Welcome to the Pocket PE project! Pocket PE is an evidence-based digital app under development by Saavsus, Inc. to assist K-5th grade classroom teachers with physical education instruction. The only one of its kind, Pocket PE includes instructional activity videos for teachers and the capability to generate a fun, standards-based PE lesson with audio and visual prompts within seconds. Even better, each lesson is tailored to lesson time, student grade/skill level, equipment resources, and location.
On this site, you will find information on how the Pocket PE app functions, view sample content and videos, access project research, and opt in to notifications for project updates, opportunities to participate in Pocket PE evaluations, and learn about special offers once the program is ready for dissemination.
We hope you will find Pocket PE’s potential to bring quality, evidence-based physical education instruction to the elementary classroom as exciting a prospect as we do! Please share our link with other interested educators, and don’t forget to opt in to receive our project notifications.
Our Phase I evaluation of Pocket PE was very encouraging, with 5-star ratings on lesson content and app functionality among 3rd-5th grade teachers. We will be posting quarterly updates on development and evaluation progress on this website, so stay tuned!
Funding Information:
The prototype of Pocket PE for 3rd -5th grade teachers was developed and evaluated under grant number R43DP006743-01 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The K - 2nd grade prototype was developed and evaluated under grant number 1 R43MD018245-01 from the National Institutes of Health. We are in the Phase II stage of development, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (R43DP006743-02), to ensure rigorous development and evaluation.
Our Product
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Evidence Based
Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and developed by researchers in children’s physical education and motor development.
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Affordable
Tiered licenses and pricing to fit your school’s needs.
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User-friendly
Easy to navigate app functionality so you can pull a PE lesson out of your pocket! Better yet, PE runs itself with in-lesson music and navigation supports.
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Tailored Lessons
Create a PE lesson in seconds tailored to equipment resources, time, location, and student grade/skill level.
Pocket PE Sneak Peak
Our Principal Investigator Jeanette Ricci, PhD, highlights the key features of the Pocket PE app.
A video is worth a 1,000 words
Each activity is paired with a 30-second to 1-minute ‘teach the teacher’ instructional video on activity set up, teaching cues, and more.
Our Research
The Pocket PE program is the culmination of 13 years of research and lessons learned with classroom teachers who are responsible for physical education instruction with their students. Please review our manuscripts that informed the development of Pocket PE, and stay tuned for our Pocket PE prototype evaluation findings!
PE Professional Development for Classroom Teachers
This research study evaluates a trainer in residence professional development program designed to improve physical education instructional attitudes and practices in elementary school generalist teachers.
Circuit-based PE lessons: A recipe for student and teacher success!
This research study evaluates the preliminary efficacy of incorporating circuit-based (i.e., rotating activity stations) PE lessons on student fitness and physical activity levels. Based on these encouraging findings, circuit-based lessons were included in the Pocket PE app prototype.
Pocket PE Prototype Evaluation Findings
This research study highlights the preliminary evaluation findings from 9 classroom teachers who used the Pocket PE app over a 3-week period to teach their PE classes!
Phase I Teacher Testimonials
Product Development Timeline
2023
Complete Phase I evaluation study and apply for additional funding for Phase II from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
2024 - 2026
Complete Phase II study, including the enhancement of product content and features and a rigorous randomized controlled trial to evaluate teacher and student-centered outcomes.
2026
Pocket PE commercialization launch for schools.
Our
Team
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JEANETTE RICCI, PhD
Saavsus, Inc Associate Research Scientist
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DEB JOHNSON-SHELTON, PhD
Saavsus, Inc Research Scientist
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NEIL VANCE
Saavsus, Inc Technology and Operations Director
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PAUL BERGER
Saavsus, Inc President
