Technology has long been in the classroom, and soon it could be in gym class as well. Iowa Congressman Bruce Braley introduced legislation last week designed to encourage the use of technology in physical education classes, and the bill is named for Olympic gold medal gymnast Shawn Johnson, who hails from West Des Moines.
The Olympic champion says that incorporating technology in P.E. classes would get kids more excited about fitness and exercise, and the Shawn Johnson Fitness for Life Act – if passed – would provide grants to 10 universities to incorporate more technology into their respective master’s degree programs for physical education, and those schools would in turn partner with local school districts to develop fitness technology programs.
“You see how much they enjoy being on a Gameboy or being in front of a computer screen, and if you can incorporate that into exercise and physical activity, hopefully it will spark their interest enough to take that next step to leading a healthier lifestyle,” Johnson said during a conference call last week arranged by Braley’s office.
Johnson should also know that kids do like their video games, as she was the “star” of Shawn Johnson Gymnastics, which was published by Zoo Games for the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS in 2008.