Focused on Fitness: Schools use wearable technology to help improve gym classes

By David BruceGatehouse News Service Physical education teachers at Parker Middle School in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, are noticing a little extra hustle from their students.
When a volleyball rolls across the gym floor during drills, several students chase after it. Sometimes they start doing jumping jacks between relay races.

"It's all about turning their wrist monitors red," said Heather Karns, a physical education teacher for the General McLane School District.
The monitors are part of a technology program the school started using about six weeks ago to help students exercise more efficiently in gym class. The monitors, which look like wrist watches, keep track of each student's heart rate and calories burned.
The use of technology is part of a growing trend in schools across the country as physical education classes evolve from rope climbing and dodge ball to teaching students sports and other physical activities in which they can participate for the rest of their lives.