With so much focus on how technology can benefit traditional academic subject areas like science, literacy and math, the impact and potential positives of technology in a physical education setting has been overlooked by many. The reality is that this is a market with great potential. Reporting on a market analysis of the physical education technology market, the University Herald stated that “A recent forecast predicted that the market for physical education… is said to grow globally and will generate up to $8 billion in revenue by 2020″.
Intel Free Press
Wearable tech like watches, wristbands, glasses and other clip-on devices can be used to track, motivate, train and correct students in a PE setting. If you teach PE or are responsible for those who do, paying attention to the developments in this market is essential. New technology is presenting new opportunities in the PE classroom to help students manage their health, refine and hone specific skills and become all around better athletes. Business Insider, in an article about how science and technology is changing sport states: “In the past, a coach could film or watch an athlete to spot errors and problems in form. Now, newer three-dimensional motion capture technology — like the Xbox Kinect systems, and more advanced similar setups — can do far more. Between three dimensional modeling and biometric feedback on things like heart and respiratory rate, an expert can see far more about what’s happening with an athlete’s body”.
Additional evidence of the potential can be seen in a market analysis of wearables. As shown in this IDC analysis by the year 2021 it is projected that over 240 million units will be shipped. Another sign of the potential for this market comes by looking at the 2018 Consumer Electronic Show. One of the major focuses of the conference is the Fitness Tech Summit, this summit focuses on the potential for fitness tech and boasts that fitness tech currently pulls in 25% of the 80-billion-dollar fitness industry.
The target market for physical education technology is extensive including both K-12, Higher Education and Commercial settings. Because of the wide variety of products that can fall into this category it can be said that it offers service, content and infrastructure to its potential markets. Depending on how it is integrated into the physical education classroom the buyer could be found at many levels. Tech could be purchased in bulk higher up in the decision-making chain (governments, school boards, etc.), purchased by a teacher for their class, or in a BYOD setting, by the students themselves.
This is a newer market with enormous potential, but it does not come without challenges. Uniformity in hardware and compatible software could present challenges to educators as well as the current high price of many wearable devices.
From an educational stand point, there are many resources to assist and inform teachers in their decision-making process related to PE tech. The PE Geek Podcast (http://thepegeekpodcast.podomatic.com/) is a great resource that provides educators with inspiration and assistance on their journey enhance learning in the PE classroom with the help of technology. The most recent podcast shares 100 ways a PE teacher can use technology to enhance their classroom and the learning opportunities for their students.
Other sources of information, inspiration and assistance include:
Support Real Teachers
The Techedvocate
Spark
EmergingEdTech
FitRated
