The Australian Curriculum for Health and Physical Education from foundation year to year 10, enhances ICT learning by helping students to effectively and safely access online health and physical activity information and services to manage their own health and well-being. Students further develop their understanding of the role ICT plays in the lives and relationships of children and young people. Students will explore the nature of ICT and the implications for establishing and managing relationships in the twenty-first century. whilst developing an understanding of ethical online behaviour, including protocols and practices for using ICT for respectful communication. Students use ICT as key tools for communicating, collaborating, creating content, seeking help, accessing information and analysing performance in the Health and Physical Education field.
They use a range of ICT to analyse, measure and enhance movement performances and to access and critically evaluate health information, products and services. They also use ICT to develop personalised plans for nutrition and physical activity participation.
Due to the changes and ever increasing technological advances within the classroom, and outside the classroom for that matter, it is important for educators to remain in sync with these advancements in order to benefit the students they will be teaching. Teachers of today will have to be very open minded and prepared for rapidly changing technologies, with the ability to understand a multimedia world.
With increased learning and understanding of new technologies and multiliteracies, educators will be able to enhance students learning and participation through the use of not just text, however, internet, new software and applications, videos, mobile technology and much more. Making lessons exciting and relevant to today’s ever changing technological world will enhance an educators pursuit in becoming an exemplary teacher, whilst facilitating a positive learning environment.
There are unlimited amounts of software, hardware, and online resources available to physical education teachers and other teachers alike.
These resources include but are not limited to:
- A wide variety of smart phone applications
- Online collaborative documents
- Nintendo Wii
- Sony eye toy
- Social networking as a class
- Interactive whiteboards
It’s interesting and ironic to note that technology was responsible for many students beginning to lead more sedentary lifestyles with television, computers and game consoles taking up much of their time and inevitably decreasing their physical activity. Today technology may have an opposite impact, as it may be responsible for some students becoming engaged and in turn active again. I do believe that there should be a mix of new technologies and traditional physical education, to keep all students engaged and interested.
This article relates to the following Professional standards: