Wearable Technology

Fitbit Flex

I must start my post with one wearable technology that I know very well and I own. The Fitbit Flex is one device that only has to be taken off if you want to charge it. It is a very small device that fits into a small wrist band. The Flex can track your steps, calories burned, sleep frequency, and exercise activity. The battery is not bad, with 5 days as a regular charge. The Fitbit Flex is a great tool for the everyday user who wants to become more active but still very useful to someone who regularly exercises.  You can sync your Fitbit Flex to your smartphone and the stats are displayed right on your phone. From your phone, your stats are uploaded to your online Fitbit account where you can view data in more detail. Here is a short video to give you an overview of the Fitbit Flex.

Here are some screenshots from my Fitbit Flex app and desktop dashboard:

I think the Fitbit Flex is a great tool to use in the classroom. I can see this being used in physical education classrooms as these wearables become more affordable. Students can actually track and monitor their progress as they exercise everyday at school.
Read this article to see how the Fitbit Flex has already helped one school tackle some health and fitness issues: http://www.gazettextra.com/article/20131227/ARTICLES/131229855

The Samsung Gear 2 

I have been thinking about smart watches lately, especially with the announced and soon released Apple Watch, but I have been struggling to find a connection with education. Since the Apple Watch still hasn't hit the wrist of consumers, I will focus on a watch that has.
The Samsung Gear 2 has anything you could want from a smart watch. It has a large screen, camera (Which is absent from most smart watches), and a good battery life (about 3 days). The Samsung Gear 2 has health tracking and a heart rate monitor, which seems to be the new standard for health tracking devices.

I can see this as a teaching tool more for teachers than a learning tool for students. As a teacher, if I need to lecture, I like to walk around the classroom to monitor what my students are doing on their computers. With a wearable smart watch such as the Samsung Gear 2, I could easily present a presentation on the smartboard and move from one slide to the next with a swipe of the watch, while at the same time, move around the classroom and monitor each student.

In terms of the students using a device like this, I believe many teachers will see it as another distraction, just like many teacher view cell phones in the classroom. But, I believe that if we can use these tools to engage our students, that is where it will be most valuable. Instead of saying, "OK everyone, get out a pencil and a sheet of paper for this check on your understanding", what if we say, "OK, I just emailed you a survey to see what you learned today, open your email on your smart watch, complete the survey, and then I will give you more instruction". I think the second statement is much more engaging for students in the classroom today, because they are all digital natives and use technology everyday.