Jake Streepey and Mark Urtel, School of Physical Education and Tourism Management
Principal Investigator: Jake Streepey, associate professor, Department of Kinesiology, School of Physical Education and Tourism Management
Co-principal Investigator: Mark Urtel, undergraduate program director and associate professor, Department of Kinesiology, School of Physical Education and Tourism Management
Project Title: Using Tablets to Improve Technology Knowledge in Kinesiology Students
Funding Level: $5,000
Abstract:
It is projected that by the end of 2015, mobile computing provided by smartphones and tablets will eclipse the use of traditional PCs. In response, several institutions of higher education have launched initiatives for training students to use this technology to promote academic and professional success. In a recent survey of the IUPUI Department of Kinesiology faculty, members expressed a need for students to incorporate mobile technology into traditional methods for assessing fitness and human movement performance. Therefore, it has been suggested that the Department of Kinesiology’s in-house, required technology class (Microcomputer Applications in Kinesiology) be revised from a lecture/exam based course covering operating systems, internet browsers, and common workplace software (Microsoft Word, Excel, and Access) to a course where students work in small groups with mobile technology to analyze and answer kinesiology questions. To accomplish this revision, it is proposed that mobile data collection kits consisting of an Android tablet and several traditional kinesiology sensors (heart rate, accelerometer, goniometer, and spirometer) be developed for students to record measures of fitness and performance. This recorded data would serve as a context for helping students develop the traditional data analysis and presentation software skills required in Kinesiology professions.
It is expected that students will have a better understanding of how to use mobile technology in professional ways while also becoming more sophisticated users of spreadsheet and presentation software. Pre- and post-tests will assess the immediate impact of the proposed intervention while the long-term impact will assessed in upper level technical courses.