PDFE #2

For my second Professional Development/ Field Experience, I observed a middle school cross country meet on at 4:00PM on September 9, 2010 at Armuchee High School. There were two races, one for the girls’ teams and one for the boys’ teams. There were two teams for each race and roughly 15 to 25 participants for each race. The girls’ race began at 4:00PM and the boys’ race started shortly after the girls’ race ended. The participants had to run 3.1 miles in rather warm weather around a gravely track in front of Armuchee High School.


One-Dimensional Systems:

The participants’ fundamental movement was a loco-motor movement, because they are running and the purpose behind the movement of running is to travel a certain distance. Before and after the race the participants utilized stability movement by stretching so they would not injure themselves by straining a muscle or pulling a tight muscle that was not properly stretched. They did stretches that would require them to stand or sit and stretch their calves, quadriceps, abdominal and back muscles, biceps, and triceps. Running any type of race or even just running for pleasure almost entirely involves the gross muscle groups, because running involves large muscles groups, such as abdominals, quadriceps, and the calves. Running can also involve fine muscle groups, such as the runners eyes need to use the muscle of the eyes to move the eyes, so the runner can scan over the course and check on their progress in the course and keep an eye out for danger. Running is a continuous skill, like swimming, because there is no definite begin or end. Running is a continuous movement, because the participants’ legs are moving one foot in front of the other and is continuously repeating this motion. Some movements require a motor emphasis such as running. The participants in the race have both limited and maximum decision making. For example, the race course is already laid out for them so they cannot manipulate the course but they can decide on how to pace themselves while running on the course. The environmental predictability is a continuum between closed and open. The distance of the course will not change and typically a school has already established a course, therefore the actual course will not change. But the courses are outside, so the environment outside is different every day, it could rain one day and be sunny the next.



Two- Dimensional Systems:

* Playing video games: body stationary, object manipulation, no environment variation, and no context variation.

When playing video games, a person does not have to move unless they are playing the Wii, and they are manipulating an object (the remote controls). The environment is not moving therefore, has no variation and the context of the environment remains the same.

* Doing a soccer drill: body movement, object manipulation, environment not moving and context not changing.

When doing a soccer drill, the participant is moving not only their body but also the soccer ball around cones. The environment is not moving and the context is not changing, because it is the same drill over and over in the same environment/route.

*Playing soccer: Body movement, object manipulation, environment moving and context changing.

When playing soccer the participants’ body is moving and they are manipulating the soccer ball. The environment can change and the context can change due to the movement of other players on the field, the weather and the manipulation of the ball moving and the different routes it can take on the field. And because of the different techniques and plays the participant’s play.

* Driving a vehicle: Body stationary, object manipulation, environmental and context variation.

When driving a car a person is just sitting there so there is hardly any body movement, but they are manipulating an object by operating the vehicle, such as moving the steering wheel or pressing down on the petals. The environment can move depending on other cars and objects that are changing their positions. The context of the vehicle changes as it moves from interstate to high or from heavy traffic to light traffic.