Zombies In Your PE Classroom

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Screen Shot 2013-06-03 at 10.06.44 AMAt the start of 2012 a truly superb augmented immersive app was launched called , Zombies, Run. This app takes you on a wild adventure by immersing you within the story of Runner 5. See the video below for more about Runner 5 and his mission to help the Abel Township survive after a Zombie Apocalypse.

httpvh://youtu.be/xlRgBvYFxTo

Since sharing this app with a number of teachers around the world, I have been pleased to hear of its integration within PE Programs with most using it with students as part of an iPod Touch rollout. However recently an idea occurred to me that, although simple, makes it even easier to use the app with students.

At present the app is targeted and works best with individuals listening to the story and music through their own headphones and devices. However not all schools operate under a 1:1 model for mobile devices, so it could work equally well with the app connected to a set of external speakers, like those shown in the picture above. Your students, inside your gym or outside on an field, could follow along and complete the mission as if it was via their own device interacting with the story as the norm. You could take it even further by mirroring your device with an Apple TV unit to a larger display, so students can see the items they have collected and the metrics of the activity. This would then allow the device to be actually moving throughout the activity, shared between students as the audio would be wirelessly streamed to the speakers.

Although this approach is a bit of a compromise for 1:1 access, it certainly enables teachers and students to experience this excellent gamified experience.

I look forward to testing this out with my Year 5/6 students in an upcoming unit surrounding Fitness and Wellbeing.

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