GPS has been used successfully to enrich and amplify the impact of physical activity on developing learning experiences and engaging with nature. Recent research has shown that portable GPS devices are reliable and can be incorporated with accelerometry to supplement physical activity measurement in adult and adolescent populations. GPS has also been used to accurately measure travel routes in children and to differentiate selected physical activities.
In the sporting domain, GPS has been used to track athlete movements and complement physiological assessment. Taken together, these studies support the use of GPS as a complementary tool for the measurement of physical activity and human movement, rather than a physical activity measure per se. A major advantage of using GPS is that it provides much needed contextual information (e.g., location) of physical activities, thereby providing a better understanding of how people interact with their environment, whether this is during free-living physical activity, active transportation, or sport and recreation. (1)
Mr. Roberto Duro, our Physical Education Lead Educator, combines technology with physical activity to engage students in an investigation of our surroundings and in an exploration of the concepts of orientation, space and physical activity with the aid of GPS-related tools such as @GoGeocaching.
The photos in this post reveal our students’ enjoyment and engagement.
(1) Text taken from Maddison, R., Ni Mhurchu, C. Global positioning system: a new opportunity in physical activity measurement. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 6, 73 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-6-73
June 1, 2023
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