Technology in Health

Taken From
http://www.knowabouthealth.com/wp-content/
uploads/2011/01/iPhone_health_apps.jpg

Technology being a part of our daily life is no longer science fiction. This has become reality! I contribute this fact to the ever growing popularity of smart phones and having a connection with social sharing websites. It seems as though people live their lifes on the web and are always expressing themselves in different ways. From the occasional comical comment, to "what type of bagel" that they are having with their "iced coffee." Why can't this technology be used to benefit people in a more meaningful manner than just socially. Maybe the answer is already here.
Applications, or "apps" as it is said in the new aged texting lingo are normally used for entertainment. Their is no reason though that this prevalent resource can not be used for much more! The opportunity for apps in education are endless, because the number of people that use cellular devices is increasing each day. Within my Adapted Physical Education class we were introduced to this very type of technology. Activities were created using the the app interface and students were able to interact for a cognitive benefit. Also at the same time that they were performing the activity fine motor skills were being refined. The possibilities for this type of technology within A.P.E.  classes are endless. These tools are still in the developmental stage, but I feel within a short time this technology will play a crucial role in A.P.E. Applications like "Zamzee," and "OptumizeMe" are already being used within the world of health and fitness. Zamzee is an app that tracks the physical activity of the user throughout the day. This is monitored using a pedometer type device that one can carry with them in their pocket. By doing this the user can track if their activity level is speeding up, or slowing down in a daily log. Also multiple users can join up and challenge each other in to performing fitness based activities. The more activities an individual does the more points are awarded. This brings in friendly competition, and in turn makes the users work harder. OptumizeMe is based on the same premises as Zamzee, but now individuals can display their daily log on social sharing networks. This makes the user work harder, so that better results can be shown. These types of  applications have already been proven to increase physical activity by thirty percent! This to me is an astounding number!
Having ones physical activity increased by thirty percent is such a benefit to overall health! Having this type of technology be applied in Physical Education to me is the future of the P.E. curriculum. Having the ability for students to monitor their physical activity throughout the day, making sure that they are getting the recommended sixty minutes of activity a would be such a benefit. This allows the students to utilize the skills taught to them during class and then express them in a meaningful manner. The development of healthy habits at a young age within students is one of the many paths to lifelong fitness, and because of advancing technology I feel as though the outlook of the health across the WORLD has a bright future!

Teachers, Schools and Society: Ch. 1-2 Part Two

Taken From
http://images1.americanlisted.com/nlarge/teachers_
schools_and_society_second_edition_90
_southeast_san_antonio_9608813.jpg

There are many ways in which people learn. A domain of learning is called the "cognitive domain." This encompasses the different styles of learning like; auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners to name just a few. Many people are a mix of multiple learning styles, with one being a little more predominate than the other. I am a visual learner as well as a kinesthetic learner. The "affective domain" of learning includes ones attitude, values, and emotions. A large part of the affective domain involves ones drive to always improve themselves, and to have a "can do" attitude. Also as I have stated before in previous articles physiological factors play a large role in how one learns. A healthy and happy individual is a more productive individual. Having a healthy emotional state due to a positive outlook on self-worth, and self image allow an individual to be happier and more productive.
Teachers can respond to different learning styles for either the positive, or the negative. A teacher can teach in one learning style usually the on that they best learn in and only reach a small percentage of the class, or they can be a proactive teacher. I mean that they can teach in multiple styles through out multiple environments. As a Physical Education teacher you can incorporate visual aids, music, and physical activity. One method of teaching that encompasses all the ones listed above would be using an exergame based unit. This all correlates to Howard Gardener's "Multiple Intelligences Theory." This simply states that people learn in different ways, and that teachers must conform their teaching in order to best teach to the needs of the student. Gardner has identified eight intelligences thus far. These being; logical-mathematical, linguistical, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist types
Their are many levels of multiculturalism within the schooling curriculum. Multiculturalism education has developed into multiple themes, these include; expanding the curriculum to reflect America's diversity, using teaching strategies to encompass multiple learning styles, better support teachers by making them knowledgeable of how to interact and teach people of different cultures, and lastly a commitment to social justice and global equality. Mainstreaming bilingual/multicultural students into regular classes has become a law for most states. A fear has been brought about that English will be lost as our native tongue. This fear has led to students only being allowed one year to acclimate to a total foreign environment in every sense of the word, and then be expected to learn and give forth the same quality of work native speaking students do. This to me is quite unfair. My grandfather was born in Yugoslavia, and he had an experience similar to this when he came to America. He was never able to fully understand the language, therefore he was not bale to perform in school to the best of his ability. Obviously the times are different now, but the principle is still the same!
The needs of differently abled learners are met in variety of ways in today's classrooms. Thanks to new acts that have been instated like "IDEA" which outlines differently abled individual's rights to education, and the educational process that should be followed. Also IEP, or "Individualized Education Programs" should be written, and what procedures need to be put in place in order to adhere to the IEP. Inclusion is a large part of Adaptive Education. Inclusion simply refers to differently abled individuals having the right to take part in regular schooling for the social and cognitive enrichment. Also I do not feel as though adaptive technology would cause any bitterness, or even technology used in helping bilingual students. Technology is their to aid and enhance all learners, as long as it is fairly used within teaching I do not believe jealousy will become a problem.

Reform!

Taken From
http://cdn.sheknows.com/articles/2010/09
/healthy-school-lunch-whole-wheat-sandwich.jpg

As I stated in previous article I believe that a healthier student is a happy student, therefore they are more productive when it comes to education. One of the issues I brought up was the fact that school based lunches were inadequate in reinforcing the nutrition guidelines that Health and Physical Educators were trying to bestow among students. How can one practice healthy living, if the institution that they are being taught in does not practice healthy living? It seemed as though it was the day after I wrote about this a national reform was put in to act based on this very principle.

The last time the USDA had reevaluated the school lunch program was over fifteen years ago, and I feel as though this was too long. A large amount of research has been performed since then stating the importance of a healthy diet, and the USDA was lax in their attempts on recognizing these facts. Also what strikes me as being quite an alarming correlation is the time in which the reform took to be instated, and the time in which it took for the number of obese children within the United States to almost double. They are the same! This new reform follows the 2010 dietary guidelines for Americans. Monitoring of caloric intake, sodium levels, and saturated fat levels are among some of these. More whole grains are being implemented within the school lunch programs, and soon all grain products will become whole grain. When comparing previous lunch menus to that of lunch menus now one can see the drastic improvement that has been made. I am quite pleased with this reform, as well as the other programs Michelle Obama has proposed for health education among school aged children. I look forward to seeing how this influences the life's of students, and how it helps them become healthier more progressive individuals.   

Outward-Bound

At SUNY Cortland all Physical Education majors are required to take an outdoor education class. This class is held at SUNY Cortland's own education center located in the heart of the Adirondacks, Raquette Lake. This facility offers an array of activities that many people have never experienced. These being canoeing, hiking, and mountain climbing to say a few. The main purpose of this class is to teach basic survival/orienteering skills to students, as well enhancing team bonds among learners. Health and Wellness include multiple levels. These are physical, emotional, social, intellectual, environmental, and spiritual. The Outward-bound Processing Model targets all of these areas.
The experience that I had at Raquette lake I feel was one for the better. I found out many characteristic of my own I had not known were there. Also I was able to see people for how they can truly be once the facade of comfort that our modern society brings is taken away. The group I was with was a great group, we had many struggles, more than most due to the situations that were presented to us. We overcame the adversity and were able to bond and flourish. I have a newly reinforced respect for nature now, its power for taking, as well as its power for giving. After I came back from Raquette lake I brought with me a new found strength. I was finally able to get off the medication for my traumatic brain injury and begin to go on the road to recovery. I had changed nothing in my life up until this point except having that one week in nature. This experience did not cure me, but it instilled within me the confidence to try and cure myself.

I feel as though the "project adventure" courses within the schooling curriculum would be quite beneficial to students. This program allows for team bonding, as well as outdoor education. These types of classes can give students the understanding of how to use their community resources in a positive manner. During my 256 teaching observation the high school I was posted at had a program just like the one I am describing. The district had access to a private park with a lake. Here the Physical Education teachers would show the students lifelong activities like canoeing, and orienteering. Many of the students had never gone to this resource before, even though they had spent most of their life within the district. Now though they had the knowledge to go out and perform these activities on their own. This is the main purpose of "New Aged" Physical Education teachers. This is to instill within students the tools they need to be healthy, productive, confident individuals throughout their life. I wish to base much of my teachings off of this philosophy and influence students for the better.

Jumping Toward a Healthy Heart

Taken From
 http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mznY5ziFbR4/TQFd2hiUsJI/
AAAAAAAAAEs/6q3O4m0U3AE/s1600/Jumprope.jpg

Jump Rope for Heart is a national fundraising organization that raises money for cardiovascular disease, stroke, and health education. This program is sponsored by AAHPERD and AHA. Within in this program knowledge about heart disease, and preventative measures that can be taken are presented to students and then shown through the physical. Students take place in a wide array of activities that promote cardiovascular endurance and a health enhancing style of life.

For the past two years I have helped with this program at the Midlakes Elementary school. It has been not only an educational experience for the me as a future teacher, but for the students and community as well. That is why I feel strongly about this program, because it allows a chance for the parents to come in after hours and learn about what their child is actually doing within Physical Education. It gives the children to be active outside of school, which is a growing problem within the United States due an every increasing level of sedentary lifestyles. This program allows a chance for the community to come together and learn about health awareness efforts, and how a health enhancing lifestyle can be applied throughout daily life.

I enjoy participating in this program, because it allows me to give back to a community where I grew up and that gave so much to me. It allows me to teach to others the knowledge I have obtained during my years in higher education on my path to becoming a Physical Education teacher. I have made bonds with many parents, students, and professionals through the networking I have done during this program. This is the type of teaching I would like to base my curriculum off of when I become of Physical Education teacher. Lifelong fitness is a passion of mine and as I have stated before a "healthy learner leads to a happier learning." Physical Education is more than just "rolling out the ball," and community uniting programs like this one help to demonstrate the New Era of Physical Education. 

The Price Paid

What is the price one must pay in order to be the best at their sport? Most athletes begin sports at a young age and for many once college, or even high school is over that is the end of their athletic career. Only a chosen one percent of individuals will ever have an athletic career beyond their mid twenties. Technology is advancing each day within the world of sporting equipment. Lighter, stronger, more efficient gear for sport is being invented each day. This allows athletes to play harder and quicker! One thing though is not advancing so quickly. This is the human body. The human body has limits to how hard it can be pushed and through proper training these limits can be stretched, but inevitably a breaking point will be reached.

I feel as though this is the reason as to why concussions within sports are becoming such a serious issue.I have had first hand experience with the ill effects of concussions, and it was probably the worst life changing event in my life. It brought me from a powerful, joking, loving individual to a weak, withdrawn, and bitter person. I am somewhat better from it now. I still suffer effects like loss of memory, motion sickness, and a sensation of what I can only describe as looking at the world from behind a sound proof mirror. For almost a year I felt as though I was watching myself from outside of my own body, not only watching myself suffer, but the ones around me suffer. I could tell that my burden had become a burden for them as well. I thought I would never get better, and that this was going to be how I would feel for the rest of my life. The feeling of normalcy was one I had almost forgotten, I knew it existed but would never be in my reach again. This eventually changed though and I am slowly returning to the person I once was. I feel for the individual within the video of "Concussions and Sports." I know exactly how she feels having a dedication to a sport that she does not want to give up, as well as the social impact she is suffering due to her injury. These are all effects I suffered through. She needs to understand though that it comes a time when your personal safety and health must supersede that of everything else. 

When an individual goes back into a sport having already suffered a concussion they can receive what is called second impact syndrome. This is where another concussion is obtained before the previous injury has healed. This can result in severe brain injury, and in severe cases death. In Montreal Canada, concussions have become a severe issue with the sport of hockey. Resulting from an incident where an athlete was put into a game before having sufficient time to heal, and consequently suffering a blow causing severe brain injury, the Lystedt Law was developed. This law states that no athlete should return to game play that is suspected, or showing signs of a concussion until a medical practitioner has cleared them. I feel as though this is the correct way to go about treating concussions in sports. Also a technique that I have learned about to diagnose injury within athletes is the Opto-Jump system. This measures an individuals gate, and by doing so a proper time in which athletes reenter sports can be determined.
Concussions are a tragic occurrence, it is our job as future coaches and educators to be understanding of these situations and try to prevent them from occurring. The more aware we are of this growing problem, the more proactive we can be from having it ever occur in the first place. 

Strength Training for Children?

Now everyone knows children lifting weights is bad, right? A child should not exercise until they are far into their teen years that way their growth plates will not become damaged causing their growth to become impeded. Is this not what we have all heard since we were young? For most I would guess this is what you believe to be true. The fact is this is a so called "Urban Legend." The time from which a child is seven years of age all the way up into their early teens is a crucial time for physical development. Strength training during this period can in fact help a child, and increase the likely hood of them being healthier individuals by having a sound mind and body.

A recent study conducted by the MAYO Clinic states that Strength Training(using body weight, and fit bands for exercise), not Weight Lifting is actually good for children to begin doing as early as seven years of age. They list many benefits that one can ascertain from beginning a strength training program at such a young age. If your child is an athlete having stronger muscles means that they will in turn have stronger joints. Having stronger joints means that the risk of sports-related injuries will be significantly less than that of a child who is not on a strength training program. Also if your child is not an athlete their are multiple benefits one can receive from a strength training program. These include of course an increased bone density, rising self esteem due to improved body image, and oddly enough blood pressure and cholesterol control. Now this may spark some individuals as being odd considering the fact that many people relate a good cholesterol and blood pressure level to being cardiovascular fit. In fact though many studies have been performed that show circuit training and vigorous muscular activity helps to improve blood pressure. I actually attended a conference here at Cortland last semester explaining a study that was performed within our facilities based on this question. Now the MAYO Clinic stresses that technique before resistance is a key principle for this program. Also not all children may be ready for this type of responsibility due to the different rates at which all people develop. If proper care is taken before exercise, like performing a dynamic warm up then stretching afterwards in all likelihood no ill effects will be had. Also before starting a strength training program parents should consult a doctor, as well as someone who is properly trained in physical fitness methods. 

Now as a teacher candidate I am quite excited to hear about this study, because I know that I can develop many units around this idea. Strength training is indeed a life long activity because it is a way to stimulate muscular units in a low impact way. This is unlike weight lifting which is done using weights at high impact. Also I know from experience not all children like to perform methods to improve their cardiovascular endurance, so I feel as though strength training can act like a gateway to better overall fitness. As I stated in earlier posts, childhood obesity is a rising problem within the United States. I feel as though this lifelong activity could be one of the many tools we as educators could use to combat this growing epidemic.