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Vicki D.
Vicki D. Sendmail

Running, Sharing, Motivating, Teaching

posted about 2 years ago | Report

I love technology, but you know - if I'm overweight and out of shape - what does all that technology give me and what am I teaching my students?

What are ways we can motivate our students to be physically fit and use technology to get outside and get fit? What works and what types of technologies should we use? Is something like dailymile good to use with classes? Should track teams and other teams create groups to track each other or are there other places that people do this.

I want to learn and hope that some of you experts will teach me!

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8 posts

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  • Aaron F.
    Aaron F. Sendmail

    I'd advocate a separation of exercise and tech. There's something so beautifully simple about beating the pavement, ya know? If anything, I'd go for a common playlist. A site like this could be used for a competition, but it'd be easy to fake. Pedometers would be better. Networked pedometers would be fun, but might become too complex.

    I've noticed that many male teachers (and I am one) are out of shape and don't exercise. At least here in the South. I try to be a very good example for my students physically by sharing my exercise routine with them and next semester, when I'm coaching soccer, I fully plan to run the kids daily and to also run with them.

    Physical exercise is a fundamental component of education, just ask Plato. He advocated it in Republic. I live in Memphis and we have some kids and teachers who are woefully obese.

    Much needs to be said, of course, about school lunches, but that's another thread.

    posted about 2 years ago | Report

  • Alicia
    Alicia Sendmail

    I teach middle school students online. Many of them are homeschooled and some lack structure, socialization and motivation to get up and move. I think that, in my situation, a site like dailymile could be used as motivation for them to actually do something. It would also give them the opportunity to have other people see what they've accomplished.

    posted about 2 years ago | Report

  • Vicki D.
    Vicki D. Sendmail

    Well this site does link up with Nike+iPod and you can't fake that - how would that work?

    posted about 2 years ago | Report

  • Aaron F.
    Aaron F. Sendmail

    I'm not Nike and iPod savvy, so I'm not sure. My gizmo knowledge is best with big things.

    posted about 2 years ago | Report

  • Alan L.
    Alan L. Sendmail

    I use Nike+iPod and sync that to DailyMile, plus post workouts to my blog. It's too bad the sites don't make the date more accessible- there could be some math/graphing type activities one might do.

    One thing that might work for motivation is to set up some reasonable challenges in DailyMile. Maybe with some walking/hiking activities there could be something in terms of mapping locations. When I bike or hike I sometimes use the RunKeeper app on my iPhone which does a nice job of collecting your route- you can upload to their site and it creates a nice map, including a profile that shows elevation gain matched to average speeds.

    I should mention that running is something I hardly enjoy, in fact my blog is called "I Hate Running"- however it has been the one exercise that has been most effective to keep my diabetes in check. I'm prepping for a half marathon in January.

    posted about 2 years ago | Report

  • Vicki D.
    Vicki D. Sendmail

    Wow! My thoughts on your amazing-ness have just increased! I've got a lot t olearn from you. Does the Runkeeper have to synch with the Nike+ipod - I assume so -- am asking for one for Christmas. I actually do somehow strangely enjoy running -- where is your blog? Where do you post them? I want to learn more from the pro at this!

    posted about 2 years ago | Report

  • Alan L.
    Alan L. Sendmail

    RunKeeper does not work with Nike+ipod- it is a one of several GPS apps that you need to use with an iPhone. I only use it for hikes or bike rides since I don;t like to run with a lot of stuff; the Nano is small and fits nicely on an arm band.

    I like Nike+ipod but since it is based on strides and foot contact it is not always pin point accurate. I need to calibrate mine, as I think it is giving me a small bit more distance than I deserve! But I can tell when my times are improving relatively.

    My blog is http://dommy.com/ihaterunning

    posted about 2 years ago | Report

  • Jerry
    Jerry Sendmail

    In the 1970's when I first coached I had my runners keep running logs with those old fashioned writing instruments called pencils and pens. Later when computers started showing up in schools I taught them Appleworks which included a spreadsheet program where my runners put their running logs. I taught them to show their progress on graphs.

    I definitely feel it is a good idea for them to keep running logs with the latest technologies so they can see their progress (hopefully).

    Daily Mile is a good start however a mile might be a little intimidating to students who have not run before. Why not create a Daily Run Log on school site with login protection.

    posted about 2 years ago | Report

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