The 21st century teacher of Physical Education
21st century teachers: Using technology to enhance Physical
Education teaching
October 2010
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The 21st Century Teacher of Physical Education
21st century teachers of Physical Education (PE)
Are you using technology to enhance Physical Education teaching?
As technology becomes a greater part of everyday life, it is only natural that it
becomes a central and essential part of 21st century learning. Learners already
engage extensively with technology and they expect it to be used in school.
How do teachers benefit from the integration of technology into all
aspects of their role and enhance the learning experience of young
people?
21st century teachers of science use technology for numerous activities in a similar
way to the teaching of other subjects. They embed technology throughout the
curriculum, ensuring that the technology supports the learning and teaching of the
subject.
Like all teachers they will employ technology to:
1.Enhance teaching and learning by using
 a range of technologies to cater for different learning styles, such
as using models for kinesthetic learners
 technology to enable learners to collaborate with peers and with
partner schools.
2.Improve administration and planning
 for learning and teaching. For instance, by using the technology to
re-use and adapt documents.
 by using technology to share information and enhance their
personal knowledge of Physical Education, as well as develop their
understanding of professional issues around the subject.
3.Improve assessment and reporting by
 recording learner achievement and attainment electronically,
tracking pupil progress and using this information in Assessment for
Learning
 communicating with parents electronically through email and the
school learning platform.
The above are just a few examples and are not meant to be a comprehensive list.
The following pages give some practical advice on how teachers of Physical
Education (primary and secondary) use technology.
This publication offers insight into how technology can be used by teachers of
Physical Education highlighting opportunities to extend subject pedagogy and ICT
skills. Other publications in the series offer the opportunity to see how technology is
used in other subjects, encouraging the cross fertilisation of ideas.
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The 21st Century Teacher of Physical Education
For more help and advice on developing the skills and practice to become a 21st
century teacher, visit Becta’s 21st century teacher website.
Learning and Teaching
The scope of technology is recognised by the 21st century teachers of PE who
actively seeks and engages in new and innovative technologies to promote pupils
participation in the teaching and learning experience. Through these activities pupils
take ownership of learning outcomes, ensuring lifelong learning is a characteristic of
the delivery of the physical education national curriculum outcomes.
21st century teachers of PE use interactive whiteboards for classroom teaching to
reflect on prior learning and then using discussion with pupils to set new learning
outcomes so they have ownership of their own learning. E.g. use of visual footage of
the previous lesson to enable the pupils to highlight their own areas for development
and set their own challenges for the next lesson/unit of work. Using video on the
IWB for pupils who are visual learners is also a good technique to use to explain and
demonstrate the task to be undertaken.
Key skills through physical education are developed through use of ICT in lessons
and in out of school learning to enhance, enrich and enable activities within the
curriculum. e.g. using video cameras to record a sequence in gymnastics and then
developing speaking and listening skills in pairs/groups (cooperating/team working)
to discuss areas for improvement.
21st century teachers of PE use ICT to enhance the learning and teaching
environment and promote the pupils learning experiences and ultimately to raise
standards of attainment.
Case study- Embedding ICT in PE
A mixed-ability Year 3/4 class at Beechwood Primary School, Runcorn was following
a unit of work in athletics, over four lessons, focusing on improving the children’s
running technique.
Using the Data loggers (Easy Sense Q) and timing mats, the children timed each
other sprinting over a distance of 80m. They then watched a clip of a Kenyan athlete
running in the Olympics to examine his running technique and the following interview
in which he described how he prepares for a race and the techniques he uses.
Pupils then practised running technique, using the tips gained from the video clips.
Children worked in pairs, evaluating each other’s performance against criteria
agreed by the children. Next, each child was videoed running an 80m sprint using
the digital blue video cameras. The children had opportunity to watch the video clip
of their own performance and evaluate it for themselves. They then had further
opportunities to practise their technique.
Finally, using the Data loggers and the timing mats, the children repeated the timing
activity.
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The 21st Century Teacher of Physical Education
They evaluated the project and the impact the children felt it had had on their own
success in running.
The use of ICT did not distract from the PE objective – it enhanced it and the class
teacher was impressed by the improvements in the children’s technique and how the
children wanted to improve their own performance.
Collaborative working
Effective use of technology in physical education enables learners to develop
personal training and fitness programmes and to share their own programmes with
others as a way of extending and developing them even further.
21st century teachers of PE encourage and develop collaborative working in learners
through virtual competitions which also develops interactive learning within and
beyond school e.g. within School Sport Partnerships/National/Global communication
They facilitate collaborative planning between pupils using technology to
communicate within and beyond school, regionally, nationally and internationally,
e.g. London 2012 http://www.london2012.com/get-involved/education/index.php
will provide endless opportunities for collaboration and global challenges.
Using digital cameras in lessons they record work done by individuals or groups of
pupils and the video is used by the pupils to collaborate and develop their evaluating
skills so they can re-do the task implementing the improvements they have
highlighted. Priesthorpe a specialist sports college in Leeds uses video to enable
girls to feedback on their performance in dance http://www.teachers.tv/videos/1498 .
21st century teachers of PE make use of new technologies such as computer games
like the Wii to encourage learners to participate in fitness training as at Anson
Primary school.
http://www.youtube.com/user/nextgenlearning#p/a/CAB9920D1BE00D28/0/dBT9mmizL8
They also use technology to aid the provision of adaptive solutions for learners with
special needs.
Case study
Students with various special needs aged between 16-19 from Redcar and
Cleveland College , were involved in a project to test out the potential for inclusion of
users to participate in virtual games.
Games consoles such as the Wii are designed for entertainment but provide an
opportunity for practising hand–eye coordination and body movement. For users
who have physical disabilities, they may also provide opportunities to practise these
skills in sports that are otherwise not possible.
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The learners, who have a range of special needs, tried the Wii games for a number
of sports including, tennis, baseball and golf. The evaluations showed that the
majority of learners were able to play at least one game on the Wii console. Those
with more severe difficulties had problems with particular elements of games, such
as serving in tennis. However, there was evidence to suggest that the Wii does
provide a platform which is engaging, motivating and interesting to the learners.
There was also evidence to suggest that the games could be used to encourage
participation and to build social confidence as well as improve hand–eye
coordination and body movement.
Video analysis
Video is an important tool for the teaching of PE in the 21st century as the best way
of actually recording and evidencing progress. By setting a core task with no
teaching input and recording the pupils undertaking the task and then repeating the
task at the completion of the unit the two performances can be compared by using a
split screen so that learners and teachers are able to evaluate their progress.
Teachers can also use video, from the previous lesson to determine the learning
outcomes for the current lesson, in the introduction to the lesson with the pupils
determining through discussion what their lesson objectives and outcomes will be.
Use of commercial software (e.g. Dartfish, Kandol) pupils can compare and contrast
their own performance and identify where improvements should be made. This
software not only allows pupils to compare their performance with themselves but
also each other and against the performance of experts/professional athletes.
Not only is video analysis of lessons within and beyond school used to support and
develop evaluating and improving skills in physical education but also as a tool for
moderating standards within and across groups of schools.
21st century teachers of PE use the internet for advice and knowledge to enhance
the quality of learning and teaching in physical education, using sites such as
Association for Physical Education www.afpe.org.uk and PE Zone
www.pezone.co.uk enable practitioners to strive for improved standards.
They educate and monitor learners to ensure their use of technology is safe, legal
and responsible. They know how to check the validity of websites and ensure
learners are able to distinguish between genuine sites designed to provide help and
support for Health and Well Being as opposed to those which actively promote self
harm.
The internet is a key tool for teachers of PE whether it is researching information on
Health and Well being to inform and devise fitness programmes or providing
classroom-based learning for individuals or groups and home learning resources
such as Move Mixer from Kidnetic ( www.kidnetic.com) a dance creation tool. This
game lets the learner create a dance sequence and then select different music and
speed and then mimic the moves in the designed dance.
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Administration and Planning
21st century teachers of PE use technology for long, medium and short term
planning which is regularly monitored, reviewed and revised to meet the ever
changing needs of learners.
Planning is linked to current assessment of pupils’ prior learning evidenced by video
footage and will be differentiated, to consolidate and extend learning.
Electronic planning documents which map out curriculum/subject content can be
shared with learners who can also contribute to planning a curriculum which meets
their needs and can be drafted and re-drafted.
Technology is used by teachers of PE to store evidence of learner performance, eportfolios/ student folders on the school intranet or learning platform provide learners
with a way of self review /evaluation which is easily accessed and changed.
Video can also be used as a tool for professional development of staff in physical
education to observe/evaluate/feedback on teaching, taking into account how the
teaching promotes learning, progress and enjoyment for all pupils and how well
assessment meets the needs of all pupils
Modern teachers use technology for the storing of evidence in an e-portfolio /
professional folder to build up a portfolio of impact of teaching and professional
development on learning and also to map out a career path.
Technology allows the 21st century teacher of PE to access personal professional
development through on line learning/interactive networks between physical
education and school sport professionals. Engaging in on line learning through
websites such as afPE www.afpe.org.uk, Youth Sport Trust
http://www.youthsporttrust.org/ and National College
http://www.nationalcollege.org.uk/
Assessing and Reporting
21st century teachers of PE keep records of achievement for individual learners in
electronic format which are easily maintained. For example: in athletics, recording
learners speeds and distances in order to keep record and improve on past
performances. These inform the APP process and can be reviewed, over time, to
help identify summative levels of attainment in physical education.
They use technology regularly to support their professional judgement, with
assessment for learning and tracking pupil progress. They use video evidence to
establish a baseline and to demonstrate progress as in using core tasks at the start
of a unit and again at the end. This provides evidence which otherwise is not
available because of the nature of the subject thus supporting teacher assessment.
21st century teachers of PE use technology to record pupil performance for
moderation and a shared understanding of what is expected across the levels of
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attainment in physical education so that for example a ‘level 4’ in one school is the
same as that in another.
They use technology for statistical analysis of learner and teacher assessment
results, saving time and improving overall efficiency. Data collection and analysis is
particularly useful in setting targets for examinations and electronic records can
provide secure access to students and parents at any time of grades and ongoing
learning targets.
21st century teachers of PE raise the profile of physical education activities both
within and outside the curriculum by contributing to the school learning
platform/website informing parents and learners about the work that takes place in
the subject and links to useful areas that learners might use in the community, e.g.
details of clubs/fixtures and links with community clubs/activities.
They use parent-mail and online reporting systems to ensure that information about
all physical education activities are transmitted securely, reliably and regularly to
parents. E.g. A school sport partnership newsletter
Use technology to access information and techniques of sporting and fitness in real
world contexts?
Use technology to access and share information and enhance your personal
knowledge of aspects of PE and understanding of professional issues around the
subject including the use of ICT to enhance teaching and learning in PE?
Support your learners to record and share audio and video to support and refine
performance and skills and provide feedback, including peer assessment?
Use technology to promote and maintain collaboration and competition between
learners and with partner schools and their learners?
Use ICT to record, manipulate and present performance data?
Extend learning by showcasing achievement and providing PE activities and
resources on the learning platform or website?
Audit the range of resources, software and hardware used in the teaching of PE and
identify and gaps in provision?
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Not at all
sometimes
(Consider what you do towards developing your range of professional skills with
technology.)
regularly
Are you a 21st century teacher of Physical Education (PE)? Do you:
The 21st Century Teacher of Physical Education
The following links will help in your journey towards 21st century
Physical Education (PE) teaching and learning
1.Association for Physical Education (www.afpe.org.uk) – This is the gateway for all
PE practitioners, offering a wide swathe of resources from information on the new
secondary curriculum through the benefits of membership to a collection of links
that support effective teaching and learning of PE.
2.PE Zone (www.pezone.co.uk) – This platform has been designed to mobilise the
potential of Web 2.0 technologies to support the PE professional and to promote
opportunities to network with colleagues and exchange and share best practice.
3.Coachwise (http://www.1st4sport.com/) - 1st4sport is a one-stop shop for sports
coaching, training and physical education books and resource. Coachwise was also
the lead sponsor for afPE’s national conference 2009.
4.BrianMac (http://www.brianmac.co.uk/) – This site has been developed by a Level
4 Performance Coach and Coach Tutor/Assessor with UK Athletics, the United
Kingdom's National Governing body for Track and Field Athletics. It offers extensive
resources covering, inter alia, fitness, warm-ups, nutrition, etc.
5.What 2 Learn http://www.what2learn.com/ - What2Learn is a national awardwinning interactive learning solution which provides effective educational resources
and revision games. A great tool for students with learning difficulties such as
ADHD and literacy difficulties. It is also a great resource for high achieving students
looking to work independently to get ahead.
6.Health and Fitness http://www.hifit.co.uk/ - Offers a complete guide to health and
fitness. From information about fitness equipment, to ideas on a health break, or for
general information on fitness, offering some tips and advice on keeping fit
7.Teach PE (http://www.teachpe.com/) – Offers the PE professional a collection of
resources to meet A Level and GCSE curriculum outcomes plus material that can
support sports coaching
8.Safe Sport (http://www.safesport.co.uk/) - SafeSport examines a wide range of
popular sports and explains how to reduce the risks involved. Some sports, such as
archery, shooting, boxing, fencing, wrestling and trampolining carry fairly obvious
dangers, while other, seemingly more genteel sports, like table tennis, lawn bowls,
badminton and golf pose hidden threats.
9.Sports IQ (http://www.sport-iq.com/) – Sports IQ aims to help anyone who has an
interest in developing both their own and others' sporting intelligence. Whether
you’re a student, teacher or coach our resources offer ideas, generate discussion
and improve your sporting IQ.
10.Motion Coach (http://www.motioncoach.com/) - MotionCoach is the standard for
visual analysis ICT meeting and exceeding the current and future requirements of
emerging technology-aided teaching in Schools and sports organizations. Multicurriculum visual analysis software has already had a major effect on exam results
and in empowering the student's imagination making learning exciting and fun.
October 2010
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October 2010
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