Article Review: Technology is paving the path to the "New PE"

Technology is paving the path to the "New PE". (2010). District Administration, 46(1), 2-3.

Traditional physical education is centered around only organized sports and athletes are put on a pedestal. But what is this teaching our students? Physical education is changing to becoming more lifestyle education based on teaching young people how to take care of their health. This doesn't mean that sports are going to be taken out of the curriculum but that individual health maintenance will be highlighted. Where did this come from? Today, one of the biggest epidemic problems in the US is childhood obesity. A main concern is that children don't have the tools and knowledge to know how not to become this way; what it takes to actually be physically fit. Another concern is that all students don't enjoy playing sports. If these students relate physical activity to only sports, this creates a group of non-movers. 

The "New PE" is driven by the technology. One of the biggest contributors is the heart rate monitor. Each individual student is given a heart rate monitor to use for the period. The goal of the heart rate monitors is for the each student to exercise within their given target heart rate. Students with different body weights and ages will have different target heart rate zones. This holds students responsible for their performance in PE. Along with actually using the heart rate monitors, this opens a door to explain multiple fitness principles. These might include aerobic vs. anaerobic, anatomy of the heart and how to strengthen it, and what great effects exercise has on my body. 

I think this is a great idea! In my middle school, we use heart rate monitors for three weeks and I always thought it was a great learning experience but I didn't think about those students who don't enjoy sports. I think it is very important to include health-related components in physical education. Due to the fact that I have always enjoyed sports and I trained for many hours, I didn't realize how some many not know ways to stay fit. This may be a leading factor to childhood obesity. I will definitely keep these students in mind when creating future lesson plans and how I can adapt current ones to suit the needs of all my students.