Cost (MI): $99 Cost (Non-MI): $200
So, now it's your turn: in your blog comment (or comment to others' posts), explain what do you think is a point of huge potential in the Minnesota, Florida, and Michigan examples. Why should online Physical Education be an option and why should it stay?
Should teacher education programs start to focus more on how to incorporate online teaching strategies along with traditional face-to-face teaching strategies? Think about the very first video you watched...that IS one of your future students!
And finally, comment on what needs to be addressed and included before we really emphasize the future of Physical Education as an online option?
Feel free to comment more than once to address each topic of your discussion.
I think there is huge potential in the online physical education. Many children today prefer learning over the computer not matter what subject it is. In years to come there will be increase demand for online schooling.
ReplyDeleteI think the students should have a choice in what way they learn online/face to face.
Teachers need to start the transition to online education because they may be out of a job if they dont.
What needs to be addressed is making sure students are enaging in the physical activity.
Students in today's classroom and for sure in the future will have online education. Physical Education will have to adapt to online education, which is not all bad. Students will have the opportunity to try out different activities such as hiking and biking that cannot be done easily in regular PE. Students will also learn how to track their PA levels, because of how they are graded.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that face to face learning opportunities must be required however. Students need the team atmosphere in PE, it provides students with team building and sportsmanship. A few concerns are the idea of accountability with parents/guardians for signing off on PA. Another is how to test if your program is successful with some many variables involved with online education.
I really do not think that most students are going to participate in online PE..the jocks and athletes will, but the non-athletic kids are definitely not going to participate. I do like the idea of different activities though, like hiking and biking!
DeleteUnfortunately, online education is going to keep growing. In my opinion, K-12 education is a joke. Oh I have a test today? Ok let me grab my Dad, who just may happen to be a math major. Am I going to learn anything that way? Nope. Am I going to learn any people skills or how to interact face to face? How about dating? Probably not. Kids can survive the occasional food fight, it's not that bad. Also, having to wake up early is something that most will have to do for a job some day, so getting up and going to school gets them started on that responsibility.
ReplyDelete1. If On line PE teaching alone is accepted as the standard for our educational system the students will slip further into their already sedentary lives. The examples given have costs, unique issues and cater to the already physically active student. The PE program seems to cater to a sport of interest and does not expose students to new experiences, movements or lifetime PA. I see a lot of students falling through the cracks and a shift further away from the value of PE / PA.
ReplyDelete2. I thought this video was one dimensional and seemed to have an underlying purpose. With all the animated running around it gave the appearance that digital learning is a physical activity. No one can argue against fact that there are great tools available in digital learning but I want to emphasize tool. It should be controlled and used to enhance the learning experience. If used carelessly it could interfere with the educational process and impede personal contact and interpersonal relationships. I believe that in PE face to face teaching accented with digital learning is the best of both worlds and complement each other. I am not against online classes but I do generally disagree with complete on line programs that focus on profit and turning out diplomas.
ReplyDelete3. When it comes to PE for a K-12 program I only advocate the blending of on-line learning with the traditional class. I think availability to on-line classes should be used as higher learning, AP, special cases and in conjunction with a hybrid classroom. I believe this because students need contact with each other and teachers. I have a lot of questions moving forward in the public schools. How will teachers know the welfare of the student without face to face interaction? The on-line program has costs and technical requirements, is this program just for the wealthy? Will the schools provide the equipment needed for the virtual classroom? When these programs are standardized will we need teachers to administer them? It appears that the classrooms would not have to be limited to normal classroom sizes and understanding could be addressed through FAQs. I just don’t see virtual schools being the educational standard but I do see its value in the exception.
ReplyDeleteI feel that providing students with a hybrid experience in PE can be beneficial if it is done correctly. Finding the right combination of in class activity and online work is key to this approach. I feel like as PE teachers you are always trying to prove yourself and defend the importance of your class, and in order to do so you have to evolve with the rest of the school. I could see online PE work if you incorporated equipment that tracked PA and was able to be uploaded on to the computer. I could also see the online strategy working to address the affective domain of your class. This would be something that would take time to ease into, but as I said before if it is done right it could work well.
ReplyDeleteI think online PE could be good but online as a hybrid course. Online part may help challenge the affective and cognitive domains a little better than the in class setting. However I still feel that PE needs to have the physical part of it as least 2-3 times per week and maybe add online days 1-2 times per week. Before we start to emphasize PE as an online course I feel we need to address the real benefits of this option. Would and online PE class really be more beneficial than a normal in class PE class.
ReplyDelete