Chad Schwartz's 20% Project

My 20% project was to increase my digital footprint.  As a PE teacher, I sometimes stuggle with ways to incorporate technology into my classroom with the fear of taking away activity time.  I also feel that with the direction technology is going it is time to either get on board with it or be left behind.  Students are living in a time where they are socially connected.  For us as teachers to be relevant instructors we need to live in their space, talk in their space, be relevant in their space. 

I will admit, I'm not the most technologically savey person, but I feel that I have expanded myself through social web tools like twitter, creating contacts in the PE field, that have integrated technology into PE, and are most willing to offer insight and opinions to help. I think too often people think of message boards or forums as a place where people are negative and hateful, often the only contribution being what they had for lunch.  Through this class, I have found that there are resources out there that are above just being insightful.

My 20% project has help me to try and incorporate technology into my class in such a way that isn't overbearing, but can be viewed as a benefit to student learning.

I have created my fitness plan project to be fully online through the use of moodle and google docs.  Something I would have considered nearly impossible before starting these classes.

I feel that I am something larger than what it is I do at Valley View.  People I don't really know (only through an online resoure) will contact me with questions they may have.  There is a sense of professionalism between everyone that I didn't think would be there.

I have also been able to stay up to date on current trends in technology and the PE classroom.  It may not look like a "core" classroom, but I think PE class may be changing  a little.