iPhone in Education: Runkeeper

Runkeeper is a fantastic free application that is available for download from the Apple Apps Store. It uses the phones inbuilt GPS to track the outdoor fitness activities (eg: walking, running, cycling, skiing etc…).

It records data such as speed (at certain points and average), altitude, total rise, Altitude Vs Speed and you can view your path on a Google Map. All of the data that is recorded on your phone is easily exported to the runkeeper.com website.

Here is a screenshot of the Runkeeper data screen from half of a cycle ride that I did today from Pencaitland East Lothian out towards the Whitadder Reservoir in the Lamermuir Hills.

 

Let me now talk about each part of the screen shot in a little more depth (click on any of the images to see them bigger):

First of all, the column on the left hand side of the screen documents previous journeys that you have undertaken. It shows the most recent journey in the drop down menu. From the shot you can see that I was cycling for just over and hour and a half, and had travelled just under 12.5 miles. Runkeeper also gives my total assent and average speed (I need to get fit!). It is also possible to transfer units between miles and kilometres for distance, and feet and meters for altitude.

 

The next shot is the map of the journey. As it is superimposed onto a Google Map you switch between map, terrain, satellite and hybrid views. Runkeeper also adds little flags to the map for every 10 miles that you do.

 

For me, the next part in the most impressive. In the bottom display Runkeeper maps your speed, distance and altitude gain onto a graph (powerful stuff). You can move your mouse over any part of the graph to see what your speed and altitude was at that particular time in your journey.

Now let’s think of the educational possibilities here:

1) First of all there are obvious links to PE and Health and Wellbeing. The ability for individual students to track their fitness progress on their own website has great motivational possibilities. Links to the map also introduces improved spatial awareness for students (direction, distance, place etc…).

2) There are lots of other cross curricular link for numeracy, geography and health and wellbeing that I can think of. For example, the data that is created could be very useful as a context for discussion and cross curricular working. Why? For instance, does the average speed go down when the altitude increases?

3) Runkeeper could also be used as surveying tool for geographical Fieldwork. The GPS allows you to track distance and altitude. This would be a very interesting way for students to record long slope profiles that could then be exported as screen shots and further annotated. The survey line would also appear on a Google Map.

Any other ideas?

Comments

[Stephen Reid]

Great App Ollie, as you may well know we have a 'Run-It' product aimed at helping runners better their performance and this is just a belter of an aid. Thanks.

[Stacy]

Hey Ollie,

You should check out Fitnio.
It offers all of the same benefits as RunKeeper with the addition of a calorie count so you know how many calories you have burned during your run.

Check it out, its free:
http://www.fitnio.com

[Stevie]

is it compatible with a heart rate monitor if it isn't they have missed a trick. with a monitor it could be very powerful training tool. Interesting stuff.