With a Digital Actuality Help, Video Video games Get Ok–12 College students Transferring

A common complaint from parents and teachers is that children are not getting enough exercise these days as many are tied to their handheld electronic devices and video games.

Help is on the way from an unlikely source, however. Ironically, the Technology that could get kids moving is the same thing that encourages their sedentary state: video games.

Video games as physical education

Virtual reality technology, turning users into active participants, is dramatically changing the way children play video games. In a VR game A user can play sports or dance as part of the game – which means that they are actually moving their bodies, not just their pupils and thumbs.

Many K-12 teachers and schools have started introducing themselves exercise-friendly VR games in the classroom or at school events.

Multiplayer Beat Saber makes for a great school event night #YMCA #makemedance #BeatSaber #thevillagepeople pic.twitter.com/MZG7KoQBGR

– Collin O’Malley (@collinomalley) March 13, 2019

Last May, Valley Day School in Morrisville, Pennsylvania was the first to be installed in the country a state-of-the-art, state-of-the-art virtual gymAccording to WPVI-TV, ABC subsidiary of Philadelphia, with camera sensors and stereo sound, 3D projectors and other gaming accessories.

Valley Day health and physical education teacher Jim Romano said the immersive VR setup will turn physical education into a “life-size video game” for students.

Improving physical activity in children through VR-based games is there Welcome messages for parents and educators because video games have been identified as the main culprit behind the decline in physical activity in children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that 1 in 6 children and adolescents in the country is obese.

“In 2014, the CDC identified hours of video games as one of the risk factors for low physical activity in the US,” notes the Virtual Reality Institute for Health and Movement.

However, adding VR to the PE mix turns this scenario on its head.

“… The inherent movement in virtual reality and the increased movement make it possible that video games will soon make a positive contribution to physical fitness and not to the enemy. And the Video game popularity As one of the most sustainable and growing pastimes in the world, it may be a great ally for those who have traditionally struggled to stay fit, ”explains the institute.

VR practice games fight obesity and help the disabled

The general public is also more concerned with its use VR games to increase movementaccording to the New York Times.

Some people have injuries or disabilities that keep them from traditional forms of exercise, and anecdotal evidence suggests it VR video games with an exercise component can help them maintain their fitness.

A 2019 study by the Journal of Special Education Technology called such games “a promising tool” to help children meet the recommended minimum daily allowance of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity.

Popular games include Oculus Quest’s Beat Saber, Box VR, The Thrill of Combat, SoundBoxing, and Holopoint, to name a few.

Another study, cited in the Journal’s study, found that “Physical activity is a key factor in preventing health Problems arising from a sedentary lifestyle and can have positive effects on the health, fitness and behavior of adults and adolescents. “

The Virtual Reality Institute of Health and Exercise and the Department of Kinesiology at San Francisco State University have teamed up to develop this VR Health Exercise Tracker “Building on hundreds of hours of VR-specific metabolic testing using research-grade equipment.” The tracker collects metabolic data, including the number of calories burned.

A good PC, VR headset (priced between $ 350 and $ 800), and 6 square feet to move around are all a user needs to play them Video fitness gamesreported CNN.

That is, K-12 institutions can easily Make space for gamers and encourage students to get off their phones and tablets – and students won’t even notice they’re exercising.