I’ve been doing some work with a physical education curriculum consultant, Mark. The iPad is exciting for phys.ed. because of it’s built in camera, large screen, powerful processor and simple user interface.

Students can easily use the camera to record themselves perform various skill sets, and instantly replay on the large screen their performance. Using iMovie, students can even slow down the video of them, say, doing a lay-up, to watch it frame by frame and analyze things such as footwork, hand placement, elbow position, etc.

We also know that peer feedback and self reflection are some of the best ways for students to improve themselves. The activity that the students did was some basketball golf. Eighteen activities were set up around the gym, where students had to perform different basketball skills, and record their score on a Basketball Golf Scorecard.

After playing basketball golf (and recording your partner/self with the iPad), the students sat down, watched the video’s, and filled out the Basketball Skills Checklist.

The lesson was quick to set up, simple to execute, and incredibly valuable as far as students understanding their own areas of growth.