PE Express | Physical Education Quick Tips

Understanding how physical education is taught and structured in different countries can offer insights for our programs. Often,we discover that our programs share more similarities than differences with those around the world. In fact, many of our current practices have been influenced by models from other nations, particularly those from Europe. This month’s Huddle will focus on physical education across Canada. Join us as we discuss teacher preparation, teaching methods, curriculum, and institutional practices. 

This episode of the PE Huddle is focused on instruction that helps all students find success in physical education. Join us as we discuss topics such as rigor and differentiation, dealing with difficult student behavior, assuring equity for all students, and creating a class environment that promotes success. Our guests have over 30 years of teaching experience and will focus on offering support for teachers at all grade levels.

Join us for a discussion about “Becoming the Teacher your Students Remember.” This three-part podcast covers a toolbox of attitudes that you carry with you as you teach. It has a great impact on how students remember you and feel about physical education. The second part is a discussion of the Master PE Teacher video series that covers the “how to” of teaching using effective methodology. The last toolbox is filled with the Dynamic PE ASAP online curriculum which includes lesson plans, master teacher videos, formative assessment sheets, instructional signs, and fitness support signs. Join the webinar and gain access to professional support from Gopher!

Join the PE Huddle for a lively question and answer session. Dr. Robert Pangrazi, a Professor Emeritus at Arizona State University, and an Educational Consultant for Gopher Sport, will review and answer your questions from past podcasts in an action-packed hour. Dr. Pangrazi has had a long and illustrious career in physical education, beginning as a 5th-grade teacher and later teaching physical education for several years before becoming an ASU professor of physical education for 32 years. He has published over 60 textbooks and 125 research and professional articles.

The world we live in is changing rapidly thanks to the rise of AI language models, which are set to revolutionize the way we communicate and interact in countless ways. What does this mean for us as health and physical education professionals? In today's episode, we'll cover how AI language models are being used in communication education, the concerns around biases and accuracy, the role of open AI prompt engineering for improving prompt quality and the potential use of AI models and physical education.

Hi, I'm Collin Brooks, and I am an Assistant Professor of Health and Physical Education at the University of West Georgia. The voice you hear right now is not actually mine. It is an AI voice. This podcast itself was assisted by AI by using an AI script writer which I collaborated with to create this podcast, I wanted to show some of the power of AI while discussing its potential use in physical education. With that said, let's get started. 

Microsoft Copilot, Google Bard, and Grammarly go are all great examples of AI language models that we can use to facilitate communication and enhance collaboration. When it comes to leading the way in developing powerful and widely used tools, open AI is undoubtedly at the forefront. These tools have the potential to help people communicate more effectively across languages and cultures. And translation models like Google Translate are already enabling real time communication without the need for a human translator. AI language models also have amazing potential for education. They can provide personalized learning experiences and assist teachers with grading and feedback. Double-checking generated text. 

Being mindful of biases and using AI generated text in conjunction with other sources of information and professional expertise is critical. One popular way to use an AI language model is through open AI chat generative pre-trained transformer GPT three tool to access chat GPT language capabilities, you can visit the chat GPT page on the open AI website and click start chatting to interact with it directly in the chat window. Once in the chat window, you can ask to chat GPT questions or give prompts for it to generate text, such as creating a sentence about a specific topic or providing ideas for a new lesson plan. One of the benefits of using chat GPT is that it is free and requires no special software or hardware. However, it is important to note that it only has access to data from 2021 and earlier. If you want to save your conversations with chat GPT you can sign up for an account. You can also upgrade to chat GPT for more features, such as plugins from platforms like Zapier.

While chat GPT is a powerful tool, it should not be used as a substitute for human expertise and judgment. Health and Physical Education professionals can use chat GPT to assist in their work, but should still rely on their own knowledge and experience. It is also important to critically evaluate chat GPS responses for accuracy and appropriateness. In the following sections, we will discuss how Chat GPT can help create quality learning content and lesson plans, specifically through prompt engineering. Effective prompt engineering is the key to unlocking the full potential of these models. Prompts are specific and precise instructions that enable the AI language model to generate high-quality responses that are aligned with the user's goals. The quality and specificity of prompts directly impact the AI language model's output quality, so good prompt design is critical. Asking chat GPT for information about a particular topic with a vague and open-ended prompt like what can you tell me about topic X might not yield accurate results. Instead, it's better to use a specific and well-structured prompt that clearly defines the topic and what information is being requested. For example, a prompt like what are some effective teaching strategies to help students manage stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic is effective because it is specific provides a clear request for information, and is easy to understand. This helps chat GPT generate a relevant and helpful response. Physical education professionals can benefit greatly from AI language models, which can assist or act as a collaborator for teachers create engaging and effective learning content, and even help create tailored assessments and rubrics for grading. Nevertheless, it is crucial to approach these models with caution and careful consideration.

As the accuracy and appropriateness of the generated text can vary widely. I encourage you to check out chat GPT and begin learning effective prompt engineering skills and see the various ways it can provide you help in your workflow and enhance student learning. While integrating chat GPT into educational platforms as possible, it should be executed with caution and attentiveness towards student learning. It is essential to adhere to best practices such as creating content that aligns with academic standards, promotes inclusivity, is accessible, and resonates with students of diverse backgrounds and abilities. Adopting a student-first approach during the creation process can guide businesses and creators in a direction that will ultimately enhance student learning and experiences as long as they are mindful and deliberate. 

Thanks for listening to today's episode, where we explored how AI language models can be helpful in physical education while also being mindful of potential biases and accuracy concerns don't forget to subscribe for more insights in the future

Brian Hull taught secondary physical education for 10 years in Denver, Colorado (in Denver Public Schools). All of Brian’s experiences have been in high needs Title 1 schools. In 2018, Brian received the SHAPE Colorado High School Teacher of the Year award. Additionally, in 2020, Brian was named the SHAPE America National High School Teacher of the Year. In July 2021, Brian transitioned out of teaching and joined the SPARK and Gopher Sport teams. Brian firmly believes in the “education” aspect of physical education.

Keeping an inventory equipment list and sharing it with your principal demonstrates that you value and care for your equipment. It also clearly defines your equipment needs and helps you share a clear and consistent vision for your PE program.

If you haven’t seen it yet, take a look at the PE Equipment Calculator. This is a free resource that gives you an essential inventory list that you can use to monitor your equipment needs each year. After you complete your inventory, this calculator matches your program’s equipment with SHAPE America National Standards and Outcomes and calculates which outcomes can be taught with the equipment available. Share this calculator with your principal or PE leader to strengthen your ask for additional funding and equipment.

Tune into the PE Huddle to hear about how to make personal changes in your teaching practice to make your profession personally rewarding. Topics such as emotional and physical safety, off-task behavior, modeling desired behavior, and efficient planning are just some of the topics to be discussed. As one of our speakers puts it, “The art of a tough few weeks of consistency to create a well-oiled machine” is a good place to start.

Holly Aungst is a Professor and Administrator in the Health Sciences Department at Northern Arizona University. She prepares teacher candidates to deliver appropriate instruction that is physically and emotionally safe for all learners. With nearly 15 years’ experience, Holly shares her expertise often by presenting at state and national conferences.

Theresa Freas has taught Health, Physical Education and Yoga for 24 years at Coconino High School in Flagstaff AZ, (her Alma Mater). Theresa has served as Department Chair for 15 years, was a Link Crew Coordinator for 15 years and coordinated the Alternative to Suspension program. Theresa earned her bachelor’s degree in Physical Education, Health Education in addition to Athletic Training at Southern Utah University.