Innovative teaching: Senior lecturer makes physical education personal, accessible from home
Before the pandemic, physical education (PE) courses at the University of Georgia took place almost exclusively in-person.
Today, with remote practice opportunities in place for students, online textbooks, instructional videos, and tracking devices have taken a more prominent place in content delivery, with instruction, input, feedback, and conversations extending beyond the classroom to improve students’ overall well-being both in-person and at home.
“Since 2013, we have been using personalized heart rate tracking technology with students who are studying abroad while taking a physical education course,” said Ilse Mason, senior lecturer and basic PE program coordinator in the Department of Kinesiology. “By using their Fitbit device and specific software—developed in conjunction with James Castle in the UGA Office of Online Learning—students can track, record, and sync physical activity that corresponds with their individualized heart rate goals for the course.”