Educational need or opportunity
To empower students to take control of their own learning using Dartfish. This will create an environment where students are:
- more engaged in the learning process
- encouraged to use problem solving and critical thinking skills
- empowered to become self-regulated learners
- encouraged to dialogue with other students and the PE teacher.
According to PE teachers who have used this setup it feels like having another PE teacher in the class.
Student feedback shows that they are pleased with the setup to improve their techniques and to be able to compare. Students learn best when seeing themselves and with Dartfish they can have immediate visual feedback.
This setup is being used in schools and sports organizations around the world with very positive results, so when implemented at the International School of Lausanne I would expect similar successful outcomes.
The technology I hope to get used for a trial would be:
- video camera
- tripod
- mini-tripod
- fire wire
- external hard drive
- headphones
- 4-port USB hub
- lap top with adequate ROM
Logistics of solution
The inclusion of this software will be a fundamental choice to incorporate educational technology in PE classes and ASA Sports.
The danger is that time will be running out quickly in day to day PE classes, so time management will be absolutely key. There will not be ample time for setting up the technology, using it effectively and storing it away after use. Also the evaluation process can take up significant time from the teachers. As with most educational technology the teachers will need a learning curve in order to understand how to work efficiently with the software.
Hence it will be important to create professional development time for the PE teachers and the IT support staff to have them learn the software and hardware prior to introducing it in class. The PD time can be online through webinars or personal online one-to-one. It’s also possible to join the classes organized by Dartfish at their office. At least one PE teacher or IT staff will need to become a Dartfish Certified Instructor (3 day course, EUR 690) where one perfects their Dartfish knowledge and learns how to teach others how to use the software. (Prior to that certification it’s necessary to go through the Video Coach and Power User courses.) The teacher or staff member who has become the Dartfish Certified Instructor will need to develop a continuing education plan for the users of the software.
Lesson plans will need to be adapted in order for seamless integration of the technology. This should include ample time in the first lesson to introduce the hard and software to the students. Also in terms of lesson content, the most effective use is to create different stations instead of one
Resources
I have visited earlier in my MAED the Dartfish world wide head office when working on a project for KIN856 Physical Bases of Coaching by Dr. Scott Riewald, where I needed to compare the tennis serves of Roger Federer and Andy Roddick. So I’ve had hands-on experience with the evaluation analysis part of the software in trial mode. (30 days free use; try it out!!)
We don’t have this software at the International School of Lausanne and I would like to present the school with a proposal for a trial.
We don’t have this software at the International School of Lausanne and I would like to present the school with a proposal for a trial.
On Tuesday 24 May I will meet with the Dartfish Country Manager for Switzerland to have an exploratory meeting. Objectives for that meeting are:
- a more complete understanding of all Dartfish software options in PE and ASA
- detailed hard and software requirements
- investment overview, training costs and annual running budget
- evaluate possibility for trial set up at ISL.
For an initial idea of the software please visit:
Plan
As I don’t manage the budget I will not be able to commit to any educational technology investment at the International School of Lausanne. Nonetheless my desire is to have at least a trial session with the Dartfish software, hardware, a Dartfish trainer, the PE Head of Department, the IT Manager, one or two sports coaches and some students. This is going to be quite a challenge in itself as the school year is coming to a close very rapidly now.
One can lead a horse to water, but can’t force it to drink. That’s the situation I will be in with this project as I will do my utmost to show the technology options in PE and ASA, however further (operational, budgetary and political) decisions will be outside my control.
Project Key Performance Indicators
Unfortunately I will never be able to see the real implementation at school and the effect on the kids within the time frame of CEP812. Hence I will have to do with restricting this project to the trial phase with the follwoing KPI's:
Unfortunately I will never be able to see the real implementation at school and the effect on the kids within the time frame of CEP812. Hence I will have to do with restricting this project to the trial phase with the follwoing KPI's:
- exploratory meeting with Dartfish Country Manager
- presentation plan for set up at ISL
- financial evaluation
- Dartfish trial at ISL including feedback from participants
If getting the ISL teachers and administrators on board with this project becomes a time issue; how about checking with the Dartfish people to see if you can borrow/use the equipment to video tape your floorball team’s workouts, skill drills, etc. You would then have concrete information and observations to share with the ISL school board as to the benefits that would be realized by adding Dartfish technology to the physical education program. I'm also wondering if you were able to locate any Internet resources or articles about using video to provide students with feedback. Resources can include pdf tutorials on how to use Dartfish, tips for recording sessions, etc. Looking forward to learning more about this unique project in your next post.
ReplyDeleteWow this is such an impressive technology! I was a competitive swimmer and have tons of hours of my swimming on video tape to analyze but you can only slow down so much using a regular video recorder. The video you have from the hockey team really helped me to visualize the functions of this technology.
ReplyDeleteI am wondering how you would be able to keep data on on quick a student could fix an athletic movement or to learn one with the use of Dartfish?
I very much agree and appreciate your thinking through about IT stuff since I have first had experiences the time constraints day to day and how sometimes technology glitches take up so much time (Hence today in class when laptop wireless was not working for my 4th graders . . . .)
I am very much looking forward to seeing your progress with this technology!
This definitely sounds like a BIG problem to address. It seems you've given great consideration to the fact that teachers/staff will need training prior to integrating the technology. I realize the software is an analysis tool and you mention the goal to incorporate into both PE and sports; are there specific things you intend for students to analyze? I think Sue made a good point about using football practice; perhaps your presentation plan/trial period could include one specific thing to focus analysis on so ISL will have "indicators of success" to evaluate long-term incorporation of Dartfish.
ReplyDeleteAs a former golf coach, I am completely on board with your desires to increase student accountability and investment in education. Would this be a primarily curricular need or more of an extra-curricular need? I know our district is very hesitant to give money to extra-curricular programs when curricular programs are in need. As for the application, would this be software that the students would also need a small amount of training in so as to get max benefit? Good luck.
ReplyDelete