Where is the Education in P.E for Exergaming?

Active Video Gaming uses in Physical Education

I've just spotted a new comment on a Gamercize YouTube video that opens a critisim of exergaming that a lot of active games struggle to answer - where's the education component? The overriding answer to this question is there is none, as the game is just a tool for the PE teacher to use. However - some games give the teacher more to work with.

Here's the video that was commented on:



The comment says "I like the overall idea and objective of this, but how are kids working on fundamental movement skills and such. Sure this is getting heart rates up, but not actually teaching them any skills or ways to stay active throughout their lives."

Yes, Gamercize does raise HR to moderate to vigorous levels, so that's a tick in the box for physical activity, but what of  the skill component? True, Gamercize is not teaching kids how to catch, but we're looking at more advanced kids - the ones that are engaged by video games.

Gamercize in this implementation is being used to teach

• Sport strategy - seeing the big picture of team interaction and how tactics can be employed
• Team play - co-operation and communication between teams of 2 to achieve a sports objective
• Physiology - which muscles are working and how energy is being created for them 

I'm not a PE teacher, so that is just first impression view and I'm sure those more experience in PE will be able to find different modes of implementation that lever the power of engagement into video games to reach lesson objectives!

As for the second part of the question above, kids are like wind-up toys - just give them the opportunity to get moving and give them a start and they'll keep on moving :)

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Are video games sport?

Health Promotion in the Golden Decade of Sport

When you watch sport on TV how would you choose to participate, join a local club or go buy the video game?

This presentation explains what the Golden Decade of Sport means, and how it relates to increased physical activity and healthy lives. If video games steal the show, how can this be of benefit to health promotion? Find out more...

Health Promotion in the Golden Decade of Sport

View more presentations from Richard Coshott.

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Government Admits Health Policy Flawed

Millions in taxpayers money is knowingly wasted.

A report in the Daily Mail from Sarah Harris shows that nearly two thirds of teenagers do no physical activity at all. Government, responsible for spending over 250 million in "get out of the house" health promotion, admits that bad weather and kids skipping sport are more realistic driving factors.

Schools Minister Ian Wright has admitted that the findings, reported from a year long survey of 12,000 children, were news to the Schools Department. The government position has been criticised by the leading Child Health Expert, Tam Fry who described the government as being in "cloud cuckoo land". Opposition schools spokesman David Laws described the government's excuses for failure as "desperate and unconvincing".

Even before the report was commissioned, the government has been made aware of the problem of making sport fun and engaging, and has unheeded this advice and failed to act to even investigate the possibilities. What they have been told is that interactive technologies, such as video games and the web are far more engaging to today's youth; and these technologies should be used to deliver physical activity.

Video games engage teenagers because they are fun, it's social and it's their choice. Gamercize delivers physical activity (that surpasses exertion levels of school sport) using video games, not just the odd title, but all games. That's why Gamercize is best placed for teenagers to get some exercise - it's fun, it's social and it's their choice.

What's the next step for the nation's health? Perhaps the best people to decide the strategy would be those that are in touch with teenagers themselves? Our money is being used to promote a fundamentally flawed approach that is not working, has never worked and will never deliver - I think it is time for the whole government strategy to be audited, reviewed and held to account.

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Flexible Technology for Physical Education

Which is better, Structured or Unstructured PE?

When looking for exergaming to supplement existing physical education there are many choices. It is all too easy to be taken in by a wow factor; but evaluation should be made just as carefully as for traditional activity.

Electronics alone don't make great fitness activities, if they did then calculators could be used in PE! What makes great activities are people - the professional teachers, trainers, instructors who supervise physical education.

It should go without saying that exergames should be tools for the professionals, and be flexible enough to be used as the instructor deems appropriate. If a goal of PE is to raise the fitness of the whole class, and that means engaging everyone, no matter what their current ability.

Unstructured PE has the advantage that individuals can apply varying effort, so all abilities can be engaged. Take team sports as an example. Each player has a part to play but is free to make individual choice and apply effort of varying degrees to match their ability.

Gamercize achieves unstructured PE easily as only physical activity is required to participate, and the level of activity does not relate to in game performance or achievement. Students can take turns to play a popular video game while others participate with the social activity of spectating.

Structured PE can be used to boost individuals performance through bettering achievements of personal bests or finishing position. Running races are a good example, as the time run can be used for recording individual performance and gives everyone the motivation to finish in a higher place than last time.

Gamercize has the ability for instructors themselves to individually raise the minimum effort required to participate to physically challenge some students. Couple this with competition in gaming and the PE becomes structured and effort based.

To use exergaming effectively the most important component is the professional delivering the class. Gamercize shows how flexibility in exergaming can be used in both unstructured physical play and highly structured sports competition.

So which is better, structured or unstructured PE? I can't answer that, neither can an exergame, the only person qualified to decide is the one with the professional qualification - and the role of the exergame, is to be flexible enough to support that decision.

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BBC Sport - Olympics on World News

Be Interactive in your Fitness Training!

Watch the coverage of the Gamercize PC-Sport and check out some other fitness advice for interactive Olympic coverage addicts from BBC Sport here!

Don't switch off after the Gamercize segment, or you'll miss the five-ringed Olympic bicycle - or should that be quincycle?

My Games is an interactive TV show, broadcast live on BBC World News throughout the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

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Can Video Games be an Olympic Sport?

If so does it need to involve exercise?

There are many Olympic events that require skill only, and are not based on physical exertion. So there is a fair point that if air pistol shooting can be a recognised event, then why not Rainbow Six? The skills for both are very different but some would say R6 edges out in front for skill. Could there therefore be the chance of London 2012 hosting the first gaming disciplines?

I think that there is very little chance for video games on their own to become recognised as sport, but with Gamercize there is a better chance. Adding physical effort to a skillful game and raising the bar could make the difference. We have seen this getting great coverage and response for our event. But, just for now, let's see how video games get on in their own right.

Vote in the poll on Zimbio.com at http://www.zimbio.com/Olympic+Games/polls/1/results/Can+video+games+Olympic+Sport
that puts the question to the public - Can Video Games be an Olympic Sport?

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The Future of Exergaming

A Reality Check on Active Gaming.

There are more exergaming profiteers than experts and I'm sure you'll get a different view from both camps. I wince every time I see the total at the gas pump, so I'm certainly not in the former group!

As technology improves there is an increase in the application of video game technology, as a replacement of traditional sports and exercise. The virtual jogging, tennis, video game racing bikes and full motion simulators are good examples of these. What do these virtual reality exergames add compared with actually getting outside and experiencing sport and exercise for real?

A few reports have surfaced in the media recently that show I'm not alone in thinking real is best, and a few studies have been completed that even question the exercise benefits of virtual approach. For sure there is a place in nursing homes and rehab for some of this technology, but that is because the patients simply are not able to "Just Do It" for real.

I think there is diminishing future in the approach of taking participation away from sport and exercise to be replaced by exergames. My view has always been the approach that exergaming should add, not take away. This is why Gamercize adds exercise to existing video games and why we create new sports that are impractical to replicate in the real world.

I have estimates that, in the last six years, we have hit a grand total of 1,000,000 hours of sedentary video gaming. Can anyone really argue that real tennis, biking and jogging should be replaced by less healthy electronic alternatives? Can anyone really argue against adding fitness to these million hours of gaming instead?

I think the future of exergaming is to fix that one sedentary issue of gaming, and not in poor copies of real sports and exercise.

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Brain Training by Physical Exercise

Gamercize PC-Sport demonstrated live on BBC TV by health expert.

The question was raised today if employers have a responsibility of their employees health during the workday and this addressed by health expert, Jim McKenna.

What can employers expect by providing exercise at the desk? Increased productivity, less sick days and long term health. That's not a bad deal.

"Our data is quite conclusive... A day when I exercise versus a day when I don't, on average, I'll say that I am 17% more effective in my work." Jim McKenna, Professor of Physical Activity and Health, Leeds Metropolitan University told the BBC presenter of the Sunday Life programme.

He also added that by using exercise at work studies have proved that employees can burn enough energy to lose up to 20kg (44lbs) in weight in one healthy working year!

The Gamercize PC-Sport takes up less space than a desk footrest and was quiet and didn't leave Professor McKenna out of breath while chatting about the wider benefits of physical activity in the workplace.

For the more adventurous there is a treadmill desk, made by another company, that takes up quite a bit of space and costs 20 times the Gamercize option.

The programme will be available to watch on BBC's iPlayer shortly.

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Preview of Gamercize US Commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpDk6z2yVy0

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Active School Sports Competition

Video games get active and so do the kids

Repeat after me "Active games don't replace physical education". Write that out 100 times and you won't make the easiest mistake of active gaming. It's so easy to get kids involved with active gaming, even easier with Gamercize equipment, but use it as an extra and give children more opportunities to be active instead of replacing the ones they already have.

A really fun way of getting the whole class involved is to set up a competition. Remember that Gamercize is a level playing field because it lets the game work so long as you are exercising; so there's no penalty if you are not the fastest or strongest. As the exercise is secondary to the game you won't have to keep motivating the kids either, the game play will do that.

Here's how you set it all up. Split the class into four teams, and have a ratio of about 3 kids for each exercise place. Using four player games helps cut down the number of video game consoles needed, but two player games are just fine.

The important bit is to let the kids choose the games themselves. It is this that will give them the most enjoyment and keeps things varied. Keep any eye on the age ratings but as any game will work with Gamercize equipment that's just one thing to check out.

Give each team a color or a name, and a captain. Let each team play each other while teammates watch on and support. With four player games score each of the wins as 4 points, second 3 and so on down to 1 point for fourth place.

Straight away you will see the kids that normally do well at sport no longer have an advantage, but everyone is getting active and working hard!

Girls also get the level playing field with boys as physical fitness and strength alone will not win the points.

At the end of the session add up the scores and you'll have a winner, in the event of a tie the captains can compete in a play-off.

For extra variety you can not only score the gaming, but the exercise as well by adding up the totals from the calorie counters after each play! It's not major league yet, but with the addition of fitness to video games it does count more towards being real sport; but don't get caught up in the kids enthusiasm - "Active games don't replace physical education"!

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Sports Training Reaches the Next Level with Gamercize

Full Size Gamercize Pro-Sport with X360 and PS3
While the domestic version of the GZ Pro-Sport (for Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii) has been delayed until early 2008, there is a chance for a select few to try out the next-gen HD exergaming fun. The Xbox 360 Elite and PlayStation 3 (nearest and furthest respectively in picture) bring graphics that quite literally take your breath away while you work out. If there was ever a better example of the video games capturing your attention, and distracting you from the effort of exercise, then these consoles provide it.

The first time I played an HD game, I did not even realise the game has started, I thought it was still the opening cut scene! Awesome. There is a down side as this sort of quality does not come cheap and the titles do not come out thick and fast like they used to. It is easy to see why the last gen PlayStation 2 and GameCube titles still have such a strong following. Even in the face of HD gaming competition, low-cost consoles are still in production. While the expense of the newest consoles and games remains high for most of us, the cost is minimal for commercial organisations, eager to appeal to the young generation.

Using Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network, gyms and health clubs will be preparing for ladders, league tables and maybe even inter-brand competitions. Turning fitness in to a competitive sport using video games will benefit everyone, and ultimately help reverse the decline in outdoor sports and physical activity. Better still, when more gyms and fitness centers get hold of equipment like these Gamercize Pods, the myths about gamers being solitary and unhealthy will be gone for good.

Don't expect to see these changes to your local club overnight, it has only recently become socially acceptable for anyone over 25 to admit to "playing games". The huge hype and publicity of the Nintendo Wii is helping change attitudes, and the public "in-fighting" between console manufacturers has kept gaming in the news. Now the public in general is being exposed to a new form of entertainment, more and more are trying it for themselves - and they are loving it. The Wii becoming popular has a great deal to do with this, and the low console price has made the smiles wider.

There is evidence that your local club will change in the future - almost every month it is reported a new dedicated exergaming gym has opened somewhere. They are still seen as somewhat of a novelty, so it will take time for their commercial success to be noted by the big health club brands. When they do notice, it will take even more time to plan refurbishments, procure equipment, train staff, update health and safety rules, formulate marketing strategies and advertising campaigns. So keep playing games for now, exergame too if you have the kit. You are training for an emerging sport where skill and reactions will reign supreme for people of all abilities.

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