Technology has been emerging in numerous ways over the past few years. These tools can and have made a profound effect on students in the classroom. Computers are reshaping children’s lives at home and at school in unexpected ways. Schools need to make its technology meaningful by eliminating "how to" workshops for the teachers and focus on connections. Schools need to be connecting technology with learning in the classroom.

    Many questions still arise as to the best way to use computers. Training programs are provided for teachers to familiarize themselves with new technologies. Recently, our school has taken on a three-year initiative to bring technology into the classroom for every subject. This is a great plan. New computer equipment and technology was received for each classroom within the past 2 years. Seven phases will help teachers make the connection for every subject. These seven phases are:

ØGetting Ready

ØLearning about technology for both teachers and students

ØHands on Learning for Everyone

ØReflection

ØApplication

ØPlanning

ØOngoing support

    The most important parts of this three-year initiative are to keep the focus on learning, moving from content to process and the power of the learning connection. These are all very important steps when using technology with learning.

The department of education is currently working on standards for the Health and Physical Education field to take effect for the 2002-2003 school year. They are looking into adding technology into the curriculum. The focus will shift from how fast how fast a student runs to the results of the exercise, such as how it affects the body’s cardiovascular system. Rather than learning all the rules of sports, students will be encouraged to choose a physical fitness routine they enjoy and can use it to get in shape. We’re actually teaching kids about their bodies. Physical Education teachers put less emphasis on individual sports and more on the skills involved in those sports. It doesn’t have to be competitive. It can be self-competitive. The move is part of a national trend to motivate students toward better physical fitness. More than sixty million people, or one-third of the nation’s population, are overweight , according to a report from the surgeon general. Nearly half of Americans between twelve and twenty-one are not vigorously active on a regular. Also, national enrollment in daily physical classes at the high school level dropped from forty two percent to twenty five percent between 1991 and 1995. We’re looking at a rise in obesity in our children.Helping students combine Health and Physical fitness is going to be part of the new standards. One of the obstacles that physical educators face is that many of the technological advances are designed to make people move less. We’ve created a society where it is more important to learn about physical fitness and less is being done for it. We’re trying to get physical education to be recognized as an academic discipline and not just a period of the day.

    Our school just got one new computer in each classroom last year. Over the summer, they added large TV screens, projectors and some digital cameras into the classroom. This year, they added 3 more computers in each of the classrooms. I think technology would be a great learning tool.

    The creation of a learning center for both Health & Physical Education has been started after just recently looking into adding technology into the classroom. Right now Health and Physical Education are 2 separate classes, but we are working on combining these classes into one. The 1^st part of the class period would be in the classroom working on nutrition and calorie intake for each student, diet, weight gaining calorie intake, exercise, strength training, cardiovascular training, heart rate monitors, aerobic training, and circuit training. The second part of the class would be spent in the pool, gym, weight room, or outdoors working on these different aspects of physical education. Most of the classes would be fitness based. Our new standards in Delaware are being developed and are geared towards health-enhancing behaviors as opposed to "Can you play basketball?" It will be more individualized and more student generated.

    There are numerous students that are constantly asking about food and it's nutritional value at the high school level. Students want to be placed on a healthy diet and ask for a complete workout program for weight loss. They want to be on a cardiovascular and weight training workout. Other students in sports ask for strength training or weight gaining programs. These are the main reasons that the technology used was selected. This has become a major concern for the students at our high school. It wasn't just a select number of students asking for the request. It was a large number of students. This is also why the program becomes more individualized and student generated. The students will acquire a broader perspective on how to take care of their health and their own bodies. It’s an important aspect of their lives and a great reason the standards reflect a change in philosophy.

    In this technology-oriented classroom, students will generate a program and diet based on their own individual needs. There are four computers available in the classroom for the students, along with a projector, large screen television for the projector, and a digital camera to share between classes. The teacher will use the projector and television screen at times to teach to the class. The screen will also be used to show pictures of students physically doing an activity taken during class with the digital camera. The pictures will depict the correct and incorrect to perform an activity. This way they can actually see the mistakes they are making and the proper way to perform an activity not just by demonstration. They can actually see themselves performing the activity. Teachers will also use technology to enter grades. Students will not be able to access or input any grades. Teachers will contact and be contacted via e-mail by other health and physical education educators, other district personnel, parents and students. Students will have access to one of four Internet ready computers in the classroom. Students will gather in groups and work on their research paper on the computer. They will also use the computers to complete wequest assignments. Webquests are lessons or units written up as projects on the computer where the students are linked to Internet sites to help them do the actual assignment. The webquest are made to make use of the technology tools and to keep students from always doing handouts or writing reports. They consist of assignment like skits, role playing, routines, or designing something like for example a healthy diet for athletes or an exercise routine for an obese individual who wants to lose weight. Numerous software will be available for students to work on collaborative projects. For example, students will work on a personalized workout and diet for them based on their age and gender. This way they can work on their own individual program instead of the whole class preparing the same program for everyone. If they want a program for weight loss or strength training they can set up a different cardiovascular and weight training regimen based on their needs. Also, if they want to gain weight or lose weight they would be told the number of calories desired for a day and the different types of foods they can choose to eat.

    Students would learn so much more and enjoy the class more because they're working on their own individual program. This is something that they want to become healthier and change their bodies by choosing a fitness routine they enjoy and can use to get in shape. Their physical fitness programs incorporate diet as well as exercise based on what motivates each student individually. Technology in the classroom is a great tool and definitely keeps the focus on learning. It should positively be a part of the curriculum if the equipment is available. Technology is a great asset for all classes.

    The effectiveness of educational technology varies depending on the level of the students access to technology, the software design, the role of the