Welcome to your number one source for all things tech! Providing high-quality, standards-based instructional materials at affordable prices.
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Upcoming Seminars
Take the time to learn! Sign up now for Using Technology in Physical Education Seminars - click here for one day seminar:
- September 24, 2007 - Nashville, TN
- September 26, 2007 - Charlotte, NC
- September 28, 2007 - Savannah, GA
Click here for a two-day seminar:
- October 23-24, 2007 - Buena Park, CA (new 2-day seminar)
- November 12-13, 2007- Newark, NJ (new 2-day seminar)
- March 17-18, 2008 - Chicago, IL (new 2-day seminar)
- March 20-21, 2008 - Milwaukee, WI (new 2-day seminar)
Sign up now for Teaching Standards-Based Middle School Physical Education - click here:
- December 4, 2007 - Buena Park, CA
- December 6, 2007 - Burbank, CA
Here is what participants are saying about these seminars:
"This course has given us a lot of the tools and resources we need to bring our current class offerings up to a “distinction” level."
"Thank you for your direction and inspiration."
Can't attend - you can still purchase the presentation on CD to watch at your leisure.
You can also visit with Bonnie at the following upcoming conferences and events:
PA AHPERD - 2007
CAHPERD - 2008
AAHPERD - 2008
Featured Articles
Camcorders and Cameras
I recently read an article that said, "by the year 2010 digital cameras will be obsolete." With that in mind we will focus this article on camcorders that are capable of taking "high-quality" still images. When selecting a camcorder today, the first decision is which format to purchase. The chart below shows the pros and cons to the four prominent types:
| Format |
Pros |
Cons |
| Mini DVD |
Plays in most players and PCs.
Video quality is good for the price. |
Recording time is short in high-quality.
Editing MPEG-2 video is more cumbersome.
You can't load discs into slot-loading DVD drives. |
| Hard Drive |
Recording times are long.
Scene location is easier than with miniDV. |
Video quality is lower than DVD models.
You must use a PC or external storage for back ups.
Editing MPEG-2 video takes more time. |
| MiniDV |
Allows most precise editing.
DV video requests the least processing power to edit.
|
Must rewind or fast-forward to locate particular screens.
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| SDCard |
Rugged.
Pocket size.
Offer up to 4GB of storage. |
Features and controls on SD models are few compared to full-size camcorders. |
It appears the miniDV is still the best choice - it gives better video than any other standard definition camcorder format, and at a fraction of the price.
Before selecting any camcorder check its size, weight, and controls for convenience.
Features to get:
- flip-out LCD viewer.
- low-light features (Gymnasiums typically have poor lighting)
- image stabilizer
- full auto switch
- high optical zoom (forget the digital zoom)
Click on the icon below for more information about Physical Education Planners.
Vocabulary
In an effort to bring folks up-to-date with new terminology we will be including a few new vocabulary words in each issue. We are starting with words related to the Web 2 and wireless phones.
Web 2
Web 2: the second wave of the web.
Wiki: Applies to both content and technology. Content-wise, wiki refers to a communal collection of pages to which anyone can contribute (e.g., www.wikipedia.org). As server software, the wiki engine is an early example of the distributed-authoring and version-control systems used by modern workgroups.
Wireless Phone Terms
2G: second-generation mobile phones. They brought digital to the end user, adding another layer of confusion with competing implementations of signal multiplexing.
Global System for Mobile (GSM) Communications: One type of 2G phone. It is the defacto standard for mobile phones today. It provides digital voice quality and cheaper SMS (short message service) text messaging, as well as intercarrier roaming. Your GSM phone relies on a factory-provided SIM card in order to function.
Device Of The Month
Makoto
The Makoto Fitness Arena gives you the ultimate workout! Frequently used for reaction time training with professional sports teams, Makoto also increases flexibility and reach. Makoto increase the neurological connection between the brain and the body resulting in improved mental acuity, cognitive functions and overall better coordination and performance!. Only Makoto improves mental focus and discipline in a way that makes it fun as well as beneficial. The Makoto arena gives athletes measurable and tangible readings of reaction time, accuracy and mental concentration. Contact us for more information - sales@pesoftware.com.
College Adoption Time
Using Technology in Physical Education, Fifth Edition
 The number one book for college courses on technology and physical education. Click here for table of contents and more information.
College Pedagogy Package 7
Attains site licenses to all current Bonnie's Fitware Inc. instructional software; four Palm TX packages with fitness report, record book, heart monitor/pedometer, and clipboard software; four downloadable heart monitors; 15 Fusion 30 heart monitors; 15 pedometers, one Game Pad package, one Game Bike package; site license for Teacher Observation System; and 35-pack for Dine Healthy. Get your students up-to-date with technology using this comprehensive package. Click here for more information.
Fall Online Courses and College Credit
Fall 2007 Online Courses
The registration fee for each course is $100. The registration fee covers the online course materials and a letter of completion. Textbooks are required for some courses. Click on each course for additional information. The fall semester will run August 15, 2007 - December 1, 2007. You can sign up anytime between now and October 1, 2007. You may take as many courses as you like.
College credit is available from Emporia State University. These are 700-level courses - one unit each. The additional cost for college credit is $243 for Kansas residence and $315 for out-of-state residence (current prices - but it will go up for the fall - check the next newsletter for the exact amount) for each course.
Office Tips
Excel Tips
After creating a chart in Excel it is sometimes hard to find the chart. The last screen of the Chart Wizard gives the option of creating the chart on the current worksheet or on a new worksheet. If you select a new worksheet, then click the tab at the bottom of the screen labeled Chart1. To move the chart to another worksheet, click the chart to select it and then choose Edit and Cut. Go the worksheet where you want the chart to appear, click a spot, and choose Edit and Paste.
PowerPoint
After creating a beautiful PowerPoint presentation you are often required to put it on a thumb drive and present it using someone else's computer. Often your presentation just doesn't look the same on someone else's computer. This is because not all machines have the same fonts installed. When the new computer substitutes different fonts, it disrupts the entire design of slides, changing text so that it no longer fits in the space you gave it. The best solution is creating a portable package to put on your thumb drive. Choose File and Pack And Go for a wizard that pops up to help you package the presentation. You'll see an option that lets you embed your fonts into the package so that they're available on the destination computer. The wizard even can include a PowerPoint viewer so the presentation runs on computers without PowerPoint installed.
Browser Tips
Firefox Browser
Many of you use Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator, but more users are becoming Firefox fans. The ScrapBook Extension feature is but one reason for users switching to this Internet Browser. This features allows you to store copies of relevant information, pages, and entire Web sites in one spot - the same browser window you use to track down answers. ScrapBook is a free extension for the Firefox browser. You can pick it up at amb.vis.ne.jp/mozilla/scrapbook. Using the ScrapBook menu - choose Capture Page, and ScrapBook does the rest. you can also select text, graphics, or both from a Web page. Then either drag the selection into the ScrapBook sidebar or right-block and choose Capture Selection. You can also capture Web page linked to the page you're currently viewing. Right-click a hyperlink and choose Capture Link. Dragging the link to the ScrapBook sidebar also works. Right-clicking or dragging will capture individual images, as well. After saving the pages, you can access them by choosing ScrapBook in the ScrapBook menu, and the ScrapBook sidebar will appear on the left side of the screen. The sidebar lists all of your captured pages, along with the folders and subfolders you create to store them. When viewing ScrapBook items, be sure to check the toolbar at the bottom of the browser window. There you will find a button to highlight text in captured pages and another button to create annotations. Scrapbook also includes an eraser tool so you can delete selected items.
Software of the Month
Football Handheld Statistics  Complete game statistics: Offense, Defense, Special Teams
Single game reports - Individual and Team Stats
Cumulative game reports - Individual and Team Stats
Tracks time of possession with breakdown by quarters.
Two-way transfer of data between handheld and desktop computer (windows)
Real-time offensive stats summaries on the handheld
Fast, point & touch data entry.
Click here to view all the handheld statistics programs.
New Vista Feature
Historically Windows users had to use the PrintSCr key to capture screen shots. Now, in Vista, there is a new way. You can use the integrated Snipping Tool to capture any object on your screen and then annotate and save the image. Simply use the mouse to capture free-form shapes, rectangles, or full screens. After you capture a snip, it is automatically copied to the markup window for saving.
On Sale
While they last!
Sailing Simulator - 50% discount ($15.00)
Great way to learn sailing - click here for more information.
High School Units Plan - Card Stock - While Supply Lasts (aligned to National Standards only - 50 % off - $25.00 each)
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We do the research so you don't have to! If you receive this newsletter at school - consider changing your subscription to your home email. More and more schools are putting filters on their systems and it prevents us from mailing your newsletter to you.
Need Help?
We can provide you with 21st century fitness center designs and associated costs - just email us at sales@pesoftware.com and tell us your space size and budget.
2007-2008 Catalog (in PDF)
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Great Monitors
You can use just about any television/monitor for interactive fitness games (Dance Dance Revolution, GameBike), but a new LCD (liquid-crystal display) adds to the experience. These flat-panel (only a few inches thick and relatively lightweight) screens can attach to a wall or stand for easy access when playing interactive fitness games. Top-selling brands include Sony, Sharp, Samsung, Panasonic, Magnavox, and Westinghouse. Prices are dropping steadily thanks to low-priced brands from computers makers such as Dell. Most LCD TVs with screens larger than 20 inches (which is what you want) are high-definition sets. HDTVs can display the sharpest, most detailed images. Select features that allow the monitor to do "double duty."
Features to look for:
Speakers
Memory-card slot for viewing stills or videos from a digital camera.
USB or IEEE 1394/Firewire input - for connecting a camcorder.
Monitor: Viewsonic 22" Widescreen Monitor
The Viewsonic VG2230wm 22" Black Wide LCD with Multimedia. 1680 x 1050, OptiSync digital/analog inputs, height/swivel/tilt, 280nits, 700:1 contrast ratio, and 5ms response time. Click on the name above for more information.
Monitor: Viewsonic 22" HD Widescreen
VX2235wm X Series 22" HD Widescreen digital Multimedia LCD. 1680 x 1050 high resolution, 5ms gaming action, crystal clear HD movies with 720 support, OptiSync dual DVI/analog inputs for HD video, and powerful integrated stereo speakers. Finished in designer style in glossy "piano black" with silver accents. Click on the name above for more information.
Curriculum Products
The new high school standards-based physical education curriculum. Addresses all National and California standards. Click on the logo below to get more information.
You can also get instructional software for use with the units. Individual and site licenses available.
Click here for free samples of the high school curriculum. The sample shows the introduction and closure units for ninth grade and tenth grade.
You can now purchase the unit plans without purchasing the equipment packages. Click on the logo above for all products associated with the high school curriculum.
The new middle school standards-based physical education curriculum. Addresses all National and California standards. Click on the logo below to get more information.
You can also get instructional software for use with the units. Individual or site licenses.
New Products
Multicultural Folk Dance Treasure Chest - goes great with our middle school physical education curriculum. Click here for more information.
Dine Ed Pack - the famous Dine Healthy now with instructional materials. Click here for more information.
Dine Healthy Curriculum Guide - a curriculum for the famous Dine Healthy Software - click here for more information.
Eating and Fitness Excellence Book - an important book on dieting and fitness for controlling body composition. Supports the Dine Healthy Software - click here for more information.
New Stethoscopes - two new models at affordable prices. Click on the product for more information.
Dual Head Stethoscope
Teaching Stethoscope
Upgrades
Documents to Go 10
Microsoft Office 2007 was released earlier this year. It includes new file formats for Word and Excel (e.g., .docx and .xlsx). These new file types cannot be opened on mobile devices. Documents to Go 10 is the answer!
Research Works
Stocholm Obesity Prevention Programme: Effect of a 4 year school-based randomised prevention study on overweight prevalence among children 6-10 years of age.
Marcus Claude, Anja Nordenfelt, Gisela Nyberg , Marie Karpmyr , Jan Kowalski
Conclusions: Small, long term modifications of eating habits and physical activity in school and after school centre may have an effect on obesity prevalence. Intervention resulted in a decrease from 18% to 13% and obesity from 4% to 3% respectively. In control schools, there was an increase from 13% to 14% (overweight) and 5% to 7% (obesity). The intervention, based primarily on continuous encouragement of the school and after school centre staff, was focused on increased physical activity and intervention for healthier food (i.e., reducing the intake of fat and sugar in the school lunch and in the afternoon snack).
Video Equipment
DVR Recorders, DVD Recorders and Media Center PCs
DV Recorder - records onto a computer-style hard drive for later viewing. There are different makers and models of DVRs, but TiVo is the best known.
Pros
- Easiest to use
- Fits hundreds of hours of television programs on the hard drive
- Great flexibility (e.g., select your favorite show and it will record every episode)
- Watch one program while you record another
- Once the DVR gets to know your tastes, it will choose programs for you.
- Playback is simple.
- Makes temporary recordings of any program you watch so you can pause and rewind live programming.
- Picture quality is as good as live television.
Cons
- The records are not mobile - they are on the hard drive.
- Cost - $200 plus a subscription fee ($5 to $20/month). A high-definition TiVo Series 3 costs $800.
DVD Recorders - record onto DVD discs
Pros
- Best value - cheaper than DVRs because no monthly subscription fee
- Can watch the recordings on TV, computer, or portable DVD player
- More convenient
- Slightly more complicated than DVRs
Cons
- Cannot pause or rewind live programming
- Typical do not have on-screen program guides
Media Center PCs - some personal computers can record and play TV programs. These include all the functions of DVR, but there is no monthly subscription fee and the hard drive is part of your computer and not an independent unit. Expect to spend $1,000 or more for a media center PC. The current generation is only appropriate for folks who are very comfortable working with computers.
Future Tech that is Here Now!
The 150 Dollar LapTop
In recent issues we have shared the 100 dollar laptop computer being sold to third-world countries. Now the same group - One Laptop per Child (www.laptop.org) founded by MIT Media Lab is working on a 150 dollar version which will be available in the US. The computer attains its ultralow price through a combination of innovative technology (e.g., dual-mode LCD) and streamlining (no hard drive and it uses a Linux-based OS). It does have 512 MB of flash and 128MB of RAM; runs at 366-MHz; includes a microphone, speakers, and video camera; and has 802.1b/g Wi-Fi built-in.
Mind Control The Emotiv Development Kit (EDK) made it debut at the 2007 Game Developers Conference. The EDK's prototype headset, dubbed Project Epoc, detects brain activity using a noninvasive electroencephalograph (EEG) and translate it into game play. It also includes development suites that detect players' conscious thoughts, facial expressions, and emotions such as calmness or excitement.
Web Sites
July Web Pages for Health Education
Eating Disorder WebQuest
http://jreddick.myweb.uga.edu/
webquest.html
Environmental Health
http://www.gsn.org/gsh/cf/
categories/cat7.html
Non-Violent Schools WebQuest
http://www.kn.sbc.com/wired/
nonviolence/
July Web Sites for Grants
E-school News
http://www.eschoolnews.com/tsc/
School Grants
http://www.schoolgrants.org/
grant_opps.htm
July Web Sites for Physical Education
Animated Knots
http://www.animatedknots.com/index.php?
LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=
www.animatedknots.com
Walking and Hiking Trails
http://www.traildatabase.org/
I Walk to School
http://www.iwalktoschool.org/
Task Cards: Package of the Month
Elementary Package of the Month
Circus Skills - Contains twenty task cards on various circus skills including juggling and footbag skills. Each card includes the name and picture of a circus stunt along with the description. Click here for a list of specific cards.
Fitness Package of the Month
Dangerous Exercises - Contains fifteen dangerous exercises (names and drawings) for student analysis and matching with correct exercises for muscle group from Fitness Task Cards set. Click here for a listing of the cards.
Picks of the Month -
30" Wide LCD - HP LP3065
42" Plasma - Vizio VP 42HDTV
DVD Camcorder - Sony DCR-DVD 408
DVD Camcorder - Canon DC50
DVD Camcorder - JVC Everio GZ-MG166
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