Deliverable

Integrating Ed Tech in PE

This practicum project addresses the instructional problem of limited integration of educational technology (Ed Tech) in Physical Education (PE). While PE is traditionally focused on skill development, physical fitness, and health knowledge, it often lacks the purposeful incorporation of digital learning tools that are widely used in other subject areas. The absence of Ed Tech in PE reduces opportunities for learner engagement, data-informed instruction, and the development of digital literacy. This project applies frameworks such as Backward Design, Bloom’s Taxonomy, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), ISTE Standards for Educators, and Quality Matters (QM) principles to create a technology enhanced PE unit. The unit integrates tools such as Google Classroom, H5P branching scenarios, Thinglink, Canva, and analytics dashboards to promote learner engagement, assessment flexibility, and responsible digital citizenship. Peer feedback was incorporated throughout the design process to refine the project, ensuring that the deliverable is cohesive, learner-centered, and sustainable within the 40-minute PE class structure.

The central problem addressed in this practicum project is the underutilization of educational technology in Physical Education. While subjects such as science, mathematics, and English have widely adopted digital platforms, PE continues to rely heavily on traditional methods of instruction, which typically emphasize physical activity, direct demonstrations, and summative skill assessments. This imbalance creates several instructional challenges; limited opportunities for learners to engage with content outside of physical participation, difficulty differentiating instruction for diverse learners, and minimal use of digital data for tracking progress and growth.

The purpose of this project is to design and implement a PE unit that meaningfully integrates technology to enhance both physical skill development and digital literacy. The unit is built using Backward Design, ensuring alignment between learning objectives, instructional activities, and assessments. By leveraging digital platforms, the unit aims to provide multiple pathways for learners to demonstrate understanding, improve engagement, and prepare learners for the digital world of the 21st century.

Unit Overview

The unit is designed for high school learners in 9th Grade. It spans five weeks of 40-minute PE classes. The unit theme combines basketball skill development with the use of digital platforms to reinforce reflection, analysis, and responsible technology use.

Learning Goals:

1. Apply the proper techniques in shooting a basketball.

2. Use digital platforms to track fitness progress and reflect on personal performance.

3. Demonstrate responsible use of technology in fitness and learning contexts.

Standards Alignment:

• PE Standards: Skill acquisition, fitness development, and responsible participation.

• Ed Tech Frameworks: ISTE Standards for Educators (Learner, Leader, Citizen, Collaborator, Designer, Facilitator, Analyst).

• Instructional Design Frameworks: Backward Design, Bloom’s Taxonomy, UDL, QM Rubric.

Learning Objectives

Learning objectives were written using Bloom’s Taxonomy to build cognitive complexity:

1. Identify the proper mechanics of a basketball shot (Remember/Understand).

2. Demonstrate the correct shooting form in live practice and reflect using video (Apply).

3. Analyze personal progress and skill acquisition using data from digital tools (Analyze).

4. Create a digital artifact (infographic, video, or written reflection) on proper technique or responsible technology use (Create).

These objectives ensure that learners progress beyond physical demonstration to higher-order thinking skills such as analysis and creation.

Instructional Activities

Instructional activities are designed to balance physical practice with interactive technology:

• H5P Branching Scenario: “Mr. Banks’ Steph Curry Shooting Challenge” simulates decision-making in basketball shooting mechanics, offering feedback at each step.

• Google Classroom Discussions: Daily reflections and fitness logs provide opportunities for learners to analyze and comment on their own progress.

• Peer Collaboration: Learners record video clips of each other’s shots and provide rubric-based feedback, reinforcing cooperative learning.

• Thinglink Interactive Diagram: An annotated basketball court introduces learners to spatial awareness and proper positioning, enhancing visual learning.

• Pear Deck Interactive Slides: In-class mini-lessons include real-time polls and checks for understanding.

Together, these activities incorporate UDL principles by providing multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression.

Assessments

Assessment in this unit is choice-based and emphasizes learner autonomy while ensuring alignment to objectives.

• Formative Assessments:

  1. Daily exit tickets via Google Classroom.

  2. Peer-assessment rubrics for video demonstrations.

  3. H5P branching scenario completions with instant feedback.

• Summative Assessments (Assessment Hub): Learners choose from four options:

  1. Quiz (Google Forms) assessing knowledge of biomechanics.

  2. Infographic (Canva) illustrating correct shooting mechanics.

  3. Video Demonstration with accompanying self-reflection.

  4. Written Reflection on digital citizenship in PE.

• Analytics Dashboard Prototype: A simple dashboard visualizes learner engagement and outcomes while protecting privacy, modeling how data can drive instruction ethically.

This approach reflects QM principles by ensuring alignment between objectives, activities, and assessments.

Resources

The unit utilizes a mix of instructional technologies that balance accessibility and functionality:

• Google Classroom for organization and central communication.

• H5P for interactive branching scenarios.

• Canva for learner-created projects.

• Padlet or Jamboard for collaborative brainstorming.

• Optional fitness tracking apps (Google Fit, MyFitnessPal) for self-monitoring.

These tools were selected for their ability to enhance learner engagement while remaining practical within a 40-minute PE lesson.

Parent Involvement

A Parent Page would be developed to ensure transparency and extend learning beyond the classroom. This page outlines unit goals, explains the role of technology, and provides guidance on supporting learners at home. It also addresses concerns about privacy and digital responsibility, emphasizing that all tools used in the unit are chosen with ethical considerations in mind.

Reflection and Refinement

One of the most important aspects of this project was the process of growth based on peer feedback. Initially, the design attempted to showcase a wide variety of tools, which risked overwhelming learners and breaking up the unit. Feedback emphasized the importance of cohesion, clarity, and sustainability. As a result, the unit was streamlined to focus on a smaller set of purposeful tools, each tied directly to learning objectives.

This growth process ensured that the unit is not only theoretically sound but also practical for real-world implementation. It highlights my growth as a designer who can balance innovation with feasibility.

Conclusion

This practicum project demonstrates how PE can be transformed into a hybrid space where physical activity and digital learning coexist. Through intentional design, Ed Tech becomes more than an add-on; it becomes a vehicle for engagement, assessment, collaboration, and reflection. By integrating frameworks such as Backward Design, UDL, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and ISTE Standards, the unit ensures that both physical and cognitive goals are met.

The project also highlights the value of peer feedback in instructional design, showing how ideas can evolve to become more cohesive and learner-centered. Moving forward, the next step is to pilot the unit, collect feedback from learners and parents, and refine the design for broader application. Ultimately, this project highlights the importance of reimagining PE not just as a space for movement, but as a dynamic, technology-supported learning environment that prepares learners for lifelong health and digital citizenship, for college, for the workforce, for the future, which is now.

References

CAST. (2018). Universal Design for Learning guidelines version 2.2. CAST. http://udlguidelines.cast.org

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2017). ISTE standards for educators. ISTE. https://www.iste.org/standards/for-educators

Quality Matters. (2018). Higher education rubric, sixth edition. Quality Matters. https://www.qualitymatters.org/qm-membership/higher-ed-membership

Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (2nd ed.). Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD).

Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (Eds.). (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. Longman.