A former student of mine, Zach Foder, has made a significant difference in student learning in his physical education program. Please read the following from Zach and I strongly encourage you to view his website and click on the active gaming link below!

This is what Zach wrote:

Simply put, I love my job. 

Every day I am able to show others what my students have accomplished and strive to plan more interactive and engaging lesson plans. Often times, more than I expected, simply telling others about what we have done at the Immokalee Community School does not provide justice for the dedication, hard work and commitment of my students to be healthy and physically active for a lifetime!

As a graduate of the University of South Florida (12') and a first year student at Boise State University (M.Educational Technology) I wanted to enter my profession with passion, excitement and experiences that many students and parents had never even dreamed of.  The opportunity to develop an Active Gaming Lab (AGL) was one of those such opportunities!  Video games and exercise?!  I was motivated to create developmentally appropriate experiences during physical education that could answer that such question...video games and active technologies CAN be used to teach students about the concepts state and national standards adhere to.

I was fortunate enough to transform my space into an active gaming, health and fitness educational learning center!  Students are given the opportunity to explore the various fitness concepts like muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and cardiovascular endurance by actively participating in games like Just Dance, Wii Jog, Gamercize, Dance Dance Revolution and Wii Cyberbike!  The level of student engagement and active participation has increased dramatically and the students are excited, motivated and eager to be physically active!

The AGL has provided my physical education program with a safe learning environment that fosters critical thinking, exploration of health and life science concepts, physical fitness concepts, S.M.A.R.T goal setting and an unmatched level of fun and excitement!

The ability to use the AGL as a supplementary tool during physical education has worked to increase student motivation in the classroom, provided opportunities for students to use various forms of appropriate technology like APPS and the iPad while simultaneously developing the passion and excitement for physical activity that the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NAPSE) strives for!

Working in accordance with my budget, I was dedicated to work, save and implement many active gaming technologies of my own...whatever is necessary to keep the AGL running.  With the ability to combine personal and work equipment, the opportunities are endless for the AGL!  In addition to applying for grants, many of the events held at the Immokalee Community School like the Annual Immokalee Fit Kids Marathon, etc are used to fundraise and maintain the AGL.  Sharing my excitement about the new active gaming educational center at the Immokalee Community School is a top priority in order to continue to grow, develop and explore the new and cutting edge tools that can be used to educate my students.  

Students are excited, more now than ever, to be a part of the Immokalee Community School physical education program and participate in the active gaming educational center!  It is my hope to continually fundraise and do everything necessary in order to provide the students with the tools they need to be physically educated individuals.  

If you would like to see the Immokalee Community School Active Gaming Lab in use please do not hesitate to visit my website @ http://www.coachzpe.com and click on the Active Gaming Link!

I am confident that we as physical educators, can and will, keep active gaming alive and thriving in our schools! In addition to regular physical education, active gaming has enriched my program and ensured that my students are prepared and willing to be physically active for a lifetime!  

Zach Fodor

Physical Eduator

Immokalee Community School

Immokalee, FL

zachary@rcma.org

http://www.coachzpe.com

Thank you Zach for sharing your experience with active gaming with us!

Just Do It! It Is Really That Easy...

Often when I travel to conferences I have the opportunity to present on active gaming. My latest focus has been on helping teachers understand the most appropriate way to implement these activities into their curriculum. I have been positively surprised at the interest I receive from teachers that truly want to step out of the box and incorporate active gaming in their classes. What they do not understand, hence the purpose of this post, is how easy it is to make this step. The first major issue is always about the money. Teachers that do not have funding are discouraged as they think the activities are all incredibly expensive or they have to have a room full of the games. This is simply not the case. 1. The active gaming field has grown dramatically due to the popularity of the industry. Now there are a plethora of games such as the XBox Kinect and Nintendo Wii that are compatible with a lot of popular games. Some teachers have even stated they already have these video game consoles at home and could bring them to class for their students to enjoy. Also, some students have these games and enjoy being able to bring them in to share during class. The most important aspect is making sure they are not just playing the games, but basing the game play on learning objectives. 2. It is certainly not necessary to have a full room of active games. This actually concerns me as many teachers that do have access to a variety of active games do not appropriately implement them. For example, if I am working on a dance lesson, students should not be playing activities such as makoto, 3 kick, virtual bikes, or virtual boxing games. These activities are most appropriate for a different kind of skill development and/or fitness curriculum. Having just one or two active gaming activities is appropriate and provides the fun motivation for children to be exposed to a variety of physical activities. Once again, implementing active gaming into your curriculum can be EASY. You just have to make that step and Just Do It!!!

Active Gaming: Making Exercise a New Year's Resolution?

It's that time of the year - the beginning! Where we sit and think about what our New Year's resolution is going to be. For many, in the past few years a resolution has been to exercise more consistently or to simply begin to exercise. While I certainly appreciate adding more exercise to your daily life, I would also like to suggest we DECREASE sedentary screen time. Sitting in front of computers, televisions, cell phones, iPods, etc., has become a habit - one which is hard to break. The national recommendations suggest recreational screen time (RST) be less then two hours a day. On average RST in society today is over 40 hours a week! If we are going to using screens, at least reduce the sedentary behavior and suggest a more active approach such as active gaming.

Although the benefits of traditional exercise are well known, for some reason as adults we decrease our level of physical activity and then our children do not have role models at home to follow. Physical education teachers need to encourage children to get up and move and provide them with ways to do so at home. Discussing active gaming and implementing it in your curriculum is a great way to show children how exercise can be fun.

Do yourself and your children a favor this year and reduce the amount of sedentary time you spend in front of a screen. Get up and move - if you enjoy video games and technology, active gaming may be one great solution to help you keep your New Year's resolution!

Technology: Part of the Wellness Revolution in Schools?

The article below has been circulating and came across my computer multiple times via google alerts and social networking posts. I find it interesting that someone with traditional beliefs speaks openly about the importance of using technology, including active gaming in phyiscal education classes. See the article below or here:


Champaign, IL (PRWEB) August 18, 2011


The 10 Ways to Start a Wellness Revolution in American Schools

According to the late Phil Lawler, fitness-based physical education focusing on health and wellness has been proven to make students healthier, smarter, and better behaved. Unfortunately, the man deemed the "Father of the New PE" by Dr. Kenneth Cooper thought the majority of American educators, school board members, and parents were still unaware of the research regarding the positive impact of exercise on the brain. In an age where physical education programs continue to be cut or deemphasized, Lawler believed that awareness and understanding levels must increase dramatically, as detailed in the forthcoming book "Game Changer: Phil Lawler's Crusade to Help Children by Improving Physical Education" (Human Kinetics, September 2011).

“The research on exercise’s positive impact not only on health—which is big enough in this era of childhood obesity—but on learning readiness, as well as behavior and mood, means PE needs to be the foundation of the whole education process,” said Lawler, who passed away in 2010. "Game Changer," written by the nonprofit organization PE4life, pays tribute to his wellness-based approach to PE that energized a revolution in the world of education. To advance this movement faster, the book pinpoints 10 key factors that represent Lawler’s approach to transforming education through fitness-based PE and movement-based learning:

1. Create awareness in your community and beyond. “It’s simply a shame that more people—educators, parents, the media—don’t know about the powerful research supporting exercise as a learning-readiness tool,” said Lawler. He believed a large-scale campaign of education and communication was needed.

2. Target school boards, administrators, and parents. Principals, superintendents, school board members, and parents all have to buy in to the exercise-for-learning message. According to Lawler, “They need to fully understand and accept that kids that are more fit not only are healthier but also more ready to learn. They also behave better in the classroom.”

3. Make technology a cornerstone of physical education. Lawler thought that exergaming was the future of PE and, to a larger degree, the future of education in general. Exergaming combines the latest technological advances with state-of-the-art exercise equipment to provide students with a practical and enjoyable way to increase their fitness levels and cognitive functioning.

4. Continually strive to be innovative. School administrators need to keep finding new ways to keep children engaged and active. “Bottom line, we need to constantly be rewriting the book on PE,” Lawler stressed. “It needs to be Real World PE 101, PE that makes sense to students, parents, and the public for a lifetime.”

5. Incorporate more movement in the classroom. Integrating movement into the education process, throughout the day and in the classroom, is the cornerstone of changing the way education is done. Conducting lessons while standing up or moving around the classroom is a step in the right direction because neuroscience has shown that movement facilitates cognition and that knowledge needs to be translated to the classroom.

6. Make physical education part of the scoreboard. In most situations, PE is not part of a student’s grade point average (GPA). With the new PE, there’s no logical reason for physical education not to be part of students’ GPA. “A student’s PE grade—if the PE program is health and wellness based—needs to be part of the GPA,” Lawler emphasized. “If not, you’re sending the message to students and parents that PE isn’t important.”

7. Constantly emphasize the link between the body and the brain. Enhancing the learning process must always be the major reason that physical education and exercise should be part of every curriculum. Lawler credited the growing mound of research on the positive impact of exercise on the brain for his belief that physical education will ultimately be the hub of the education wheel.

8. Get the community involved. Since this is a challenge in education and funding, more and more people are needed to spread the message about how fit children are smarter, better behaved, and healthier. Corporate America also needs to fully understand what this all means for their own future and the future of this country.

9. Revamp college programs for physical education teachers. In an environment where childhood obesity rates are increasing and overall fitness levels are declining, a health and wellness model must be the focus of PE training programs in order for physical education to meet the needs of 21st-century students.

10. Research to drive the revolution. Without research supporting the new PE philosophy and highlighting the benefits of exercise for academic performance, there will never be enough momentum to result in a paradigm shift in the world of education.

If these 10 factors are undertaken in earnest as Lawler suggested, this revolution can be expedited and begin enhancing the lives of more children. “I would bet that 97 percent of the country is still closer to the old PE than they are the new PE,” he admitted. “That’s completely unacceptable given the powerful research demonstrating the benefits of exercise in a learning environment.”



Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/395753#ixzz1VfpX6Ule

Back to the Basics: Why Active Gaming in PE?

In an article titled Dance Games and Other Exergames: What the Research Says, Debra Lieberman (2006) wrote, “Research is finding that exergames are highly appealing, motivating, and fun, and they offer compelling game challenges, a chance to perform athletically or expressively for others, and a way to meet and interact with others in friendships and in communities. Since this article was released, much more research on active games (exergames) has produced similar results. In the past few years I have attended and presented at more than 15 conferences (International, National, and Local) and have attended other presentations discussing active gaming. This helps me realize that the popularity and recognition active gaming is receiving presently is growing. No longer is the concept of using active technology in Physical Education frivolous or frowned upon. Teachers all of the world are now using active gaming in their classrooms to compliment more traditional activities.

There is a very good article  worthy of reading to learn more about active gaming, view testimonies from teachers who have experienced active gaming in PE, and to access a good list of resources. If you are still unsure that active gaming should be incorporated in the Physical Education classroom ask yourself one question first, “Why not?” Then refer back to this blog and the seven that follow this one posted discussing the legitimate concerns and crticisms teachers may have.   

Activities in PE are designed to accomplish student learning based on lesson objectives. Does it really matter how this is accomplished - especially if the active games encourage students to want to become and stay more active?

Exergaming Award Winners: TEN Network Reveals It ALL

In a previous blog, I discussed a survey released by the TEN Network awarding the top Exergames in various categories. Below are the results from the Survey as stated in the TEN Network blog post that you can find here:


The full results of The Exergame Network Awards 2010 are as follows;


- Best Children's Exergame - WINNER: Dance Dance Revolution Disney Grooves by Konami

- Best Physical Education Exergame - WINNER: Gamercize Pro-Sport for Wii

- Best Seniors Exergame - WINNER: Nintendo Wii Sports Bowling

- Best Accessibility Exergame - WINNER: Nintendo Wii Sports

- Best Home Dance Exergame - WINNER: Konami DDR

- Best Commercial Grade Dance Exergame - WINNER: Positive Gaming iDANCE2

- Best Exergame Fitness Avatar - WINNER: Wii Yoga

- Best Rehabilitation Exergame - WINNER: Nintendo Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus

- Best Group Exergame - WINNER: Positive Gaming iDANCE2

- Best Gateway Exergame - WINNER: Nintendo Wii Sports

- Best Competition Exergame - WINNER: Gamercize Pro-Sport for Xbox 360

- Best Brain Exergame - WINNER: NeuroActive BrainBike

- Best Music in an Exergame - WINNER: Positive Gaming iDANCE2

- Best Commercial Exergame 2010 - WINNER: Positive Gaming iDANCE2

- Best Home Exergame 2010 - WINNER: Microsoft Kinect Sports


”The inaugural TEN Awards is a significant initiative to raise public awareness of the commercial grade Exergaming solutions available world wide and to honour the key pioneering manufacturers in this exciting health and fitness genre” says Brett Young, founding member of The Exergame Network and CEO of Exergaming Australia.

”The first ever TEN Awards is a great step in helping both consumers and healthcare professionals know where to start when trying to select (or recommend) an exergame for their particular need. The voting was from a wide array of exergaming enthusiasts from around the globe. I believe this is a great start and hope that this will encourage game developers and exergaming manufacturers to continue to produce great products and raise the field of exergaming” says Dr. Ernie Medina, Jr., DrPH, founding member of The Exergame Network, CEO of MedPlay Technologies, and the “Exergaming Evangelist/Interventionist”.

Healthy Christmas Presents For Children!

That special time is once again approaching! Black Friday has come and gone which means - Christmas time already! Many parents spend money buying children their favorite gifts and toys....guess what is #1 on many children's lists? VIDEO GAMES! Introducing children to the concept of active video games is a healthy alternative to sedentary video game play. As physical educators, it is important that we are able to make children and parents aware of healthy alternatives to sedentary toys and gifts. Physical education teachers may or may not have active video games in their classrooms; however, putting together a newsletter, parent letter, or website blog to educate parents and children about active video games is a great way to advocate for physical activity incorporating games that children desire to play.

Just to name a few economical and fun active games parents could consider: Nintendo Wii, Dance Dance Revolution, Microsoft Kinect, Gamercize, Sony Move, etc. Many of these are compatible with video game consoles (PS2, PS3, Nintendo, XBox, etc) children already have at home. Check out the PE Central Website for examples of active games that are appropriate, feasible active games for use at home in which may serve as excellent christmas gifts.

Criticism #6: Durability is Problematic

The 6th criticism of this series of seven blog posts discusses the issue of the durability of active games being problematic. Some have suggested active gaming is problematic due to the lack of reliability in terms of durability of the technology. Whether you are on a computer, using a cell phone, using an IPod, or trying to set your DVR, the chances are that at some point technology is going to “break down”. Most active games are purchased with a warranty with an option to extend the warranty. This provides the needed security to extend the life of the equipment. Understanding the terms of the warranty as well as options for extending a warranty are important when purchasing any active gaming product.

A major concern to consider when purchasing any active gaming technology is the manual assistance and/or servicing to care for typical “trouble shooting” situations. Some problems that occur with active games are not related to the durability of the product but the typical technological issues that are found with many forms of technology. Simple troubleshooting instructions should be available and requested for each active gaming product in order to assist with the more common problems (tv channel is wrong, game “freezes”, feedback is not registering, intensity level is turned too high etc.). Additionally, school systems should be prepared to have someone appointed to not only care for the purchased products, but to have open communication lines with the company or companies that have supplied the equipment. Any questions regarding the servicing of products should be considered and discussed prior to making any purchase. This is very important in order to understand the responsibility of the buyer and that of the seller including time considerations, replacement alternatives, and all potential costs involved.

Without discussing individual manufacturers or specific products it is safe to suggest that there are many durable products provided by the active gaming industry. Regardless, it is the responsibility of the buyer, especially when children are involved, to resolve issues as quickly as possible to avoid any disappointment or negative feelings towards the physical activity experience. Being prepared by understanding the technology component involved with the active games purchased will help reduce the likelihood of this issues occurring. Having been involved in this field for close to six years now, the #1 issue related to active gaming durability is certainly "Human Error". Not that we break the product, but that we do not understand the simplicity of why it may be acting a particular way. It may not be "broken" just yet...Ask Questions, Get Educated!

Criticism #3: Traditional Physical Activity is Better than Technology-Driven Physical Activity

The #3 Criticism to be discussed, out of the seven previously mentioned, is the concept that traditional physical activity is better than technological physical activity. My initial thought...“Who cares, we are not in a competition." We are promoting appropriate physical activity. At this point, with the obesity rates high and physical activity levels low, we need to take what we can get: traditional or technological (active gaming). Let me further explain...

We know traditional physical activity provides a multitude of benefits to participants. There may be benefits that traditional activity provides that active gaming does not; yet, research continues to support active gaming as an appropriate and acceptable physical activity. More research is needed to identify all of the benefits participating in active gaming may provide; however, in regards to the National recommendations, we know participating in technology driven activities can provide moderate to vigorous physical activity experiences. Regardless, this is really not the point. The point is that traditional or “reality” physical activity is not engaging or appealing to all children and adults. The National physical activity recommendations for both children and adults are not being met. It is clear that individuals are simply not choosing to be traditionally active. They are more motivated to participate in sedentary behaviors such as those involving technology (i.e. video games and computer games).

We have one common goal: To increase physical activity levels. Should it matter how this goal is met as long as the activity involved is appropriate and healthy? Active gaming may even prove to encourage participants to become more traditionally active by producing a gateway effect linking virtual play to “reality” play.

Think about this question, “How is traditional physical activity better if individuals are NOT doing it”? If active gaming increases voluntary physical activity levels and is considered an appropriate physical activity, why discourage its use opposed to more sedentary behaviors? Times have changed; society has changed; the economy continues to change; maybe the way we exercise is changing also.

Active gaming is an appropriate physical activity: Get your Game On OR Go Outside and play. Either option Wins over being inactive!

Criticism #2: Why Would We Encourage More Screen Time?

In my previous blog discussing Criticism #1, “Just go outside and play”, I mentioned the average person spends over 40 hours of sedentary time a week in front of some sort of screen (TV’s, computers, video games, iPods, cell phones, etc.). Recommendations suggest that time spent on sedentary recreational screen activities should not exceed 2 hours per day. Obviously, the average individual spends more time in front of the screen than recommended, and a good portion of screen time is spent playing video games. Why is this an issue? Amongst many, a main concern is that this time spent in front of screens is sedentary. Globally, as sedentary screen time has increased, so have the obesity levels. So, do you want the good news or bad news first?

One thing experts are more than confident about: Screens are not going away! Not only are they not going away; but, more engaging upgrades, cooler graphics, and appealing features to the previous screen-based products continue to evolve. The battle of getting children away from screens is going to be a long and difficult one. Screens are here to stay.

Now entering the positive zone:

Exergaming, the genre of active games related to video game play and exercise, makes sedentary screen time more active. Exergaming is not intended to add or promote additional screen time for individuals. Exergaming should be considered a replacement for the sedentary time already spent in front of a screen. Therefore, using active gaming is not promoting additional sedentary screen time. In fact, due to the already known benefits that physical activity provides, promoting active screen time may encourage individuals to then want to become more voluntarily active away from the screen.

Additionally, if you were given two options: 1)Children refuse to be active outside and due to a variety of reasons stay inside to play; a large portion of that time is spent in front of a screen watching television or on computer play or video game play; or 2)Children agree or even choose to become physically active by playing an active video game instead of engaging in traditional sedentary behaviors. Which would you choose to promote?

Bottom line, if they are going to use screens anyway, why not make it active?

Critiquing Active Gaming

Active gaming is growing in popularity and the idea of increasing children’s physical activity by using 21st century technology is largely accepted by many including physical educators. There are still questions and criticisms related to accepting this contemporary concept as a method of increasing children’s physical activity. Some criticisms have merit and should certainly be considered before implementing active gaming in the physical education classroom.

At the University of South Florida as well as other Colleges and Universities, researchers are interested in learning more about active gaming, including such criticisms, in order to inform others of the potential positive and/or negative effects these activities may have on various populations. Many critisims are understandable, some are true, and others merely myths. Regardless, all should receive attention in order for physical education teachers to understand how to appropriately use active gaming in the classroom. Advocacy of active gaming in physical education is warranted only when these activities are properly implemented using best practices. Please refer to the position paper developed by a NASPE committee in order to learn more about how to appropriately implement technology in the physical education classroom.

In a journal article, I discuss seven main criticisms of active gaming that have been the topics of conversations in the media, at conferences, or in direct dialogue: 1) Just go outside and play, 2) why would we encourage more screen time, 3) traditional physical activity is better than technological physical activity, 4) active gaming breaks the piggy bank, 5) active gaming takes up too much space, 6) durability and service is problematic, and 7) children will get bored. Although there are certainly other questions and concerns related to active gaming, I feel as if these seven criticisms have been more commonly discussed due to the obvious concerns regarding the promotion of active video games and other related technologies in the physical education classroom.  I truly believe any issues physical education teachers may have regarding active gaming must be discussed before these activities can be implemented to promote a quality physical education program. During the next couple of weeks, I will discuss each criticism in terms of validity and the myths related to active gaming. Check back frequently or set your google alerts to send you automatic updates so you do not miss out on these important discussions.

User Engagement: Engage Them then Educate Them

My husband recently presented at The World Congress Annual Leadership Summit on Mobile Health (mHealth) in a workshop titled "Consumer Engagement Through New Media - Mobile, Video Gaming and Virtual Worlds”. The more I have learned about this workshop, the more I have realized another way to understand active gaming in physical education. Have you heard of the term consumer engagement (CE)? The presenters in this workshop discussed the importance of CE in the 21st century in terms of getting consumers engaged (in a product or brand) in order to sustain, maintain, and retain them ultimately enhancing a business. My husband said, “Really that’s what it sounds like active gaming should be in physical education – but more like user engagement. Engage the kids then educate them.” Coming from a business mind and someone that still thinks dodge ball (the big red ball that eliminated the same kids each game) was the greatest game ever in physical education; I was hesitant to admit that he was absolutely correct. User Engagement….engaging the users or what we consider to be our students first! Then educate them about living a healthy lifestyle. After all, in the academic classroom teachers must triumph in engaging the students attention in areas such as math, science, or history in order for the students to perform successfully.

In a previous blog the importance of entertaining individuals during exercise, exertainment, was discussed. Additionally, the concept of children wanting to play and have fun being their top priority was discussed. If children do not enjoy the task, they will not continue doing it. Make it fun, and they are likely to continue the task. Children love technology, especially video games. They are appealing, motivating, and most importantly, engaging! Active gaming is a great tool for physical education teachers to use in order to engage the users (students) then educate them. Once students are active and realize exercise is enjoyable, physical education teachers can then teach students the value and importance of exercise as well as develop the necessary skills and confidence needed to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle into adulthood.

Active gaming "user engagement" – I like it. Engage them then educate them. Sounds like successful 21st century teaching and learning!

A Lesson in Physical Education for Active Gaming

An article by Examiner.com interviewing Mark Manross, the Executive Director of PE Central, was recently released discussing the active gaming section of the PE Central website. See what Mark had to say about the new section:


A Lesson in Physical Education for Active Gaming

The newest trend in fitness is getting kids moving in their own homes by engaging them in healthy play. The trend, that gained most of it's momentum from Nintendo Wii, is called Active Gaming, or exergaming, and is now increasingly being used in schools.

This month the award winning website "PE Central" has launched a new section to help guide and advise physical education teachers in the increasing use of Active Gaming in school. Examiner caught up with the Executive Director of PE Central and former phsycial education teacher himself, Mark Manross.

Mark was awarded the Presidential Citation from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) in 2004 and in the following year one of the most prestigious awards given by NASPE, the Joy of Effort Award, for his work with PE Central. Mark explains the rationale behind adding this technology genre into his premier website resource.

EXAMINER: What is the purpose of PE Central and why was it started?
Mark: The purpose of PE Central is to provide the latest information about contemporary physical education programs for children and youth. We wanted a place for K-12 physical education teachers to get and exchange lesson ideas and other information that was pertinent to professional physical educators. The site began 14 years ago.

EXAMINER: Where do you get your lesson ideas from, are they free for teachers?
Mark: Lesson ideas are submitted and shared by visitors (bulk of which are practicing K-12 physical education teachers) to our site. They are then reviewed by our Managing Editors and Advisory boards who are all volunteers. If an idea is chosen for publication on the site the authors name and
affiliation is listed on the idea and they receive a $50.00 gift certificate from our sponsor, S&S Worldwide.

EXAMINER: What or who first drew your attention to Active Gaming (AG)?

Mark: Dr. George Graham, our company President and Co-founder began studying these types of activities at Penn State and he shared his interest with us. Then we heard that the state of West Virginia gave many DDR's to teachers and we began hearing more and more about this type of educational activity. Lisa Hansen, a professor at the University of South Florida, then contacted us about doing a section. Lisa represented this technology in NAPSE PIPELine with Active Gaming and Interactive Fitness workshops and we are proud that it has debuted and that Lisa is taking care of the section.

EXAMINER: Why do you think it is important to have a section on PE Central dedicated to AG?

Mark: Mainly because it is so new and so many teachers are now starting to embrace the concept and the technology. We want to share quality educational practices with the teachers who wish to include this in their physical education programs and we think this is going to grow in the future.

EXAMINER: Who will benefit from the AG section, is it just K-12 PE teachers?

Mark: It is designed for the K-12 physical educator but we heard from a reviewer of the section that she thinks it will be great for after school programs and organizations like the YMCA and the Boys and Girls clubs as they now have access to active gaming. We hope it is beneficial to anyone who is offering active gaming experiences to students of all ages and in many different settings.

EXAMINER: Some teachers fear Active Gaming will take over and run class, could this happen?

Mark: Professional physical educators would never let that happen. We know that our main job is to guide youngsters in the process of becoming physical active and healthy for a lifetime. A piece of equipment or system cannot do that. The teacher will always need to be there to guide, motivate and inspire.

EXAMINER: If you could only chose one page, what is the most valuable content in the AG section?

Mark: At the time of this writing I really like the Teaching Active Gaming page. Lisa has done a nice job in explaining how to properly incorporate active gaming into a developmentally appropriate physical education setting.

EXAMINER: AG is expensive compared to traditional PE equipment, how does PE Central address this?

Mark: For now we have a Fundraising/Grants resource page as teachers will need to use a fundraiser or find a grant to help raise money for some of the equipment that is involved in active gaming.

The PE Central website is http://www.pecentral.org and the Active Gaming section can be found at http://www.pecentral.org/activegaming/

Active Gaming in Physical Education: Sharing an Experience

Today I had an interesting email conversation with a young woman working to complete her undergraduate degree. She has a passion for implementing active gaming in physical education; however, the University she attends does not offer such a degree. This was her email:

"I found you through the PE Central site, and knowing that someone was
expanding on this is what got me excited in contacting you.

My mother...teaches Physical Education for K-5 along
with APE, and it is a part of her curriculum. Currently she uses the
Playstation 2 and Wii, with games that use the student's body to
control the outcome. Those games include, DDR games, Eyetoy games,
Happy Feet, Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort, Wii Outdoor adventure, Just
Dance and many others. Over the years this has acquired many
televisions, gaming systems, projectors and is set up in an arcade
setting, giving the children options in which game they want to play.
She has also acquired controllers that can adapt the games to any
student. Each Physical Education Standard has been applied to the use
of these Active Games in her curriculum.

My mother is more then willing to share, lesson plans, photos, or any
thoughts on how this works in her class room. The both of us have
presented this at the OAHPERD conference and The Council for
Children's Expanded Physical Education (CCEPE) conference for six
years now. This is pretty much what sparked my thoughts into how to
make this into its own degree...I want to help integrate Active gaming technology
into Physical Education..."

I found this email worth sharing for several reasons. First, this young woman's mother is implementing active gaming as a "tool" and aligning the activities with the Physical Education Standards. This is exactly what we are wanting physical education teachers to do when using active gaming. Next, her mother is an experienced teacher and is passionately sharing or willing to share more information about how active gaming is used in the physical education classroom. Her past presentations (6 years) at conferences as well as expression to share with us lesson plans, photos, and thoughts on the PE Central active gaming website demonstrates a physical education teacher that truly desires to help other educators implement these activities appropriately in their classroom. Additionally, this young girl does not necessarily want to teach; she just wants to help others implement these activities in physical education. She was truly searching for a way to have an active gaming degree developed. Furthermore, the PE Central Website initiated this conversation and “connection”. I hope others will understand the value and impact sharing on this website has on promoting quality physical education.

I do hope her mother shares ideas with us so we can learn from others using active gaming in their physical education classrooms. I also wish this young woman the very best on her journey to assist others with active gaming in the physical education classroom. I was simply intrigued!

We All Just Want to Have Fun! Get Your Game On...

It was a beautiful Friday morning. There was just enough time to get my workout in, shower, and get to campus for a meeting. My gear was on as I was ready for a longer run of the week. Gel packs, check! Shoes tied, check! Sun screen applied, check! New songs on the iPod, check! iPod charged….OMG! How could I forget to charge my iPod? My demeanor dramatically changed. My iPod was my savior from extreme boredom of exercise. The music entertains and engages me assisting in making exercise more enjoyable. Could I go so far as to say it makes exercise more fun when I should enjoy working out regardless of the entertainment provided? I actually tried to rationalize with my mind why I really needed to run that day. My eight mile run turned into three miles as I thought of running an additional five with little to engage me along the way. I realized my iPod truly did make exercise more fun. Exertainment, Exercise and Entertainment, at its finest. How many times have you gone to the gym to do cardio and not listened to music, watched television, read a magazine, or talked to a friend? Probably not often. My point is that we all want to enjoy the activity at hand; and if we do, we are more likely to continue doing it.


Research suggests that the most important element in a child’s life is having fun. Studies also demonstrate children will more likely remain engaged or continue an activity if they consider it enjoyable. If this is the case, it is our job to figure out how to make physical activity more enjoyable. What worked 30 years ago may not be as successful with this generation. What works now may not work five years from now. We need to continue to educate ourselves on appropriate, modern tools that children may find enjoyable and motivating in which they will develop a desire to voluntarily want to be physically active. Active gaming is an appropriate and modern tool that the current generation relates too and undeniable enjoys.

Dr. Ernie Medina, a medical doctor at Beaver Medical Group in California, presented at a conference and posted two pictures: One of an adult running on a treadmill and another of an adult running on a mat while playing a Jackie Chan video game. The tag line said, “Bottom Line...The Heart Doesn’t Care!” I think this really puts physical activity into perspective.

If children will voluntarily choose to participate in an active game opposed to a more sedentary behavior, why not suggest this is a positive behavior? When implemented appropriately in physical education, active gaming can be a fun, healthy, active learning experience – a recipe for successful teaching and learning experiences in the PE classroom.

Welcome to PE Central - Active Gaming Blog

Welcome to our Active Gaming Blog. The purpose of this blog is to provide you with appropriate, updated information regarding the field of active gaming with a primary focus on applying the information to the physical education classroom. Please take a few minutes to check out our PE Central active gaming website at http://www.pecentral.org/activegaming/. At this PE Central website you will find relevant information such as teaching tips, resources, websites, videos, pics, and frequently asked questions regarding active gaming.

Additionally, I encourage you to submit new lesson ideas regarding how you may be using active gaming in your physical education classroom. A gift certificate will be rewarded for each PUBLISHED lesson idea! A great way to earn spending money for additional equipment for your classroom and students.

We look forward to keeping you up to date with active gaming information. Contact us anytime!

Lisa Hansen