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Contemporary teaching: New database helps PE teachers find digital tools
Digital tools can provide support for more variety in sports lessons. The choice is huge - SpoDigi-Tools helps you find and keep an overview // Photo Colourbox
Whether it's an organisational aid, interactive learning game or music streaming service - there is a huge variety of apps and tools to diversify physical education lessons. Hardly anyone knows them all, but recommendations from colleagues often help. The Spodigi-Tools database now aims to provide a valuable and time-saving overview.
"The digital transformation of physical education is in full swing and Spodigi-Tools is at the forefront of this movement: Our innovative database provides PE teachers with information and access to over 550 digital tools to make teaching more efficient and contemporary," say the researchers.
Screenshot of the user interface: Spodigi-Tools is now available. // Project image University of Wuppertal
Teaching-specific filter options
Developed at the University of Wuppertal and the University of Hamburg, Spodigi-Tools offers targeted filter options to meet the specific needs of teachers and trainers - be it in terms of lesson content, application scenarios, costs or the technical features of the tools. "Our platform helps teachers to customise their lessons and use innovative methods directly in the classroom and in the sports hall," explains sports scientist PD. Dr Jonas Wibowo from the University of Wuppertal.
One example: Which applications support videography and are available as free full versions? The database delivers five results and not only lists their names, but also provides a brief description and further literature references for each one. In addition to the pure search function, the database also enables a direct comparison of up to four tools. A video tutorial provides an introduction to using the database.
Continuous further development
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The researchers want to use the launch of the database in the coming months for evaluation purposes. "The more users support us in this, the better the database can be adapted to the target group afterwards," says Wuppertal sports scientist Dr Rüdiger Hofmann. The evaluation is to take place in May 2025 with online surveys, among other things.
The project "Database-supported planning of digitally-supported physical education" (DiPSU for short) is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in the competence network lernen:digital and is part of the ComeSport project network. The University of Wuppertal and the University of Hamburg will receive a total of around 473,000 euros.
