Dig(ital), Set and Spike: Using iPads to Assess Human Movement

At AvÐÔ°® Christi College, each student is equipped with a digital device – the iPad – an essential tool in enhancing their learning experience. But how does an Apple Distinguished School integrate digital technology into subjects such as Health and Physical Education, where lessons take place outside of a traditional classroom? 

The answer involves using the tablet’s features in a creative way.

Using the inbuilt camera, students can record footage of their sporting drills to then view and analyse in slow-motion playback. Rather than merely observing each other and writing written answers on how skills are being performed proficiently or not, students can investigate more thoroughly, marking up the footage and image stills in their Pages app.   

Head of Health and Physical Education Sheldon McIntyre recently deployed the method with his Year 12 ATAR class, who were tasked with demonstrating ‘motor learning and coaching’ in volleyball. Students paired up to produce a Pages workbook documenting the process of skill correction with annotations, as well as suggested strategies to enhance athlete performance. The personalised audio-visual content was then updated into the learning management system for marking.

Student analysis of volleyball skills using annotation, photography and audio.

In coming away with a better understanding of the curriculum, students have gained a competitive edge for their ATAR assessments – a benefit both athletes and non-athletes can appreciate!  

If you’d like to see more Digital Creativity, check out the hashtag, on Twitter for snap-shots of the course in action. 

Jamie Clark
DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL INTEGRATION

For Media Enquiries please contact: communications@corpus.wa.edu.au