Recess, as we commonly know it, is getting a makeover this fall for the digital age. The innovative program with its varied exercise stations will motivate students and teachers to embrace physical activity as a lifelong habit.
As part of a grant-funded project, the Miami-Dade County Public School District's Office of Physical Education and Health Literacy developed a technology-based, indoor fitness trail for elementary school recess.
In addition to the usual stepping posts or chin-up bars, this "trail" set up throughout schools will have Quick Response (QR) codes featuring videos of different exercises and activities that students will be able to access with a QR reader app on an iPad. Each elementary school will receive two iPads and five QR codes each month.
The project is currently in the planning stages and the Office of Physical Education and Health Literacy is working with the district's Information Technology office this summer to convert the exercise videos into QR codes.
Miami-Dade county Public Schools is the first school system nationwide to fully implement this innovative program as a district-wide recess initiative. All students in grades K-5 receive recess either twice a week for 20 minutes each time or three times a week for 15 minutes each time.
For more information contact District Director, Dr. Jayne D. Greenberg at 305-995-1963.