It’s easy to see how technology helps you teach subjects like science, fine art, English, and math—especially when the COVID-19 pandemic unceremoniously pushed classes online in early 2020. Physical education is a bit more of a stretch.

PE class is, by definition, physical. It’s all about physical movement in a large physical space using physical objects like basketballs and dodgeballs. How can you effectively teach PE without being physically present, and why would technology be useful when you are?

Keep reading to discover the answers!

Tech Makes Any PE Class Better

When you’re teaching fully online or hybrid PE classes, you must find activities that can be done anywhere so that students at home can join in. With the power of live video, you can run all kinds of exercises, yoga courses, martial arts trainings, and dance classes from a distance. If your video conferencing software allows for breakout sessions, you can even take time to coach individual students in a large class.

If you’re teaching a class in which all students are physically present, technology can still play a vital role. When it comes time to teach rules to a new game or talk X’s and O’s for basketball or flag football, you can project them on a large display. This saves paper from handouts and accounts for visual learners who have trouble picking up new concepts aurally. You can also illustrate proper exercise technique with a video—like this breakdown of Stephen Curry’s shooting form put together by Basketball Tips Shotur.

Tech for Teaching PE Class

All those ideas for teaching PE with technology sound great in theory, but you’re probably staring at your laptop wondering exactly how you’re going to pull it off with your current setup. Fortunately, there’s a wide range of products designed to take your PE classes to the next level:

• USB Visualizers – A USB visualizer (document camera) designed for self-view works perfectly with video conferencing platforms for livestreaming calisthenics that students can follow along with from anywhere. You can even record with compatible software so students can access your content when it’s most convenient for them.
• Tracking Cameras – A classroom tracking camera or Pro AV PTZ camera follows your every move automatically, allowing you to fully use your space. You can teach dance moves, boxing technique, aerobics, move back and forth between multiple workout stations, or even demonstrate proper technique for climbing an indoor rock wall.
• Interactive Control Box – If you have an interactive control box installed in your gym, you can easily show videos of professional athletes to demonstrate proper form and inspire your students. Just pull up the content on your smartphone or laptop and share it to the display wirelessly via the box.
• Software – To integrate content from visualizers, control boxes, and tracking cameras into livestreams for students at home, all you need is a little software. We recommend CaptureShare, a free, easy-to-use app designed to work with AVer visualizers and tracking cameras.

In-class, hybrid, and remote PE classes will all be much more engaging and productive when you use the right technology. Just make sure to move your valuable equipment to safety when the action starts!