"California Dreaming" - Searching for the Fit Life by Lois Mauch

I have just completed a years leave from teaching physical education in Fargo, ND, traveling around the country teaching physical education teachers how to use and apply technology to their curriculum for Polar Electro. When asked to summarize my impressions from this year's experience, I was unsure of how to begin. My Mother once told me, "Just write what you know."

This I know: Our physical education curricula must be fitness-and-wellness-based. We must share the "how" and "why" of fitness with our students in hope that they will use the knowledge to create their own healthy lifestyles for a lifetime. As I traveled, I was amazed at the number of physical education teachers using technology, but I was equally concerned about the number of physical education teachers who are doing things the same old tired way.

In the different workshops that I put on, I introduced Polar heart rate monitors and a handheld device (Palm Pilot like) known as a "Companion" developed by the HealthFirst Corporation of Albuquerque, New Mexico. One of the most gratifying experiences that I encountered during my year long leave of absence was in the small town of Lemoore, California. I have been a presenter at the Lemoore Fitness Technology Institute for the past three years. This year Harry Sussman, Assistant Superintendent of Schools, and I put together a 3 day Institute that incorporated the use of heart rate monitors, computer fitness diagnostic systems, web based fitness appraisal information systems and hand held devices into a practical "how to" program.

The first day of the Institute was devoted to the introduction of an electronic fitness assessment system (TriFit 600 by HealthFirst) that measures fitness levels and prints a beautiful personal fitness portfolio. The electronic fitness assessment system allows students to pick which assessments they may want to do. For example, using the Polar heart rate monitor, (HRM) they can run the mile, walk a mile, ride a bike, swim, etc and then enter their times above, in and below their target heart rate zone. Students enjoyed having the opportunity to make personal choices, which is reasonable, since we all prefer to work out the way that we want, not the way that somebody dictates to us. The TriFit software allows students to set up strength and cardiovascular workouts for themselves. It also gives them an idea about how long it will take for them to reach their fitness goals and it even suggests a diet that they can follow to make their personal fitness goals a reality.

"Health Risk Appraisals" (HRAs) are also incorporated into the program software. The HRA's let students investigate their individual health and fitness concerns and offers suggested web sites if the student wants more information.

On the second day, we spent time using and applying the heart rate monitors. I introduced them to the Polar heart rate monitors using the "Leadership Guide", developed this past year by Polar Electro. Summer school physical education classes were going on at the same time as the Institute so participating teachers were able to work with these summer school students and practice what they learned. They taught the students about how to use the heart rate monitors and what the numbers meant to the student in terms of fitness level. They also took these students through the Fitness Education Pyramid. The Fitness Education Pyramid is an educational tool that allows students to pick their exercise intensity level and learn the principles of fitness easily. I developed the Pyramid also with colleagues in Fargo, North Dakota to provide students with a graphic representation of the levels of training needed to reach the fitness level that they desire. The Pyramid is easy to use and easy to understand and students seem to really like it.

The summer school students wore heart rate monitors during their class period. They gave the institute teacher they were teamed with their recall data including the amount of time in their target heart rate zone (THRZ), the amount of time below their THRZ, the amount of time above their THRZ, and their average heart rate. The Institute teachers entered the data into a software program developed by HealthFirst called "ExerTrac". ExerTrac is a web based software program that can be viewed at www.Healthschools.net. ExerTrac is designed with the Physical and Health Education teacher in mind. Data can be entered in from the Accurex IIa Heart Rate Monitor and reports are developed to allow the students to analyze and determine personal fitness levels. Grading or Rubrics can be assigned to the students' efforts based on how much time they spent in the target heart rate zone (THRZ), below the THRZ and above the THRZ. The average heart rate is entered along with an activity. The ExerTrac gives beautiful printouts detailing to use of the time the students spent in class.

The Wellness Center, another HealthFirst software product, was introduced on Day Three. The Wellness Center is also Web Based and consists of three main components: a fitness center, health risk appraisals, and a wellness library. The Fitness Center has video, sound and text descriptions of the applications needed to learn appropriate techniques necessary to do strength and cardiovascular activities safely.

The Health Risk Appraisals (HRA) are also web based. When a student is finished, the appraisal will direct him/her to a page on the Internet with information and guidance about ways that they can realistically improve their HRA rating. This is a password-protected program that is confidential and other students cannot view their information or their reports. The teacher can enter an administrator password that will allow him/her to view all student appraisals, manage which tests are available for the students to take or to look up a password, if a student has forgotten.

The Wellness Library is an encyclopedia of information on various topics, along with quizzes that correspond with the HRA's. Because the ExerTrac and the Wellness Center are web-based, the student can explore possible career opportunities relating to physical education, dance or sports. The also can be easily directed to additional heath and wellness information that is available on the Web.

The Companion is a handheld palm computer devise designed to improve and streamline data collection on the field or gym then merging that information back into the teachers office computer system or the TriFIT 600 Interactive Fitness System. The teacher can collect records as students do their fitness assessment activities and upload the information into the TriFIT 600 Interactive Fitness System. The Companion can also be used with ExerTrac. At Lemoore, we had the students enter in their own fitness data into ExerTrac and then explain what the information meant to their teacher.

The best part about this hand held technology may its classroom management component. With the use of the Handheld Companion, you can enter in your students' assessment scores, take roll, write yourself notes, have a daily or weekly lesson plan in front of your at all times, have addresses and phone numbers on click away, and the uses just go on and on. It is amazing to me that a Physical Education teacher may finally be freed from carrying around a clipboard of papers that always seem to get wet, blown around or lost, while trying to conduct a meaningful class. The hand held devices, which can fit in a little holster on your waist, can replace all of the paper and do it better and more efficiently. Exciting may be just an understatement. The ease in which large amounts of information can be stored and recalled is truly miraculous. We might actually design classes around student needs not around paperwork logistics.

What is it I know? I know that I spent the whole year sharing with other teachers around the country how my students at Agassiz Middle School reacted when I introduced them to the world of technology in fitness education. You will also experience the positive reactions and a phenomenal change in their attitudes of your students. Students believe in technology, understand technology and want to be as close to it as they can. They want to see the results of their fitness assessment on a computer screen. The computer technology provides them with tangible evidence of their personal progress over time, and helps them make their own fitness choices based on what they know.

During the workshop at Lemoore High, I was able to demonstrate to these teachers what I have said all year: "Students who use this technology develop a genuine interest in their own health". They are self-motivated to improve their fitness levels and learn more about wellness in general. The LHS students asked to participate the second and third day activities and wanted to do extra assessments, such as the Program Meal Planner. One student could not wait to participate in PE the second day because he was over his THRZ 87% of the time on the first day. After he reviewed his personal printout from the ExerTrac program with his teacher, he said; "PE was so much more fun today: I didn't have to work so hard (87% above THRZ) but I knew I was still where I needed to be - in my target heart rate zone."

I spent the year working with Physical Educators all across the United States. I shared how this technology will make students want to learn. They want to make their own fitness decisions, and now we can give them solid data to help. They want to make a difference in their own health. Any student can improve his or her physical fitness with this technology, used in a fitness and wellness-based physical education curriculum.

I am returning to North Dakota to teach again in the Fargo Public Schools this next fall with a renewed excitement. I cannot wait to use the fitness technology and guide my students, both in making good fitness choices, and also in learning about good wellness habits. As adults, we are no different than our students. We must see results in order to believe them.

Our students' enthusiasm for this technology is boundless. We must take an active role helping our youth improve their overall health and fitness. This will result in lowering health care costs and positively impacting the fitness and well being of our young people over the long term. How can you help to achieve this goal? Get involved with your District, State, and National Physical Education and Health Organizations. Support the Physical Education in Progress (PEP) bill being presented to the United States Congress. Start asking for your share of the technology money that your school is getting. Talk to other physical education teachers who have experienced the satisfaction their students feel when using this new technology and find out how they made it happen. The money is going somewhere so it might as well go to you and your program as you try to meet the challenges of fitness and wellness facing our country in the 21st Century. Learn about the difference this technology can make for the well being of our future generations. It is all about bringing credibility and accountability to our teaching curricula and our students. This state-of-the-art, unique technology provides objective data that students can use to make a positive difference in their lifelong fitness goals. This is what I learned, what I know, and what I wanted to share with all physical educators.

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Lois M. Mauch is a Physical Education Specialist for Fargo Public Schools in Fargo, N. D. She completed her Masters degree in Physical Education and Health at Virginia Tech. University under the direction of Dr. George Graham. She is currently working with both Healthfirst at www.healthfirstusa.com and Polar Electro as www.polarusa.com consultant and lead trainer. Lois is also one of five developers of the Fitness Education Pyramid featured in the JOHPERD, 1997. The Fitness Education web site is found at www.corpcomm.net/~rmauch

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