003+Video+Games+in+P.E.



For a long time, physical education teachers have disliked video games. They often envision kids sitting down and endlessly playing them hours on hours, often taking the place of physical activity. However, a new trend of video games is starting to arise that matches video games with physical activity. ‘Exergaming’ is when video games incorporate exercise into play. With ‘exergaming’ students are finding a new, fun way to exercise, and most of them don’t even realize that it is exercise. Not only does ‘exergaming’ have health benefits, but academic benefits as well.


 * Academic Success**

For those who think that video games in physical education aren’t beneficial, should think again. When kids begin ‘exergaming’ in schools, tardiness levels go gown significantly. Obviously if kids are coming to school, they are going to learn more. Prior research has shown that physical activity actually improves both attention and concentration. (Hellmich, 2010) Teachers also agree that ‘exergaming’ provides opportunities for children to work on their skills and have seen a decrease in behavior problems. Additionally, they unanimously agreed that ‘exergaming’ taught students to listen to instructions and increased their “skill acquisition.” (Fogal, Miltenberger, Graves, and Koehler, 2009) Research by Shasek (2004) has shown that “120 third- and fourth- grade students who played a dance-pad game demonstrated improved academic performance and social success” (as cited by Staiano and Calvert, 2011). With so many positive academic benefits from ‘exergaming’, more physical education teachers need to seriously consider implying them into their class.


 * Classroom Examples**

For years video games have been struggling with a bad reputation, especially from the health and physical education point of view. This bad reputation includes being named as a leading cause of the increase in childhood obesity. In simpler words, video games make children lazy. While this may be the opinion of those dedicated to lifelong physical activity it may no longer be the case. Video games are now being used in actual classrooms, mainly in physical education settings. "They sprinted past the ghosts of Gym Class Past toward two TV sets looming over square plastic mats on the floor. In less than a minute, a dozen seventh-graders were dancing in furiously kinetic union to the thumps of a techno song called "Speed Over Beethoven." The words of a New York times reporter ,Schiesel, expresses the children's enthusiasm to this type of physical activity class. Bill Hines, a physical education teacher at the school for 27 years, shook his head a little, smiled and said, "I'll tell you one thing: They don't run in here like that for basketball" (Schiesel, 2007). Scenes like this are now being witnessed in gymnasiusms across America. If video games are what children are interested in, why not use them to promote physical fitness? Within the Los Angeles School District alone forty schools are already using video games such as Dance, Dance Revolution and other video game activities where you do not have to be as good at catching and throwing things (Hellmich, 2010). Using these types of games in the physical education classroom will appeal to a larger range of students (Hellmich, 2010).


 * Health Benefits of Exergaming**

Exergaming has been proven to produce substantially more minutes of physical activity and more minutes of oppurtunity for students to engage in physical activity than does the standard P.E. program. Due to this fact, I would highly recommend any current health and physical education teacher to incorporate exergames into their curriculum. Since childhood obesity has risen to become a serious issue in today's society, and physical education time for children is steadily decreasing in schools across the board, it is important that we find a way to increase the health level and interest for students to stay as physically fit as possible. It is a known fact that children's level of energy is typically high, and because of this, their attention span is rather low. Students sometimes have troubling staying motivated and interested in a typical P.E. lesson. Since video games are more appealing and interesting to the majority of young students, why not incorporate them into an enhanced P.E. lesson? The more physical activity these students get, the better condition they will be in which can obviously benefit health in numerous ways. Exergaming could be an immense step forward in the fight to stop childhood obesity and I strongly encourge P.E. teachers to consider the promotion it could have towards students health.

Many students are attracted to ‘exergaming’ and find it as a fun way to pass the time. Physical education teachers need to take advantage of this to help fight the obesity pandemic that America is facing. They also need to realize that these are not just video games but rather ‘exergaming’. Additionally, with so many benefits, both inside and outside of the classroom, physical education teachers need to really consider ‘exergaming’ as a new way of exercise.


 * List of References**:

Fogal, V. A., Miltenberger, R. G., Graves, R., & Koehler, S. (2009). The effects of exergaming on physical activity among inactive children in a physical education classroom. Retrieved from []

H ellmich, N. (2010, October 11). Video games help schools get kids moving, exercising more. //USA Today//. Retrieved from [] text:(Hellmich, 2010)

Henning, M. (13 Sept. 2007). Video games that keep kids fit. //Time Magazine//. Retrieved from: @http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1661688,00.html

Hushman, G. (N.D.). Exergaming: get up and move in physical education. UNM College of Education. Retrieved from: []

Kleinedler C. (3 Dec. 2008). The fitness revolution: A video game makes gym class fun again. Retrieved from []

Rolf, C. (2008, October 9). Video games find their way into pe classes. //ArkansasOnline//. Retrieved from []

Schiesel, S. (2007, May 1). Video game revolutionizing physical education. //The New York Times//. Retrieved from []

Staiano, A. E., & Calvert, S. L. (2011). Exergames for physical education courses: Physical, social, and cognitive developments. Retrieved from []

Trout, J. & Brett, C. (1, May 2007). Interactive video games in physical education: rather than contribute to a sedentary lifestyle, these games demand activity from the players. //The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance//. Retrieved from: @http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-6688538/Interactive-video-games-in-physical.html



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Zachary Montgomery Jackie Kimmel Jason Dammeyer







Zach's Pargraph (Academic Success)- For those who think that video games in physical education aren’t beneficial, should think again. When kids begin ‘exergaming’ in schools, tardiness levels go gown significantly. Obviously if kids are coming to school, they are going to learn more. Prior research has shown that physical activity actually improves both attention and concentration. (Hellmich, 2010) Teachers also agree that ‘exergaming’ provides opportunities for children to work on their skills and have seen a decrease in behavior problems. Additionally, they unanimously agreed that ‘exergaming’ taught students to listen to instructions and increased their “skill acquisition.” (Fogal, Miltenberger, Graves, and Koehler, 2009) Research by Shasek (2004) has shown that “120 third- and fourth- grade students who played a dance-pad game demonstrated improved academic performance and social success” (as cited by Staiano and Calvert, 2011). With so many positive academic benefits from ‘exergaming’, more physical education teachers need to seriously consider implying them into their class.

Jackie's Paragraph (Classroom examples)- For years video games have been struggling with a bad reputation, especially from the health and physical education point of view. This bad reputation includes being named as a leading cause of the increase in childhood obesity. In simpler words, video games make children lazy. While this may be the opinion of those dedicated to lifelong physical activity it may no longer be the case. Video games are now being used in actual classrooms, mainly in physical education settings. "They sprinted past the ghosts of Gym Class Past toward two TV sets looming over square plastic mats on the floor. In less than a minute, a dozen seventh-graders were dancing in furiously kinetic union to the thumps of a techno song called "Speed Over Beethoven." The words of a New York times reporter ,Schiesel, expresses the children's enthusiasm to this type of physical activity class. Bill Hines, a physical education teacher at the school for 27 years, shook his head a little, smiled and said, "I'll tell you one thing: They don't run in here like that for basketball" (Schiesel, 2007). Scenes like this are now being witnessed in gymnasiusms across America. If video games are what children are interested in, why not use them to promote physical fitness? Within the Los Angeles School District alone forty schools are already using video games such as Dance, Dance Revolution and other video game activities where you do not have to be as good at catching and throwing things (Hellmich, 2010). Using these types of games in the physical education classroom will appeal to a larger range of students (Hellmich, 2010).

Jason's Paragraph (Health Benefits) Exergaming has been proven to produce substantially more minutes of physical activity and more minutes of oppurtunity for students to engage in physical activity than does the standard P.E. program. Due to this fact, I would highly recommend any current health and physical education teacher to incorporate exergames into their curriculum. Since childhood obesity has risen to become a serious issue in today's society, and physical education time for children is steadily decreasing in schools across the board, it is important that we find a way to increase the health level and interest for students to stay as physically fit as possible. It is a known fact that children's level of energy is typically high, and because of this, their attention span is rather low. Students sometimes have troubling staying motivated and interested in a typical P.E. lesson. Since video games are more appealing and interesting to the majority of young students, why not incorporate them into an enhanced P.E. lesson? The more physical activity these students get, the better condition they will be in which can obviously benefit health in numerous ways. Exergaming could be an immense step forward in the fight to stop childhood obesity and I strongly encourge P.E. teachers to consider the promotion it could have towards students health. J ackie's notes: The following information has been copied from: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/01/world/americas/01iht-dance.1.5515458.html Schiesel, S. (2007, May 1). Video game revolutionizing physical education. //The New York Times//. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/01/world/americas/01iht-dance.1.5515458.html In text: (Schiesel, 2007) In they rushed, past the balance beams and the wrestling mats stacked unused. They sprinted past the ghosts of Gym Class Past toward two TV sets looming over square plastic mats on the floor. In less than a minute, a dozen seventh-graders were dancing in furiously kinetic union to the thumps of a techno song called "Speed Over Beethoven." Bill Hines, a physical education teacher at the school for 27 years, shook his head a little, smiled and said, "I'll tell you one thing: They don't run in here like that for basketball." It is a scene being repeated across the United States as schools deploy the blood-pumping video game "Dance Dance Revolution" as the latest weapon in the country's battle against the epidemic of childhood obesity. While traditional video games are often criticized for contributing to the expanding waistlines of American children, at least several hundred schools in at least 10 states are now using "Dance Dance Revolution," or "DDR," as a regular part of their physical education curriculum. Based on current plans, more than 1,500 schools are expected to be using the game by the end of the decade. "Traditionally, physical education was about team sports and was very skills oriented," said Chad Fenwick, who oversees physical education for the Los Angeles Unified School District, where about 40 schools now use "Dance Dance Revolution." "What you're seeing is a move toward activities where you don't need to be so great at catching and throwing and things like that, so we can appeal to a wider range of kids."
 * __Health Benefits of Exergaming__**

The following information was copied from: http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/fitness/2010-10-11-justdance11_CV_N.htmHellmich, N. (2010, October 11). Video games help schools get kids moving, exercising more. //USA Today//. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/fitness/2010-10-11-justdance11_CV_N.htmIn text:(Hellmich, 2010) "The kids get a kick out of their teachers working out with them," she says. "We are having a great time."The dance activity is broadcast into classrooms that have TV monitors. "The power of exergames is they are fun and interesting and immerse the player in the activity so kids don't even realize they are exercising," says Barbara Chamberlin, director of the Learning Games Lab at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. Stepping up physical activity is one of the pillars of first lady [|Michelle Obama] 's Let's Move campaign to reduce childhood obesity. About a third of children and adolescents — 25 million kids — are obese or overweight, which puts them at a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other health problems. Kids are supposed to do an hour or more of moderate-intensity to vigorous aerobic physical activity each day, government guidelines say. But not all children meet that goal for many reasons, including not getting enough time in PE classes or at recess, living in neighborhoods where it's not safe to play outside and spending too much time being sedentary in front of the computer, TV and video games. People get out of these games what they put into them, he says. "For one kid, it's a great workout, and for another kid, it's not. It depends on whether it's something they really enjoy." The games are a supplement to other activities and sports and not a replacement for getting outside to play soccer or tag, he says. "What I've been telling people is that they are certainly a whole lot better than sitting on the couch playing the handheld video games where you do nothing, but I think it's a stretch to think that buying one of these games will replace the need to do other physical activities."

The following information was copied from: http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2008/oct/09/video-games-find-their-way-pe-classes-20081009/ Rolf, C. (2008, October 9). Video games find their way into pe classes. //ArkansasOnline//. Retrieved from http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2008/oct/09/video-games-find-their-way-pe-classes-20081009/ In text: (Rolf, 2008) Administrators at Harmony Grove schools in Saline County have acquired two Nintendo Wii sports programs, which are being used on a trial basis to encourage physical fitness.

"I was reading recently that a school on the West Coast was using dance pads and a video game, similar to 'Simon Says,'" Emmons said. "That got me to thinking, 'Wouldn't that be a cool PE program ?' "The problem we see is that many students are inactive and overweight, but most students love video games," she explained in her proposal to the school district's principals - Walt Davis, high school, and Sarah Gober, middle school - and its athletic director, Ricky Mooney.  "I went to the coaches about the Wii sports games, and they were all excited about it," Emmons said.  Emmons said she went online and researched sports grants, noticing "a lot of insurance companies had sports grants available. "I went to my local insurance representative, and he donated $400 toward the purchase of a Wii sports program with an extra control," she said. "That way, four kids can participate on one machine." The Nintendo Wii sports program includes tennis, golf and bowling. Emmons said a second Wii sports program has now been secured through Liberty Mutual's Responsible Sports Program. She's also looked at seeking funds from the General Mills Champions for Healthy Kids Program Securing the second unit will allow eight students to take part in the program at one time. "We can rotate use of these programs through the week," Emmons said, adding that the programs will be offered to students in middle and high school. "I was excited and skeptical at the same time," said Lane Chancellor, who coaches basketball and baseball as well as teaches PE class. "But the kids seem to love it. They love the video game, and they are getting fit at the same time." Chancellor said one of the Wii sports programs came with the Wii Fit program as well. "This can be used to incorporate the whole class," he said. "It offers different exercise movements; among the activities is having the student stand on one leg while trying to balance his body." As far as the original Wii sports program goes, Chancellor said students not only learn to play tennis, for example, but also how to keep score. "Using these computer games to help kids get fit is an experiment," Chancellor said. "But it seems to be working so far. Zach’s Notes:  The following information has been copied from:  @http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1661688,00.html  In Text: (Henning, 2007)  Gym teachers and video games have never been a happy mix. While one side struggles to pull kids off the couch, the other holds them fast. But Kim Mason, a phys-ed director in Rogers, Ark., with 28 years of experience selling kids on the virtues of sweat, did something unlikely last year: she persuaded her public-school district to invest $35,000 in brand-new video-game equipment.
 * Article 1 ** : Henning, M. (13 Sept. 2007). Video games that keep kids fit. //Time Magazine//. Retrieved from: @http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1661688,00.html

That would be more surprising if students in Rogers were the only ones plugging into interactive workouts, but they're not. Some 2,000 schools in at least 35 states have begun to set up exergaming fitness centers with motion sensors and touch-sensitive floor mats to allow kids to control the action onscreen not just with their thumbs but also with their bodies. Do enough dancing or kung-fu kicks, and you just might get the same level of exercise as from chasing a soccer ball. What's more, this is a workout kids don't try to duck. "Physical education used to be a joke," says Dr. John Ratey, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and author of Spark, an upcoming book about exercise. "That has changed simply because we are catching up with the gamer generation." Finding a way to help this most sedentary age group is more important than ever. Nearly 17% of U.S. kids are considered overweight or obese, and many more are struggling. Meanwhile, as scale numbers are climbing, school budgets for P.E. are falling. As a result, fewer than 10% of elementary schools meet the National Association for Sport and Physical Education's standard of students spending 150 minutes a week in gym class. The following information has been copied from: @http://coe.unm.edu/impact/research/impact/exergaming-get-up-and-move-in-physical-education.html In Text: (Hushman, n.d.) “Physical education needs to take a new position and find a partnership with video games and I believe exergaming can be the grounds for such a relationship.” The Physical Education Teacher Education program here at UNM has close ties with current physical education teachers in the Albuquerque Public School system. This presented Glenn with an opportunity to visit with students and teachers where he was able to recognize an intense interest surrounding the playing of video games that would be a strong influence in his research. “Research suggests a large majority of students play hand held video games at home on popular systems, such as the Xbox 360 or Playstation 3. These students often play video games upwards of 4-6 hours a day, suggesting an intense recreational interest in video games. Traditionally, physical educators have been at war with video games, viewing such sedentary activities as a threat to our children’s physical health. However, it seems counter-intuitive to resist something that we might be able to work with in order to motivate children and adults to get active. Physical education needs to take a new position and find a partnership with video games and I believe exergaming can be a compromise.”
 * Article 2 ** : Hushman, G. (N.D.). Exergaming: get up and move in physical education. UNM College of Education. Retrieved from: http://coe.unm.edu/impact/research/impact/exergaming-get-up-and-move-in-physical-education.html

The following information has been copied from: @http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-6688538/Interactive-video-games-in-physical.html In Text: (Trout & Brett, 2007) Arguably the most popular interactive video game in physical education is Dance Dance Revolution ($300-$4,000). It was released in the United States in 2001, after an explosion of popularity in Japan in the late 1990s. Dance Dance Revolution requires a player to step on one of four arrows on a 3-foot by 3-foot pad based on visual cues from the screen, which results in the "dance." A Sony Playstation or Microsoft Xbox is connected to a television or LCD projector that shows eye-catching animation in the background and plays techno songs to which the player must dance. Numerous physical education programs across the country are including DDR in their curriculum to provide a fun means for students to engage in physical activity. Jason's notes: The following information has been copied from: [] Fogal, V. A., Miltenberger, R. G., Graves, R., & Koehler, S. (2009). The effects of exergaming on physical activity among inactive children in a physical education classroom. Retrieved from [] In Text: (Fogal, Miltenberger, Graves & Koehler, 2009) Childhood obesity, which is due in part to lack of physical activity, is a serious concern that requires the attention of the behavioral community. Although excessive video game play has been noted in the literature as a contributor to childhood obesity, newer video gaming technology, called //exergaming//, has been designed to capitalize on the reinforcing effects of video games to increase physical activity in children. This study evaluated the effects of exergaming on physical activity among 4 inactive children in a physical education (PE) classroom. Results showed that exergaming produced substantially more minutes of physical activity and more minutes of opportunity to engage in physical activity than did the standard PE program. In addition, exergaming was socially acceptable to both the students and the PE teacher. Exergaming appears to hold promise as a method for increasing physical activity among inactive children and might be a possible intervention for childhood obesity.
 * Article 3 ** : Trout, J. & Brett, C. (1, May 2007). Interactive video games in physical education: rather than contribute to a sedentary lifestyle, these games demand activity from the players. //The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance//. Retrieved from: @http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-6688538/Interactive-video-games-in-physical.html

The following information has been copied from: [] Clare Kleinedler. (2008, 12 3). The fitness revolution: A video game makes gym class fun again. Retrieved from [] In Text: (Clare Kleinedler, 2008) It's 10:30 A.M. on a Tuesday, and a dozen ten-year-olds are jumping up and down, arms flailing in the air, in a classroom at Los Angeles's Marvin Avenue Elementary School. They've been at it for a half hour now and have yet to exhaust their energy, although a few are audibly gasping for breath over the dance music that's driving their activity. It may sound like all hell has broken loose, but these fifth graders are neatly lined up in rows, their eyes glued to a television screen, trying as best they can to follow the game. They're playing Dance Dance Revolution (DDR), a video game that's helping schools nationwide revive student interest in gym class. Unlike many video games, which critics often bash for turning kids into couch potatoes, DDR demands physical activity. Students must mimic with their own bodies the choreographed dance moves they see on screen. An electronic pad that's hooked up to a game console, such as the Sony PlayStation, records each step. The closer students come to the original patterns and beats, the higher their scores. The result is a fast-paced workout that requires concentration, builds coordination, and engages students in a way many traditional sports don't. Hundreds of teachers have already incorporated the game into their PE curricula, and one observer estimates that more than 1,500 schools in the United States will be using DDR by 2010. (Educators are also deploying the newer Nintendo Wii, but the proliferation of this console and its games has yet to reach DDR's proportions.) Teacher Helge Ziazie, who acquired the game and equipment for Marvin Avenue, says she's amazed by how much the DDR system has transformed her students' attitudes toward exercise. "Every morning, before I open the gym at school, there are at least fifty to sixty children already lined up," she adds. "They say to me, 'We want to work out!' "They can forget all of their troubles when they are dancing and having fun," Ziazie explains. "It's really an all-around program, because they have different levels, which is great, because nobody feels intimidated. There's no teasing with this game. They all just want to play." The following information has been copied from: [] Staiano, A. E., & Calvert, S. L. (2011). Exergames for physical education courses: Physical, social, and cognitive developments. Retrieved from [] In Text: (Staiano & Calvert, 2011) Exergames can provide both direct physical benefits for youth and transfer of athletic skills to other activities. This development comes at a time when obesity has reached epidemic proportions in theUnited States, where pediatric obesity rates doubled over the past 30 years (McGinnis et al., 2006), in part because of insufficient physical activity. Only 35.8% of adolescents met the 2005 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for physical activity (Eaton et al., 2006). In contrast, 50% of teen gamers play video games more than 1 hr a day (Lenhart, 2008). Transforming sedentary video game play into active exergame play could increase caloric expenditure and improve coordination and athletic skills, thereby combating obesity.

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