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Recently I decided it was time to learn more about "WebQuests."
My motivation was simple. PELINKS4U was originally designed to be
an easy entry point for visitors to locate web sites containing
physical education information.
As those of you who have explored the web site know, we still try
to maintain hundreds of links on our free links pages. These pages
are a good start to locating most of the better-known web sites.
But PELINKS4U has now evolved into much more, and after 3 years
of publishing has a vast archive of accessible resources. The challenge
for new visitors however, is learning how to access them.
It seemed to me that we needed to create a guided tour both to
our web site and to the many resources that can easily be accessed
from PELINKS4U. A "WebQuest" was one way to provide that
tour.
What is a "WebQuest"?
According to Bernie
Dodge a WebQuest is an "inquiry-oriented activity in which
most or all of the information used by learners is drawn from the
Web."
Well, I am still working on creating my WebQuest and hope to be
able to present it in a future issue. But on the way to learning
more about this new learning opportunity I did run into a program
called "Backflip" that I have since found quite useful.
In the column opposite there's a brief description.
Also, this week we feature information from Bonnie Mohnsen's informative
PE Technology newsletter and a few more technological ideas. Please
be sure to share with us any other "tech" ideas that
might interest your colleagues.
Hope to meet some of you in San Diego in a couple of weeks!
Sincerely,
Steve Jefferies
Guest, Technology Section Editor
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| Physical
Education Technology News |
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Below is a sample of the topics included in the March
edition of the Technology in PE newsletter published by Bonnie
Mohnsen:
- Ever wondered how those GPS (global positioning systems) work
or if you really need one? (Friends who have hiked with me in
our Cascade Mountains believe I do!)
- Did you know that you can now collect fitness data using a
Palm-type handheld device? Not only can you carry it anywhere
but the data is instantly downloadable to your computer!
- Have you considered backing up your bookmarks or favorites?
Bonnie explains how (although you might want to read my article
on the "Backflip" program too!).
- And in the February
edition there was also an interesting explanation of DVD
(digital versatile disk)
You can also register to be on Bonnie's mailing list to receive
monthly reminders of upcoming Technology in PE newsletters. Go
visit!
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Questions to Ask, or
Thoughts to Share?
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Backflip
What the heck is "Backflip" you might well ask? Certainly
a poor choice of names for what is actually an extremely useful
and free computer program.
As I'm sure you know, whether or not you use Internet Explorer
(IE) or Netscape as your browser you can save the location of web
sites you regularly visit. Under Netscape these are called "Bookmarks"
and under IE they are called "Favorites." You can organize
these sites into folders and then easily access them while browsing.
BUT what happens if you are on the office or school computer, or
away from home or school? Typically, we lose quick access to these
regularly visited sites. Wouldn't it be nice if we could quickly
access our favorite sites from any location? Well, of course you
can. And one of the easiest methods is to use a free program called
"Backflip."
Backflip is a free utility that can be downloaded from the Backflip
web site. Once downloaded you copy a special "Backflip"
icon onto the menu bar of your browser. Whenever you want to save
a web site you click on this icon and create a link to the site
in your Backflip directories.
Now, regardless of location or computer or browser you can log
on to Backflip open your directories and quickly access all your
favorite web sites! Pretty cool.
Of course there is more. What I especially like is the ability
to surf and save web sites into directories I create for specific
projects. And it gets better because I can also choose to share
specific folders with other people.
Backflip has many more feature but my advice is simply to visit
the site and give it a try. At first it may seem a bit confusing
but keep in mind the concept is very simple. If you regularly use
more than one computer Backflip is a simple solution to the challenge
of saving web sites and then finding you saved the location on the
"other" computer!
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| P.E. 4 Life
and the PEP Grants |
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As we await news of the application procedure for
this year's $50 million in PEP grants, it is timely to recognize
that the success of this program was strongly influenced by the
advocacy of the PE 4 Life organization.
Originally the brainchild of Jim
Baugh, President of Wilson Sporting Goods, P.E.4 Life has
now evolved into an articulate national advocacy group for quality
physical education.
If you haven't visited the P.E.4
Life web site recently it's time to look at what these folks
are doing to help promote physical education.
A "Community Action Kit" is available for
a small shipping fee or many items can be freely downloaded online.
There's a video and ready-made Powerpoint presentations ready-to-use
to promote your physical education program.
A P.E.4 Life Institute has also been created to showcase
outstanding physical education programs around the country. This
is also a great resource for showing others what quality physical
education should look like.
Finally, to stay updated about upcoming events such
as National PE Day in May, or the PEP grants you might want to subscribe
to the PE 4 Life newsletter.
This organization is doing a great job advocating
for physical education. Take a few minutes to review their web
site and materials, and share this resource with your fellow
teaching colleagues.
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When Health is absent,
Wisdom cannot reveal itself,
Art cannot become manifest,
Strength cannot fight,
Wealth becomes
useless.
- Alexander the Great 325 BC
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| World Health Day - April 7th |
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World Health Day - World Record
"Canadian Hokey Pokey Challenge"
April 7th is World Health Day. In keeping with this year's theme
-"Move for Health," OPHEA
is collaborating with several key organizations to lead Canada's
schools in an attempt to set a new World Record - all in the name
of getting active!
On Tuesday, April 9, 2002 at 1:15 PM ET thousands of students
across Canada will be doing the "Hokey Pokey" simultaneously.
Schools are encouraged to use this World Record attempt as a kick
off to a day, week or year focused on physical activity. Join
the fun!
Details of how to register, and how to participate are available
online (it was the registering
online that made this a "technology item!")
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| If you have ideas, comments, letters to share, or
questions about particular topics, please email one of the following
Technology Section Editors: |
| Featured
Article - Daily Physical Education |
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Definitely a Hustle. Making Quality Daily Physical
Activity Happen in the Thames Valley District School Board (Canada)
By Jayne McCullough
and Mark Seaton.
"Show me you can do it - come back with some proof
that teachers will buy in and we'll endorse it." So echoed the
words of a Program Superintendent into the ears of the Thames
Valley District School Board Elementary Physical Education Action
Committee. The challenge was to implement a program of Quality
Daily Physical Activity (QDPA) into the 161 elementary schools
of the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB). That was in
early 1999, in 2001, QDPA is happening in the "Valley".
The process developed by the TVDSB was lengthy and
involved several people but the outcome has been positive and
preliminary results show that student learning has actually improved
due to QDPA in the schools.
Here is how it happened. "Enjoy the hustle" that
this process provides...
(This article was published in the October 2001,
edition of the Ontario Physical and Health Education Association
Online Publications Centre. To read the complete article click
here)
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