When thinking of the use of spreadsheets and databases in school, Physical Education might not come to mind first.

However, there are ways in which teachers can implement the tools in order to increase students learning and achievement. Evaluating skill performance: A teacher can have students demonstrate a skill in which their performance is evaluated. For example, in elementary PE locomotor skills are assessed along with students identifying parts of their body. This assessment can be done as a pre & post. Here is an example of this assessment in an excel file:

Paper and Pencil Assessment. (n.d.). PEC: Lesson Plans for Physical Education. Retrieved from http://www.pecentral.org/lessonideas/ViewLesson.asp?ID=4800 Creating Graphs Students can create a graph with data collected from a heart rate lesson. It becomes a great visual for students they are able to see what exercises cause the biggest increase in their heart rate as well as what exercise is closest to their resting heart rate and everything in between.

Recording Fitness Data PE Teachers in Baltimore County, MD have access to a program called Fitnessgram. The program is a database containing all of the students in the school. Teachers can input fitness data in an excel type spreadsheet and then print out a report for the student/parent. On the report is a bar graph, showing whether or not the student is or is not in the healthy fitness zone. Students are able to see data from past and current Fitnessgram testing in the areas of cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and body composition.

http://www.fitnessgram.net/files/fgsamplereports.pdf

Student Graphs Students can collect data in particular units and create graphs to see their progress over time with that skill. For example, a 40 yard dash each attempt the student records their time and at the end of the unit, creates a graph enabling them to see their progress .