FARGO (AP) - Physical education in school isn't all about dodge ball anymore.

Education officials say there is a greater focus on lifestyle in phy ed classes. The role of teachers is becoming more like that of personal trainers, said Lois Mauch, physical education specialist for the Fargo School District.

Students also are learning about the importance of physical education.

"We talk about heart disease and body composition," said Alice Swanson, a middle school phy ed teacher in neighboring Moorhead, Minn. "It helps them if they see in a phy ed class that working out for 20 minutes is not such a big deal."

National organizations have been pushing for a change in the phy ed curriculum for about 20 years. Educators say the changes have been taking place in school districts in the past four years, due in large part to the federal Carol M. White Physical Education Program. The effort provides grant funds to local schools to initiate, expand and improve physical education programs.

With the help of those grants, Fargo-Moorhead schools have done professional development training, set up wellness centers and added equipment such as heart rate monitors, pedometers, dance machines and climbing walls to their curriculums.

"The technology that we have incorporated into physical education has allowed our students to take ownership in their own personal health," Mauch said.

Mauch said training of instructors also is crucial.

"It's very easy for teachers who are not trained appropriately to waste time in physical education classes," she said.

Educators say the changes are making a noticeable difference. For the past three years, the Fargo School District has seen improvements in student fitness assessments.

The district also did research two years ago and found that students who chose better nutrition and were more physically fit also did better on reading and math tests.

"We don't want to just be the 'roll the ball out' P.E. class," Swanson said. "We as educators know the importance of working out, what it does when you have high stress and demands in life. We want our kids to see that it can be fun, and it is a very important part of life."

Many students do find the new gadgets and gizmos fun.

"It's pretty sweet," Moorhead seventh-grader Myles Nicolai said after a recent workout involving heart monitors.