Welcome to this month's Technology in PE Section. In light of our home page guest editorial from Phil Lawler, director of PE4life Instruction and Outreach, I've put together some information on a recent trend in physical education - "exergaming," or "exertainment."

Uniting the concepts of exercise and video games has been made possible through recent efforts by gaming giants such as Nintendo, Sony, Konami, and others, who are all looking to meet new needs by addressing societies concern over obesity, while at the same time addressing youth's interests in video games. Considering that the momentum for "exertainment" only seems to be building, I've listed some resources to help you gain more knowledge.

In the first section, I provide some information on one of the most popular "exertainment" video games - Dance Dance Revolution - including its producer, history, and how it works.

The next section offers advice for physical educators interested in using Dance Dance Revolution. Product information, including price, accessories, etc., for DDR games, gaming systems, and packages appropriate for the classroom have been included as well.

The next section is a review of a recent article from the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance entitled, "Incorporating Video Games into Physical Education," by Elisabeth Hayes and Lauren Silberman.

The next section contains recent news stories about schools and teachers that have successfully incorporated this technology into their curriculums. Finally, we have information on a number of AAPHERD Technology in PE workshops available this summer. Locate the one nearest you!

Congratulations to everyone on finishing another academic year. Best of luck on making the most of your sun-filled break.

Leon Letson
Guest Technology Section Editor

WHAT IS IT AND HOW DO I USE IT?

Dance Dance Revolution, or DDR for those in the know, is a music video game series produced by Konami Corporation of Japan. DDR first entered the market in Japan in 1998. Since then its popularity has spread like wildfire across Europe, where it is referred to as Dancing Stage, and across North America. As of 2007, more than 1,000 songs have been added to the DDR catalog.

The game is played with four arrow panels - up, down, left, and right - or eight arrows; the four main directions plus right and left diagonals. These panels/arrows are pressed using the player's feet, in response to arrows that appear on the screen in front of the player. These panels/arrows are synchronized to the rhythm or beat of a chosen song, and success is dependent on the player's ability to time and position his or her steps accordingly. Performance is reflected in the form of a "Dance Gauge," or life bar. Once the Dance Gauge is fully depleted, the player receives a letter grade and numerical score based on their performance.

Numerous modes of play have appeared since the emergence of DDR. Below is a list of some of the more relevant ones in regard to physical education settings.

	Nonstop Mode allows the player to play several songs in a row, with no rest period in between. The player chooses a particular nonstop course to play, each course containing a predetermined order of songs.
	Challenging Mode, or "Oni" mode, is similar to Nonstop Mode in that a player chooses a predetermined set of songs. Unlike Nonstop Mode, however, a Dance Gauge is not used to determine whether the player continues to the next song. Instead, a battery divided into three segments is displayed at the top of the screen, with one segment disappearing every time the player scores less than a "Great" judgment, or receives an "N.G." on a freeze arrow.
	Endless Mode, also similar to Nonstop Mode, allows the player to play through numerous songs one after another. However, Endless Mode continues to queue up songs indefinitely, until the player quits or the Dance Gauge is depleted. The song order is random, but options are available to limit the songs to a certain difficulty or category. The player may also choose to have a break stage appear after a certain number of completed songs.
	Unison is a two-player cooperative dance mode. Both players play a special set of steps on a single set of merged guide arrows. Players must hit the dance arrows according to their color: yellow arrows must be hit by both players simultaneously, while red arrows are for the left player only, and blue arrows are for the right.

Website Helps Teachers to Include DDR in PE Class - Developed by elementary school PE and Music Education teachers in conjunction with a parent who introduced DDR to their school three years ago, CoolTechSchool.com provides a clear outline of the equipment needed to play DDR, how much the equipment should cost, and where the equipment may be purchased. Even more helpfully, the website provides step-by-step instructions on how to set the DDR equipment up, how to navigate the game, and how to effectively use DDR in PE classes.

GETTING STARTED

Whether you buy a home version or a school version of DDR, both essentially do the same thing. Depending on your needs, the total cost of incorporating this technology into your curriculum, however, can range from approximately $200 per unit to more than $2,000. Below are some points to consider when making your purchases.

EQUIPMENT
Gaming System ($150+)
	GameCube	DDR Games ($20-$40)
	Playstation	Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix - $19.99
	Playstation 2
	Xbox	Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix 4 - $39.99
	Xbox 360
see DDR Universe for Xbox 360 (song list)		Dance Dance Revolution Extreme 2 - $39.99
		Dance Dance Revolution DDR Max - $29.99
Dance Pads ($15 to $1,000+)
	Low-end mats typically cost $15 to $30. Unfortunately, these mats tend to break down rather quickly, particularly in high-traffic situations like physical education classes.
	Mid-level mats typically cost $150 to $200. Although these pads are more durable in nature, they are still an unwise investment for a physical educator hoping to make use of them, even as little as several hundred times a week.
	High-end mats can cost upwards of $1,000. These mats are typically used in large competitive venues, such as DDR tournaments, and are ideal for physical education settings. Cobalt Flux, a Utah based company, is a well-respected brand in this industry.
PACKAGES
Some companies have begun to package these games and gaming systems specifically for physical education settings. Below are a number of packages from Gopher Sport, Sportwall, and Game Asylum.
Gopher Sport
	Cobalt Flux Pulse Dance System - $4,295 This complete all-in-one dance system features fully integrated monitor, dance pad, PlayStation 2 in security case, dance software, and heavy-duty frame.
	Cobalt Flux Pro-Grade System - $3,795 This institutional-quality system includes everything you need to have eight students doing "DDR" at the same time! Two students play the game on electronic platforms and score points on the TV, while the other six students do the moves on practice pads. The complete set includes two arcade-quality platforms, six practice pads, PlayStation 2 system, and Dance Dance Revolution game software.
	Cobalt Flux School-Grade System - $2,495 This system offers heavy-duty plastic electronic dance platforms at a great price. Far superior to flimsy home units, these super-rugged platforms withstand rigorous institutional use. This complete set includes two electronic platforms, four practice pads, PlayStation 2 system, and Dance Dance Revolution game software.
Check out the product information at Sportwall, and Game Asylum also.

 Listed below are a number of recent news articles about schools and teachers who have successfully incorporated video game technology into their curriculums.

Class, Take out Your Games: How teachers are using computer games to pique the interest of tech-savvy kids - Joseph Durant, a 10th-grader in Washington, D.C., has new respect for what it takes to be the President. Schoolmate Ciara Belle calls herself Cleopatra, and feels comfortable talking about ancient Egyptian civilization. Miles away, in Charleston, W. Va., Catherine Carte suddenly believes gym class may be the best period of her school day. The one thing they have in common? Computer games are behind their new attitudes. Read more.

P.E. Classes Turn to Video Game That Works Legs - In they rushed, past the Ping-Pong table, past the balance beams and the wrestling mats stacked unused. They sprinted past the ghosts of Gym Class Past toward two TV sets looming over square plastic mats on the floor. In less than a minute a dozen seventh graders were dancing in furiously kinetic union to the thumps of a techno song called "Speed Over Beethoven." Read more.

Dance Arcade Game Comes to P.E. Rescue
The popular arcade game Dance Dance Revolution will become part of public school physical education classes in Hawaii under an initiative to emphasize lifetime fitness activities over traditional team sports. The state Department of Education reached a verbal agreement with game maker Konami to use "DDR" software at no cost, and the program will be launched first in high schools during the 2007-08 academic year. Read more.

This section is dedicated to the review of a recent article from the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance that holds particular relevance to the main focus of this section - exergaming. "Incorporating Video Games into Physical Education," by Elisabeth Hayes and Lauren Silberman (Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, Mar. 2007) evaluates the many benefits to incorporating video games into the physical education curriculum.

INCORPORATING VIDEO GAMES INTO PHYSICAL EDUCATION - Elisabeth Hayes and Lauren Silberman

Hayes and Silberman advocate the use of video games in the physical education curriculum as a means of "enhancing young people's motivation and ability to participate in a wide range of sports and other movement-based activities." Departing from the work of such professionals as Linda Carson, who helped launch the Dance Dance Revolution Fitness Program in West Virginia's public school system, Hayes and Silberman focus on the instructional/learning benefits of video games in physical education.

Interdisciplinary in nature, Hayes and Silberman identify eight specific outcomes of integrating video game technology into physical education curriculum.

Construction of Mental Models involves the development of human understanding as a result of how people imagine, or simulate an experience in a way that prepares them for the actions necessary to successfully accomplish their goals. This is particularly relevant to athletes who engage in mental skills training. Video games offer athletes the opportunity to externally visualize the actions, etc., necessary for increased performance/success.

Learning Tactics and Strategies assists in athlete understanding and mastery of individual/team strategies and responsiveness to their competitors' strategies. Much like reviewing game footage, video games offer athletes the opportunity to directly engage and manipulate different tactics and strategies in game-like situations.

Acquiring the Language of Sports and Other Physical Activities addresses the importance of learning sport-specific terminology. Video games typically provide "situated" language learning, by integrating terminology into game play.

Practice in Psychologically and Physically Safe Environments touches upon the importance of allowing athletes the opportunity to study the skills of fellow players/competitors for personal development. Video games offer athletes the opportunity to review a wide-range of skills, moves, and strategies without the pressure of social awkwardness. Video games also offer athletes the chance to study team dynamics.

Differentiated Instruction focuses on the importance of specifically tailoring instruction across motor, cognitive, social, and affective domains. The different "difficulty" levels common to most video games provide ample opportunity for effective instruction, despite the varied skills of physical education students.

Enhanced Motivation taps directly into the desire of many youth to become professional athletes. Video games offer these individuals a wide-range of possibilities, in terms of which athlete they wish to participate as in a competitive setting. Building their own identities is also possible in many video games. Furthermore, the line between learning and playing has been masterfully blended in many of these games, which utilize professional athletes to instruct players on how to best be successful.

Collaboration and Teamwork undermines the archaic notion that video games are largely a solitary pursuit. Video games are a communal experience for many youth, and provide the opportunity to 1) compete directly and 2) to observe peers.

Technological Proficiency involves acquainting youth with technology. This benefit is the most interdisciplinary in nature, but involves many important general qualities, such as problem solving and decision making.

July 9-10
Adelphi University, Garden City, NY
Elementary Dance Integrating Technology
Contact: Susan Antle (santle@aahperd.org)

July 16-18
University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL
The Use of Technology to Address National and State Standards
Contact: Dr. John Todorovich (jtodorovich@uwf.edu)

July 23-24
University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO
Curriculum Development Integrating Technology
Contact: Susan Antle (santle@aahperd.org)

July 31-Aug. 1
Marshall University, Huntington, WV
Integrating Technology K-12 Instructional Practices
Contact: Susan Antle (santle@aahperd.org)