The last step in creating our game is the game proposal. Creating the game has been a challenging but fun journey. There was a lot of questions and confusion about what was expected for the game proposal. After some much needed clarification, we could all breath a sigh of relief about what we needed to present to the students. Our group discussed different ways to "hook" the students into wanted to know more about our game. As a group our goal was to take components of our game and draw the students in. The way we decided to do this was to use our game opening and the beginning parts of the game, creating and avatar/picking a region, and create a movie trailer. I believe that our game opening is very catchy and will hook the students. As a group we have worked to gather images of different locations and avatars that may be seen in our game.
This process has been an eye opening, I never thought that I would be part of a group that would create a game proposal which could eventually turn into a real game. This has been a wonderful learning experience that has opened my world to a new type of learning and learning environment for students. As we worked through designing the game I had my students in mind and could visualize them playing the game.
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Week 11-Game Reflection
Oh the ups and downs of this game. It has been an eye opening experience developing a proposal for a game. On a large scale I never thought there would be a possibility of proposing a game that would have the chance of being turned into a true game. At the beginning of this course when it was stated that we had to develop a game, I wasn't sure what to think.
The process that we went through this game was helpful in understanding how a game is created. One of the challenges that we faced as a group was thinking to much into the project. When we would think that we had it all figured out we would question the work we had down or wonder if we were doing this right. Many times during this process I felt lost and unsure exactly what we were doing with this project, but my wonderful group helped guide me through the process. At times I think we tended to over think things or think we needed to do more than we actually needed to do.
This process was truly a collective learning group. The first time creating a project using this method was challenging in a sense, because most of us are use to creating a project with knowing what exactly is expected. What we may have thought as no guidance was really a chance for all of us to tap into our strengths to create the best game possible. Besides working and discussing within our group the last Twitter session was extremely beneficial to help guide the finishing stages of our project. This allowed a huge weight to be lifted off all of our shoulders.
I think one of the most rewarding experiences of this process is tapping into a creative section in my brain that I would not have done before. I have never been a gamer nor have I ever had the desire to work on building a game. I will admit that I was dreading this part of the course when I first read that we had to create a game. Boy was I wrong about creating this game. It has turned out to be a great activity. I have enjoyed this process greatly and even though it has put me out of my comfort zones on many different level it has been a great experience. I look forward to seeing what the other groups have created and hope our game proposal gets the most votes!
The process that we went through this game was helpful in understanding how a game is created. One of the challenges that we faced as a group was thinking to much into the project. When we would think that we had it all figured out we would question the work we had down or wonder if we were doing this right. Many times during this process I felt lost and unsure exactly what we were doing with this project, but my wonderful group helped guide me through the process. At times I think we tended to over think things or think we needed to do more than we actually needed to do.
This process was truly a collective learning group. The first time creating a project using this method was challenging in a sense, because most of us are use to creating a project with knowing what exactly is expected. What we may have thought as no guidance was really a chance for all of us to tap into our strengths to create the best game possible. Besides working and discussing within our group the last Twitter session was extremely beneficial to help guide the finishing stages of our project. This allowed a huge weight to be lifted off all of our shoulders.
I think one of the most rewarding experiences of this process is tapping into a creative section in my brain that I would not have done before. I have never been a gamer nor have I ever had the desire to work on building a game. I will admit that I was dreading this part of the course when I first read that we had to create a game. Boy was I wrong about creating this game. It has turned out to be a great activity. I have enjoyed this process greatly and even though it has put me out of my comfort zones on many different level it has been a great experience. I look forward to seeing what the other groups have created and hope our game proposal gets the most votes!
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Week Ten: Game Progress
The hard part about this is I am not a big gamer, I don't play a lot of video games so I don't have a good understanding of components of games. I think the hard time I am having with this product is that I'm not sure what our objective of the game is. Our project is very broad and I know I could provide better assistance if the game has an end goal. I feel like because of this I have not been as productive as I would like to be. It hard for me to put my input in without some sort of end goal. So I guess in a sense I like to work backwards in the process. I look forward to seeing the direction the game goes and the final product. Having said this, it has been fun and got the creative juices flowing
trying to create a game. As we work on the process of creating the game
I can begin to visualize the game being played by students. I think as
a group we have come up with a great base for a game. Our group has really taken into count what students would like, giving them plenty of opportunities to go down the specific path they would like. The base that is been put forth is an excellent start to the game. The game in a sense is kept positive where students don't die and they have simple tasks to do if they are injured in the game. One way I think we challenge students was having two different game plays where students can work to defeat the capital or help people break free from the capital. The game is beginning to take shape and I looked forward to presenting the finished product.
Monday, March 17, 2014
Week 9 Reflection
This whole semester has provided me with an opportunity to examine how technology was used in the classroom. Before this class I thought I was pretty tech savvy and incorporated it a lot into my classroom, but this class has showed me other was to use technology in the classroom. Technology use in my classroom is teaching the same way just through a different medium. In on a
This week made me question the style of teaching I have been using with my student because it is "easy" for all of us. Students are use to learning in a certain way and it may not always be okay to question things culturally so frustration happens easily when they are asked to explain or explore. In one article I read the author states that students need to have an emotional connections to the learning they are doing and the traditional way of teaching does not always allow for this. I know this is not the most effective way to but how to do you move students to being "okay" with exploring their own learning because right now they need the right answer. I continue to try new things in the classroom with my students and slowly they are coming around to trying these new.
This week made me question the style of teaching I have been using with my student because it is "easy" for all of us. Students are use to learning in a certain way and it may not always be okay to question things culturally so frustration happens easily when they are asked to explain or explore. In one article I read the author states that students need to have an emotional connections to the learning they are doing and the traditional way of teaching does not always allow for this. I know this is not the most effective way to but how to do you move students to being "okay" with exploring their own learning because right now they need the right answer. I continue to try new things in the classroom with my students and slowly they are coming around to trying these new.
Saturday, March 15, 2014
What are the challenges in shifting content from "what" to "where" and "how"?
The way we teach and present students for years has been to pour as much information as we think they should know into their brain and hope they understand it all. The shift in education is occurring and teachers are focusing on educating students using a the natural way they learn. Children are naturally inquisitive. With the new culture of learning the focus of learning is no longer on what they need to learn, but where can they find the information and how that information relates to them. "The shift to where alone is significant, but perhaps more vital is the fact that it also opens up the other two dimensions that emerge as cornerstones of the new culture of learning." (Thomas and Brown)
Play is an important part of making the shift from what to where and how in the new culture of learning. Play is not just a part of the human experience but it is part of what is meaningful in human culture. "When we build we do more than create content. Thanks to new technologies, we also create context by building with a particular environment, often providing links or creating connections and juxtapositions to give meaning to the content."(Thomas and Brown) Games and play are not only fun but they create an engaging environment that provides interaction, competition an can also create meaning. In Laura Sharps article she refers to this as stealth learning. "Stealth learning is when an instructor uses clever, disguised ways to introduce learning objectives through non-traditional tools, such as games, to encourage students to have fun and learn." Using games and play in the new culture of learning decreases the passive learning and provides students the chances understand the where and how of things.
I think one of the biggest challenges of making the shift to the new culture of learning is the fear of letting go. When we just let students play and explore we as teachers are no longer in "charge", they are creating their own learning and putting knowledge into a context they will understand. We may have no clue where the learning will take us, and that may make some teachers nervous, but in reality doesn't this lead to the best learning? When students work together to build their learning students are learning how to craft the context.
For some students exploring their own learning can provide challenges and frustrations. They may not have the natural ability to shift to the where and how because they have spent many years learning in a traditional classroom setting or they may not have the background knowledge of the what to understand where to find the information or how the information works. As teachers it is our job to help guide students be confident in this new culture of learning and children can surprise us with the learning they can do if you just let them play. "Teachers and students are sometimes surprised at the level of technology-based accomplishment displayed by students who have shown much less initiative or facility with more conventional academic tasks." (Effects of Technology on Classroom and Students) I have seen this with my students I have been a bit hesitant to do things with my students because of past resistance to student directed but but they have amazed me with their enticement and inquisitive nature with technology and games.
A New Culture of Learning-Cultivating the Imagination for a World of Constant Change-Douglass Thomas and John Seely Brown
Stealth Learning: Unexpected Learning Opportunities Through Games
http://www.gcu.edu/Academics/Journal-of-Instructional-Research/-Unexpected-Learning-Opportunities-Through-Games-.php
Effects of Technology on Classroom and Students
http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/effectsstudents.html
Play is an important part of making the shift from what to where and how in the new culture of learning. Play is not just a part of the human experience but it is part of what is meaningful in human culture. "When we build we do more than create content. Thanks to new technologies, we also create context by building with a particular environment, often providing links or creating connections and juxtapositions to give meaning to the content."(Thomas and Brown) Games and play are not only fun but they create an engaging environment that provides interaction, competition an can also create meaning. In Laura Sharps article she refers to this as stealth learning. "Stealth learning is when an instructor uses clever, disguised ways to introduce learning objectives through non-traditional tools, such as games, to encourage students to have fun and learn." Using games and play in the new culture of learning decreases the passive learning and provides students the chances understand the where and how of things.
I think one of the biggest challenges of making the shift to the new culture of learning is the fear of letting go. When we just let students play and explore we as teachers are no longer in "charge", they are creating their own learning and putting knowledge into a context they will understand. We may have no clue where the learning will take us, and that may make some teachers nervous, but in reality doesn't this lead to the best learning? When students work together to build their learning students are learning how to craft the context.
For some students exploring their own learning can provide challenges and frustrations. They may not have the natural ability to shift to the where and how because they have spent many years learning in a traditional classroom setting or they may not have the background knowledge of the what to understand where to find the information or how the information works. As teachers it is our job to help guide students be confident in this new culture of learning and children can surprise us with the learning they can do if you just let them play. "Teachers and students are sometimes surprised at the level of technology-based accomplishment displayed by students who have shown much less initiative or facility with more conventional academic tasks." (Effects of Technology on Classroom and Students) I have seen this with my students I have been a bit hesitant to do things with my students because of past resistance to student directed but but they have amazed me with their enticement and inquisitive nature with technology and games.
A New Culture of Learning-Cultivating the Imagination for a World of Constant Change-Douglass Thomas and John Seely Brown
Stealth Learning: Unexpected Learning Opportunities Through Games
http://www.gcu.edu/Academics/Journal-of-Instructional-Research/-Unexpected-Learning-Opportunities-Through-Games-.php
Effects of Technology on Classroom and Students
http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/effectsstudents.html
Monday, March 10, 2014
Week 8 Reflection
Having a mini spring break that started on Thursday, it is hard to remember there are still things that need to be taken care of for classes. Thursday afternoon I totally spaced the beginning of the Twitter sessions since my brain was already on spring break mode, so saying that I was very confused with what was being discussed. I really ponder how to use collective learning groups in the classroom and how they would look differently than collaborative or constructivist learning. Collin brought up the question of how collective learning would look like in a classroom where there is a lot of memorization of information. I asked the question if the concept and had the students work collectively to gain a deeper understanding or to solve a problem would this still be considered collective learning. In a sense I would think it would be but also maybe it would not be since students are not working solely collectively to learn new information. I hope that make sense, I feel as I type things I may not have a strong understanding of how collective learning could look.
When I look back I think in a sense we may already use some collective learning in the classroom it just may not involve technology. A teaching style that was brought through conversation with Sara L was the constructivist approach. This to me is a step in the right direction to collective learning. In both students are creating there own meanings. With constructivist learning the teacher still provides the materials students would need to be successful. These ideas and concepts remind me a lot of Montessori schools. I think no matter what type of learning takes place in the classroom, it is important to allow students develop their knowledge of something. We do not learn by sitting and listen to someone explain to us how to do things, we learn best through experiences that are relevant and important to our lives.
When I look back I think in a sense we may already use some collective learning in the classroom it just may not involve technology. A teaching style that was brought through conversation with Sara L was the constructivist approach. This to me is a step in the right direction to collective learning. In both students are creating there own meanings. With constructivist learning the teacher still provides the materials students would need to be successful. These ideas and concepts remind me a lot of Montessori schools. I think no matter what type of learning takes place in the classroom, it is important to allow students develop their knowledge of something. We do not learn by sitting and listen to someone explain to us how to do things, we learn best through experiences that are relevant and important to our lives.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Collective Learing
"Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and feed him as long as the fish supply holds out. But create a collective and every man will learn how to feed himself for a lifetime." (Thomas and Brown)
Before this week and reading A New Culture for Learning I had never heard of the term collective learning. Collective learning mean that humans have the ability to collect and communicate and translate complex knowledge between generations. When students or a group work to together to create and mold information it is called a collective. "It is a collection of people, skills, and talent that produces a result greater than the sum of its parts. (Thomas and Brown) Collective learning is something we do naturally as humans, but there is an importance of bringing it into the classroom as a way to gain new knowledge.
Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown's text A New Culture for Learning-Cultivating the Imagination for a World of Constant Change looks at the importance collective learning can have on us. Within the idea of the new culture of learning people learn through their interaction as others. The text states that a collective group is different from a community. In a community people learn to belong, while being part of a collective means people belong in order to learn. This to me is extremely powerful. Collectives are a content neutral platforms that will be filled based on the interactions between the participants. With collective learning you only get back what you put in.
A Khan Academy video looks at the power of humans to gain information through collective learning. The video compares monkeys and humans. Monkeys have to retrain themselves to do everything, while humans gain knowledge from each other. Through strong, precise, and efficient communication we can communicate with each other what we have learned. When things become relevant to our lives we tap into it or learn it. Meaning we don't have to know everything since we can rely on other people to teach us or show us. As human we work together with in a group with one collective memory bank to teach each other.
Technology has allowed for more collective learning to take place. In a blog Little By Little John looks at different examples of collective learning. One that we are all familiar with is companies using wikis to allow people to share they knowledge they have, while others can gain knowledge from others. Also the blog states that we can learn collectively by connecting and creating knowledge. Collective learning can also take place by working towards a similar goal. All of this seemed to be a bit more challenging before the use of technology. The information is out there it just took more time to find.
Like what was said in the Khan Academy video a classroom can be like one collective memory bank, where all students are working to teach each other as a whole group. All of our students come to us with a wide range of knowledge and strong areas that can be used to help others learn and gain understanding a new a new area. Although we may naturally do this as human beings it is not they "typical" way students learn in school. The knowledge teachers have is passed down to the students in hopes they will retain it, but with collective learning the students are taking the knowledge they already have to help others learn and grow. "In this environment, the participants all stand on equal ground-no one is assigned to the traditional role of teacher or student." (Thomas and Brown) If this is a natural way humans learn shouldn't this be the way we hope our students learn?
Work Cited:
A New Culture of Learning-Cultivating the Imagination for a World of Constant Change-Douglass Thomas and John Seely Brown
http://onlocationeducation.com/en/world-history-glossary
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/cosmology-and-astronomy/life-earth-universe/humanity-on-earth-tutorial/v/collective-learning
http://littlebylittlejohn.com/change11-position-paper/collective-learning-examples/
Before this week and reading A New Culture for Learning I had never heard of the term collective learning. Collective learning mean that humans have the ability to collect and communicate and translate complex knowledge between generations. When students or a group work to together to create and mold information it is called a collective. "It is a collection of people, skills, and talent that produces a result greater than the sum of its parts. (Thomas and Brown) Collective learning is something we do naturally as humans, but there is an importance of bringing it into the classroom as a way to gain new knowledge.
Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown's text A New Culture for Learning-Cultivating the Imagination for a World of Constant Change looks at the importance collective learning can have on us. Within the idea of the new culture of learning people learn through their interaction as others. The text states that a collective group is different from a community. In a community people learn to belong, while being part of a collective means people belong in order to learn. This to me is extremely powerful. Collectives are a content neutral platforms that will be filled based on the interactions between the participants. With collective learning you only get back what you put in.
A Khan Academy video looks at the power of humans to gain information through collective learning. The video compares monkeys and humans. Monkeys have to retrain themselves to do everything, while humans gain knowledge from each other. Through strong, precise, and efficient communication we can communicate with each other what we have learned. When things become relevant to our lives we tap into it or learn it. Meaning we don't have to know everything since we can rely on other people to teach us or show us. As human we work together with in a group with one collective memory bank to teach each other.
Technology has allowed for more collective learning to take place. In a blog Little By Little John looks at different examples of collective learning. One that we are all familiar with is companies using wikis to allow people to share they knowledge they have, while others can gain knowledge from others. Also the blog states that we can learn collectively by connecting and creating knowledge. Collective learning can also take place by working towards a similar goal. All of this seemed to be a bit more challenging before the use of technology. The information is out there it just took more time to find.
Like what was said in the Khan Academy video a classroom can be like one collective memory bank, where all students are working to teach each other as a whole group. All of our students come to us with a wide range of knowledge and strong areas that can be used to help others learn and gain understanding a new a new area. Although we may naturally do this as human beings it is not they "typical" way students learn in school. The knowledge teachers have is passed down to the students in hopes they will retain it, but with collective learning the students are taking the knowledge they already have to help others learn and grow. "In this environment, the participants all stand on equal ground-no one is assigned to the traditional role of teacher or student." (Thomas and Brown) If this is a natural way humans learn shouldn't this be the way we hope our students learn?
Work Cited:
A New Culture of Learning-Cultivating the Imagination for a World of Constant Change-Douglass Thomas and John Seely Brown
http://onlocationeducation.com/en/world-history-glossary
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/cosmology-and-astronomy/life-earth-universe/humanity-on-earth-tutorial/v/collective-learning
http://littlebylittlejohn.com/change11-position-paper/collective-learning-examples/
Monday, March 3, 2014
Week 7 Reflection
This week gave me a chance to reflect on change and what that means in my classroom. I am always looking for new and challenging ways for my students to learn. My students have surprised me with their inquisitive nature with new activities we have been doing. I am always looking for ways to incorporate more technology into my classroom and I think my students would adapt greatly to it. Change is a good thing and now it is clear that I am not only up for the challenge but so are my students.
I was unable this week to do much interaction with other classmates this week, visiting another village where internet access was limited. This week I will take the time to read others posts to catch up on what was discussed. I think this week was all about adapting to change in both the classroom and outside of the classroom. My new favorite quote when it come to change. "It means viewing the future as a set of new possibilities rather than something that forces us to adjust."
I was unable this week to do much interaction with other classmates this week, visiting another village where internet access was limited. This week I will take the time to read others posts to catch up on what was discussed. I think this week was all about adapting to change in both the classroom and outside of the classroom. My new favorite quote when it come to change. "It means viewing the future as a set of new possibilities rather than something that forces us to adjust."
Saturday, March 1, 2014
What does the way you play have to do with embracing change and how does this impact you as a professional?
The field of education and technology is ever changing and evolving. Just in the short time frame from when I was in school and to when I began teaching, both of these have change drastically. The current way we teach assumes that the world will stay the same and the information will always be the same. Speaking of how the world is every changing Brown and Thomas state, "But our contention is that the pool of unchanging resources is shrinking, and that the pond is providing us with fewer and fewer things that we can even identify as fish anymore." This quote to me shows the importance of being open to change and knowing that some things may always hold true but many things don't as we go along.
There has been a huge jump in the amount of technology and there has been some resistance to it. "When change comes slowly adaptation is easy." Technology in the classroom and professionally has not come slowly and it can be "scary". Edutopia looks at ten ways to help teachers teach technology. This to me is just as important as teaching students how to use technology. Can't embrace change if you don't understand it. The authors school district requires that five days of technology training over the course of three year. A couple of the ideas stick out, one of them is show don't tell. Instead of doing a book study, each grade level focuses on learning about a different technology application. Lastly one that seems to be quick and easy at the end of staff meetings give teachers less than a minute to tell about their favorite application they are using in the classroom.
My gamer DNA stated I was a killer and than close in second an explorer (Bartle Test of Gamer Psychology, 2006). I was 87% killer and 80% explorer, this in a way does not surprise me. Looking back on the amount of technology and games I played growing up was very little. Even though I grew up in a generation that had endless and ever changing gaming systems and games, I did not play them much as a child. I look at certain board games that were played growing up, and even as adults, and my killer personality defintley comes out. In terms of explorer I think this is evident is the use of technology and new things in the classroom. I may not know what it is but I will explore it and research it until I am able to use it.
My knowledge of games and how to use them in a sense hinders the use of them in my classroom. In my classroom it is not a matter of being resistant to the change but I don't have much experience to them. I think change is a wonderful thing and I am beyond open to it, my killer and explorer personality speak to that. "It means viewing the future as a set of new possibilities rather than something that forces us to adjust." The world is ever changing and professionally the change is a good thing. It means more challenging experiences for our students and a learning experience that is personalized to their needs and learning styles. Here's to using my killer and explorer personality to incorporate more useful technology into the classroom!
A New Culture of Learning-Cultivating the Imagination for a World of Constant Change-Douglass Thomas and John Seely Brown
Bartle Test of Gamer Psychology
http://www.gamerdna.com/quizzes/
Edutopia Ten Ideas for Teaching Teachers Technology (2012)
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/teaching-teachers-technology-monique-flickinger
There has been a huge jump in the amount of technology and there has been some resistance to it. "When change comes slowly adaptation is easy." Technology in the classroom and professionally has not come slowly and it can be "scary". Edutopia looks at ten ways to help teachers teach technology. This to me is just as important as teaching students how to use technology. Can't embrace change if you don't understand it. The authors school district requires that five days of technology training over the course of three year. A couple of the ideas stick out, one of them is show don't tell. Instead of doing a book study, each grade level focuses on learning about a different technology application. Lastly one that seems to be quick and easy at the end of staff meetings give teachers less than a minute to tell about their favorite application they are using in the classroom.
My gamer DNA stated I was a killer and than close in second an explorer (Bartle Test of Gamer Psychology, 2006). I was 87% killer and 80% explorer, this in a way does not surprise me. Looking back on the amount of technology and games I played growing up was very little. Even though I grew up in a generation that had endless and ever changing gaming systems and games, I did not play them much as a child. I look at certain board games that were played growing up, and even as adults, and my killer personality defintley comes out. In terms of explorer I think this is evident is the use of technology and new things in the classroom. I may not know what it is but I will explore it and research it until I am able to use it.
My knowledge of games and how to use them in a sense hinders the use of them in my classroom. In my classroom it is not a matter of being resistant to the change but I don't have much experience to them. I think change is a wonderful thing and I am beyond open to it, my killer and explorer personality speak to that. "It means viewing the future as a set of new possibilities rather than something that forces us to adjust." The world is ever changing and professionally the change is a good thing. It means more challenging experiences for our students and a learning experience that is personalized to their needs and learning styles. Here's to using my killer and explorer personality to incorporate more useful technology into the classroom!
A New Culture of Learning-Cultivating the Imagination for a World of Constant Change-Douglass Thomas and John Seely Brown
Bartle Test of Gamer Psychology
http://www.gamerdna.com/quizzes/
Edutopia Ten Ideas for Teaching Teachers Technology (2012)
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/teaching-teachers-technology-monique-flickinger
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Week 6 Reflection
Looking back on the week and the influence of technology in my classroom, it is not to the level it could be. There are many components that could play into this for my students, their lack of technology at home, my lack of knowledge when it comes different components of technology. In one article I read one thing that resonates with me is if students are not using the internet to think critically and work collaboratively than we are just using technology to the teach the same way through a different medium. The goal now is how to I move away from that and use technology for other things. Reading others blogs it became clear how technology is being used in their classroom and with their students. It was interesting to compare my students level of technology use compared to Shauna's class. My students are still very much into the paper and pencil despite the effort to get them away from it, while Shauna's students love technology.
There was a common theme of comments and other blogs of technology and teaching. Nicole makes a great comment in her blog about how her son teaches her about Minecraft while she teaches him how to teach. I think this is a wonderful thought. Teaching doesn't just come to students they have to see it being modeled for them. Gary also made excellent comments about teaching and technology. This idea was about students learning what is a good "teacher" through technology and what is a bad "teacher". Through all this talk about technology we need to remember there are still people out there who will not be good teachers for students. After this week it is clear that I need to examine how to better use of technology in my classroom. I want my students to learn how to think critically and work collaborative and technology is a great way to do that.
There was a common theme of comments and other blogs of technology and teaching. Nicole makes a great comment in her blog about how her son teaches her about Minecraft while she teaches him how to teach. I think this is a wonderful thought. Teaching doesn't just come to students they have to see it being modeled for them. Gary also made excellent comments about teaching and technology. This idea was about students learning what is a good "teacher" through technology and what is a bad "teacher". Through all this talk about technology we need to remember there are still people out there who will not be good teachers for students. After this week it is clear that I need to examine how to better use of technology in my classroom. I want my students to learn how to think critically and work collaborative and technology is a great way to do that.
Saturday, February 22, 2014
#etlead differinces in classroom cultures
"Everything and everyone around us can be seen as a resource for learning"-Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown
In some ways the current classroom environment that I teach in is very similar to the classroom environment that I grew up in. Thinking back on the on my educational experiences computers were present in the classroom, but they were not used to the power they are used today. I look at the technology that students are exposed to in the classroom today, but are we using it to it's full potential? In the classroom environment my students work in are surrounded by technology in and outside of the classroom, but as I think about how we use the technology it is not used to its full potential.
Looking at the overall use of technology and the way students gain information in the current learning environment it is not used past the basic uses. Research, educational activities, but thinking about the power of technology at the way it can be used their is way more that can be done with technology. Students still learn in a very traditional way-where the teacher presents the information and students are assessed on their comprehension of the material the teachers has presented. We all know the power technology can have in the classroom, but how do you change the classroom culture to use the internet in a more critical and as a learning environment when students are resident to something different?
Although I may not see a huge difference in the classroom cultures and the way students obtain information, I see how we need to give students a chance to explore and discover their own learning. The most powerful component of the technology and the shift in classroom cultures, which I feel I need to harness more, is the community and collaboration students can build. Alan November looks at the ever changing culture of the classroom and the use of technology. He discusses the difference between "automating" and "informating". With automating we just technology on top of what we already do. "We have kids write a five paragraph essay with a $2,000 pencils in word processing lab. Instead he states when need to use technology to help inform students. If there is not a shift to this we will not shift to a new culture of learning, but continue to have the same classroom environment in a different format.
Through the research and work with serious games, the new knowledge of games like Minecraft, reading of both Teach Like a Pirate and A New Culture of Learning we can see the technology as more than just a search engine. Technology allows students to work collaborative, explore things they may never get a chance to be exposed to, use critical thinking skills to solve real world problems, and allows students to connect and learn from people outside their classroom. Both the videos and the text examine the powers of the new culture of learning.
Watching the video on how the game of Minecraft amazes me how a simple game can have such a powerful impact on students education, thinking strategies, and connection to the overall world. Both Norman, John, and all used this game to connect to worlds outside of their own. I found this to be one of the most powerful components of technology. My students have began to talk more about Drakkart made a valuable connection to the world we grew up in and the world children are growing up in now. He state, "Minecraft is not just a simple game but a huge sandbox that enables you to play legos virtually but allows you to do different things. The connection to legos was wonderful, but with technology it takes legos to a whole new level. Technology, and Minecraft specifically, has allowed students to understand concepts in a larger picture than just the classroom environment.
Along with the videos the text book also showed the power of community building and working collectivity with the use of technology. Thomas and Brown state, "teaching-based approach focuses on teaching us about the world, while the new culture of learning focuses on learning through engagement within the world." As part of the new culture of learning students take charge of their own learning. "It takes place without books, without teachers, and without classroom, and it requires environments that are bounded yet provide complete free of action within those boundaries." Students gain insight to different concepts through their own exploration and discussions with others. One of the most powerful things that was said in the text about how technology was used was what Sam took had nothing to do with the building aspects of the game but, how to communicate with people. He says not to be mean and comment on something good when you see it. He states, "The game does not just teach programming: it cultivates citizenship." As a teacher this is what I want my students to be young citizens in this world over anything else.
Creating A New Culture of Teaching and Learning- Alan November-November Learning.com
http://novemberlearning.com/wp/assets/creating-a-new-culture-of-teaching-and-learning.pdf
A New Culture of Learning-Cultivating the Imagination for a World of Constant Change-Douglass Thomas and John Seely Brown
Drakkart-Why Minecraft Inspires Me http://uasleadership.wordpress.com/site-map/week-six-overview/
In some ways the current classroom environment that I teach in is very similar to the classroom environment that I grew up in. Thinking back on the on my educational experiences computers were present in the classroom, but they were not used to the power they are used today. I look at the technology that students are exposed to in the classroom today, but are we using it to it's full potential? In the classroom environment my students work in are surrounded by technology in and outside of the classroom, but as I think about how we use the technology it is not used to its full potential.
Looking at the overall use of technology and the way students gain information in the current learning environment it is not used past the basic uses. Research, educational activities, but thinking about the power of technology at the way it can be used their is way more that can be done with technology. Students still learn in a very traditional way-where the teacher presents the information and students are assessed on their comprehension of the material the teachers has presented. We all know the power technology can have in the classroom, but how do you change the classroom culture to use the internet in a more critical and as a learning environment when students are resident to something different?
Although I may not see a huge difference in the classroom cultures and the way students obtain information, I see how we need to give students a chance to explore and discover their own learning. The most powerful component of the technology and the shift in classroom cultures, which I feel I need to harness more, is the community and collaboration students can build. Alan November looks at the ever changing culture of the classroom and the use of technology. He discusses the difference between "automating" and "informating". With automating we just technology on top of what we already do. "We have kids write a five paragraph essay with a $2,000 pencils in word processing lab. Instead he states when need to use technology to help inform students. If there is not a shift to this we will not shift to a new culture of learning, but continue to have the same classroom environment in a different format.
Through the research and work with serious games, the new knowledge of games like Minecraft, reading of both Teach Like a Pirate and A New Culture of Learning we can see the technology as more than just a search engine. Technology allows students to work collaborative, explore things they may never get a chance to be exposed to, use critical thinking skills to solve real world problems, and allows students to connect and learn from people outside their classroom. Both the videos and the text examine the powers of the new culture of learning.
Watching the video on how the game of Minecraft amazes me how a simple game can have such a powerful impact on students education, thinking strategies, and connection to the overall world. Both Norman, John, and all used this game to connect to worlds outside of their own. I found this to be one of the most powerful components of technology. My students have began to talk more about Drakkart made a valuable connection to the world we grew up in and the world children are growing up in now. He state, "Minecraft is not just a simple game but a huge sandbox that enables you to play legos virtually but allows you to do different things. The connection to legos was wonderful, but with technology it takes legos to a whole new level. Technology, and Minecraft specifically, has allowed students to understand concepts in a larger picture than just the classroom environment.
Along with the videos the text book also showed the power of community building and working collectivity with the use of technology. Thomas and Brown state, "teaching-based approach focuses on teaching us about the world, while the new culture of learning focuses on learning through engagement within the world." As part of the new culture of learning students take charge of their own learning. "It takes place without books, without teachers, and without classroom, and it requires environments that are bounded yet provide complete free of action within those boundaries." Students gain insight to different concepts through their own exploration and discussions with others. One of the most powerful things that was said in the text about how technology was used was what Sam took had nothing to do with the building aspects of the game but, how to communicate with people. He says not to be mean and comment on something good when you see it. He states, "The game does not just teach programming: it cultivates citizenship." As a teacher this is what I want my students to be young citizens in this world over anything else.
Creating A New Culture of Teaching and Learning- Alan November-November Learning.com
http://novemberlearning.com/wp/assets/creating-a-new-culture-of-teaching-and-learning.pdf
A New Culture of Learning-Cultivating the Imagination for a World of Constant Change-Douglass Thomas and John Seely Brown
Drakkart-Why Minecraft Inspires Me http://uasleadership.wordpress.com/site-map/week-six-overview/
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Week Five Reflection
I am enjoying the opportunity to explore innovative ways to teach. We all know that we are capable of being innovative teachers and creating experiences in our classroom. These past two weeks have allowed me to examine the way I teach in my classroom and look into new ways to engage all of my students. Through reading all the other blogs their are endless ways to be innovative in the classroom. Sara L and I discussed the power of project based learning and the benefit of it in the classroom. I really like the ideas of project based learning and trying to find a way to incorporate them into the classroom. I really enjoyed what Donna said about not giving up on something so easily. We don't want our students to do this with challenging work, so as teachers we should practice what we want our students to do. If we try an innovative lesson and it seems to be failing we should not give up on it right away. And lastly Tiffany made a wonderful statement of how we are teaching students how to think not what to think. This reminded me the research I had done on Montessori schools. The idea of students learning through their own questioning taps into their natural ability to be inquisitive. With all of this I wonder how to make it work in my classroom, through out the years students have been told what to do and learn and culturally my students are not always comfortable speaking up or explaining what they did.
Friday, February 14, 2014
How to maintain excellence as we innovate?
What does it mean to innovate? To be innovative mean to introduce new
methods, ideas, or thinking. When we we are innovative we tap into the
passion we have for a given topic or our over all passion for
teaching. Teachers are naturally innovative, we all take the time to
find what works best for our students. There will never be a time when a
teacher has a class where every students learns the same exact way and
was at the same ability level.
There are several ways to be innovative and still maintain excellence. If we take the time to get to know our students and their learning styles our innovation will also result in excellence. If we create an amazing lesson but does not meet the needs of our students, will it be excellent? Probably not since the students will not be able to relate to it. "An innovative educator is very uncomfortable with doing business as usual, especially when it yields no result. So they go to work brainstorming ways to make things better." I believe that if we are meeting the needs of our students we can innovative with excellence.
Rachelle Wooten suggests that there are seven characteristics of an innovative teacher:
Innovative teachers are also inquisitive and learners themselves. Education is every changing field and innovative teachers are constantly researching what will work best for their students. They are always asking questions and refining the classroom experiences based off the needs of their students.
Thomas Markham (2013) discusses the ever changing world we live in and how there is a need to be innovative in more then just education. He gives tens ways to help students become innovative themselves by creating a dynamic learning environment. He discusses ways such and using Project Base Learning, and teaching concepts not just facts. "Innovation is mightily discouraged by our system of assessment, which rewards the mastery of known information." (Markham) I am not sure I fully agree with the statement he makes. I believe it to be true but if we are teaching students using innovative strategies that match their needs we can provide them with the tools they need to be successful on all of these assessments. By teaching with excellence and using innovative strategies we are providing students more chances of being successful.
David Burgess-Teach Like a Pirate
http://teachamazing.com/7-characteristics-of-an-innovative-educator/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innovation
http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/04/10-ways-to-teach-innovation/
There are several ways to be innovative and still maintain excellence. If we take the time to get to know our students and their learning styles our innovation will also result in excellence. If we create an amazing lesson but does not meet the needs of our students, will it be excellent? Probably not since the students will not be able to relate to it. "An innovative educator is very uncomfortable with doing business as usual, especially when it yields no result. So they go to work brainstorming ways to make things better." I believe that if we are meeting the needs of our students we can innovative with excellence.
Rachelle Wooten suggests that there are seven characteristics of an innovative teacher:
- Reflective
- Learners themselves
- Creative
- Connected
- Collaborative
- Inquisitive
- Principled
Innovative teachers are also inquisitive and learners themselves. Education is every changing field and innovative teachers are constantly researching what will work best for their students. They are always asking questions and refining the classroom experiences based off the needs of their students.
Thomas Markham (2013) discusses the ever changing world we live in and how there is a need to be innovative in more then just education. He gives tens ways to help students become innovative themselves by creating a dynamic learning environment. He discusses ways such and using Project Base Learning, and teaching concepts not just facts. "Innovation is mightily discouraged by our system of assessment, which rewards the mastery of known information." (Markham) I am not sure I fully agree with the statement he makes. I believe it to be true but if we are teaching students using innovative strategies that match their needs we can provide them with the tools they need to be successful on all of these assessments. By teaching with excellence and using innovative strategies we are providing students more chances of being successful.
David Burgess-Teach Like a Pirate
http://teachamazing.com/7-characteristics-of-an-innovative-educator/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innovation
http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/04/10-ways-to-teach-innovation/
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Week 4 Reflection
This week we worked in our groups creating a rubric for students and teachers. The goal as my part in the process was to monitor the work of the students to make sure that their ideas were present in the teacher rubrics. I was really impressed with the work the students had done, all the groups had done a fantastic job analyzing different serious games. I think that their ideas are very present and the teacher rubric reflects the work they have done so far.
The second part of this week looked at the book Teach Like a Pirate and student engagement. I believe reading other people's blogs that we are all very passionate about creating engaging lessons. I was skeptical of the twitter hour in the beginning of the course, but I have found it to be the most beneficial part of this course. It gives us all a chance to bounce ideas off of each other and share thoughts with each other. It is a time not wasted and it is where I get many ideas. I look forward to trying new things in my classroom to get my students engage and active in their learning.
The second part of this week looked at the book Teach Like a Pirate and student engagement. I believe reading other people's blogs that we are all very passionate about creating engaging lessons. I was skeptical of the twitter hour in the beginning of the course, but I have found it to be the most beneficial part of this course. It gives us all a chance to bounce ideas off of each other and share thoughts with each other. It is a time not wasted and it is where I get many ideas. I look forward to trying new things in my classroom to get my students engage and active in their learning.
Friday, February 7, 2014
#etlead keeping students engaged
It is the goal of every teacher to create lessons and activities that suck students in and keep all of them actively participating through the whole activity. We all know that in reality that is not always going to happen and some lessons we think are going to be amazing may flop. As teachers knowing our students can help create some very active and engaging lessons. Engagement is not just about one lesson but creating an engaging classroom where students are always excited for the next thing.
When I first think about engaging lesson I think of lessons that are interactive, students are "glued" to the lesson, they want to learn more on their own, and they are activities students constantly talk about. As a student the engaging lessons are the ones I still remember to this day, the teachers that kept the classroom engaging are the ones that inspired me to be a teacher.
What are the components of an engaging lesson and how do we as teachers attempt to make all of our lessons engaging? I think there is an endless list of ways to keep a lesson engaged. Teach Like a Pirate does an excellent job of breaking it down of what needs to be present for not only an engaging lesson, but an engaging classroom. David Burgess looks at passion, we all are passionate about something and students can see that we can become more then just a talking head in front of the classroom. Students need to feel comfortable in the classroom, we need to create a community were everyone feels safe. I thing I really like the Burgess says is that we need "swim" with our students. As teachers we need to immerse ourselves into our lessons, students can tell when we are not following immersed and will act as we do. "When a teacher is passionate about his or her subject matter, this enthusiasm is often infectious. If a teacher is bored, the students will sense it. If the teacher is learning along with the children, exploring and discovering, students will notice this, too." (Gazin)
I think that being innovative plays a huge role in creating an engaging classroom. "Cookie cutter" lessons don't work for every student. As teachers it is important to take some creative liberty when we create a lesson or activity. It is key to get to know your students and know what potential issues you may have with an activity. An innovative lesson gets students thinking and taps into higher level of questioning. They also get students moving and active in the learning process it's not just the teacher talking and students listening.
When we have an engaging activity that can completely flop because there is not enough structure or balance. Engaged classes can be active but structured as well, so like to call this controlled chaos. Students need to now the rule, and what is expected of them. If the expectations are clearly laid out and students are aware of them the chances of pure chaos are limited.
This week made me think about my classroom and the level of engagement of my students. I fell as if I could talk forever on how to make a lesson engaging. I look at my students and the activities in my classroom. This is by far the most challenging year and most challenging group of students. I have students who are hesitant to try new things and are not confident in their learning, but as their teacher it is my job to find that one thing that gets them excited and ready to try new things. After reading the text I have a new sense of excitement to find new ways to engage my students and get all of them on board with trying new things!
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/engaging-students-keep-them-edge-their-seats
http://www.learningkeys.org/EducatorTips/TheSecretofEngagingandMotivatingStudents/tabid/277/Default.aspx
http://www.edutopia.org/stw-school-turnaround-student-engagement-tips
Teach Like a Pirate David Burgess
When I first think about engaging lesson I think of lessons that are interactive, students are "glued" to the lesson, they want to learn more on their own, and they are activities students constantly talk about. As a student the engaging lessons are the ones I still remember to this day, the teachers that kept the classroom engaging are the ones that inspired me to be a teacher.
What are the components of an engaging lesson and how do we as teachers attempt to make all of our lessons engaging? I think there is an endless list of ways to keep a lesson engaged. Teach Like a Pirate does an excellent job of breaking it down of what needs to be present for not only an engaging lesson, but an engaging classroom. David Burgess looks at passion, we all are passionate about something and students can see that we can become more then just a talking head in front of the classroom. Students need to feel comfortable in the classroom, we need to create a community were everyone feels safe. I thing I really like the Burgess says is that we need "swim" with our students. As teachers we need to immerse ourselves into our lessons, students can tell when we are not following immersed and will act as we do. "When a teacher is passionate about his or her subject matter, this enthusiasm is often infectious. If a teacher is bored, the students will sense it. If the teacher is learning along with the children, exploring and discovering, students will notice this, too." (Gazin)
I think that being innovative plays a huge role in creating an engaging classroom. "Cookie cutter" lessons don't work for every student. As teachers it is important to take some creative liberty when we create a lesson or activity. It is key to get to know your students and know what potential issues you may have with an activity. An innovative lesson gets students thinking and taps into higher level of questioning. They also get students moving and active in the learning process it's not just the teacher talking and students listening.
When we have an engaging activity that can completely flop because there is not enough structure or balance. Engaged classes can be active but structured as well, so like to call this controlled chaos. Students need to now the rule, and what is expected of them. If the expectations are clearly laid out and students are aware of them the chances of pure chaos are limited.
This week made me think about my classroom and the level of engagement of my students. I fell as if I could talk forever on how to make a lesson engaging. I look at my students and the activities in my classroom. This is by far the most challenging year and most challenging group of students. I have students who are hesitant to try new things and are not confident in their learning, but as their teacher it is my job to find that one thing that gets them excited and ready to try new things. After reading the text I have a new sense of excitement to find new ways to engage my students and get all of them on board with trying new things!
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/engaging-students-keep-them-edge-their-seats
http://www.learningkeys.org/EducatorTips/TheSecretofEngagingandMotivatingStudents/tabid/277/Default.aspx
http://www.edutopia.org/stw-school-turnaround-student-engagement-tips
Teach Like a Pirate David Burgess
Sunday, February 2, 2014
#etlead evaluation tool reflection
I think this has been the interesting component of the serious games. There are tons of serious games out there that are useful and can meet the objectives of the class. When creating the evaluation tool to find the game that will be most useful it can be one of the more challenging things to do. When it seems you have something that would work great another idea comes along to change your thinking. The evaluation tool was created using the components we felt the most important in a serious game. Like any other rubric the scoring guide needed to be created. I believe that the evaluation tool created could be used by anybody. One component I find beneficial is the use of percentages, these make the evaluation of a game consistent and not based off "personal opinion".
I think the most enlightening part of the week was the twitter hour on Thursday. I thought there was a good evaluation tool created by the group, but questions (awesome questions at that) were made me think about the evaluation tool and how it would be used. I believe that the evaluation tool is a good evaluation and can be used by anyone, but looking at the components one person alone could not evaluate all of the tool fully. I really enjoyed the comments made amount having students use the evaluation tool to see if a serious game is worth playing. Not only can students test the collaboration component, there will be a wider opinion on the game. Plus this is one less time consuming thing a teacher has to do! It was kind of like an ah-ha moment this week.
I think the most enlightening part of the week was the twitter hour on Thursday. I thought there was a good evaluation tool created by the group, but questions (awesome questions at that) were made me think about the evaluation tool and how it would be used. I believe that the evaluation tool is a good evaluation and can be used by anyone, but looking at the components one person alone could not evaluate all of the tool fully. I really enjoyed the comments made amount having students use the evaluation tool to see if a serious game is worth playing. Not only can students test the collaboration component, there will be a wider opinion on the game. Plus this is one less time consuming thing a teacher has to do! It was kind of like an ah-ha moment this week.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Week 2 Reflection
I have to admit with being sick, traveling, and attending the RTI conference I have not had much time to post and respond to others blogs. I did get a chance to read and explore others posts about the components of serious games. After reading everybody's thoughts about serious games components there are many similarities, but there are different components that are listed that I not have considered before reading others. We think we have a good idea of what we want from a game and then the thoughts of others may direct us in a different direction. Like the actual components of the game coming up with the components is a collaborative efforts. It is always good to see feedback on the components that I have created. Working together can create a much more productive serious game that will produce the most results.
It's interesting to look at the components of others. Things that seem to be common sense are things I never thought of. Leslie had an excellent component of having a way to assess the students learning. Of course this is something that should be part of the game, if we have a goal it seems connected to assessing them and if they met that goal. I really enjoyed the components Keri created. One that stuck out for me was having a game that meets students personal learning styles. I think this a brilliant idea, it is important to think about the level of all of our students. What could be challenging for one student may be overwhelming to another and cause them to shut down. I look forward to seeing the narrowing down of the components of a serious game as a group.
It's interesting to look at the components of others. Things that seem to be common sense are things I never thought of. Leslie had an excellent component of having a way to assess the students learning. Of course this is something that should be part of the game, if we have a goal it seems connected to assessing them and if they met that goal. I really enjoyed the components Keri created. One that stuck out for me was having a game that meets students personal learning styles. I think this a brilliant idea, it is important to think about the level of all of our students. What could be challenging for one student may be overwhelming to another and cause them to shut down. I look forward to seeing the narrowing down of the components of a serious game as a group.
Friday, January 24, 2014
#etlead components of a serious game
I was not so sure about the idea of a serious game or this project before digging in and researching the topic. Now the more I explore and play I see the potential for some amazing learning to occur using serious games. I can say I am on the this is "so cool" side of serious games. When I think about them I see the exposure players can have to an "outside" world they may never have access to or understand.
A serious game is a game that has purpose is for more then just entertainment, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serious_game By this broad definition a serious game can be many different types of games depending on the user and the age of the player. I believe that the components of a serious game can depend on what the end goal or the purpose of the game. Before a game can be played or used in a classroom sitting the instructor needs to decide on what components need to be present for a successful serious game. If the serious game a well rounded game the game will easily lead to engagement and reflection. Here are some components I would have in mind when I think about a serious game to use with the student population I work with:
1. Real World Exposure: Depending on the student population, many students may not ever have the chance to explore or understand the world outside of the familiar world they have always know. Serious games that deal with a real world situation or current world issue can give students a chance to be put in someone else's shoes.
2. A Goal: Students not be participating in a game that may not have an end goal in mind. There should something students are working towards. If the game is being used for educational purposes then just like everything we teach there should be an objective attached to the lesson or activity.
3. Lesson Supported/Standards: The game being played in the class should be related to a subject or unit students are working on in the classroom. Lesson and activities within and out of the game should relate to each other and provide plenty of chances for reflection and discussion. Games should go past the traditional educational lesson.
4. Collaboration: By having students collaborate or work together on a game they build social skills they may miss out on with other activities. Also by working collaboratively on a serious game students can find different strengths in each other and work together to problem solve a situation. It is always said "two heads are better then one!"
5. Promotes Risk Taking: The great thing about serious games students can take risks without facing "real world" consequences. Many of the students in the school I work at have huge fear of being wrong. Nobody likes to be wrong but students will learn that it is okay to make mistakes but their may be a consequence for our actions.
6. Allows for Exploration/Problem Solving Skills: "Students learn by doing"- http://www-935.ibm.com/services/multimedia/serious-games-overview.pdf It is key for students to build upon the knowledge they already have to complete the goal or find the solution they are looking for. Students should be able to work towards thinking and problem solving what may happen based of the current move they are going to make. Students need to be able to use there logical and reasoning skills
Resources:
http://www-935.ibm.com/services/multimedia/serious-games-overview.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serious_game
http://learningworksforkids.com/2011/10/example-science-of-play-related-post/
A serious game is a game that has purpose is for more then just entertainment, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serious_game By this broad definition a serious game can be many different types of games depending on the user and the age of the player. I believe that the components of a serious game can depend on what the end goal or the purpose of the game. Before a game can be played or used in a classroom sitting the instructor needs to decide on what components need to be present for a successful serious game. If the serious game a well rounded game the game will easily lead to engagement and reflection. Here are some components I would have in mind when I think about a serious game to use with the student population I work with:
1. Real World Exposure: Depending on the student population, many students may not ever have the chance to explore or understand the world outside of the familiar world they have always know. Serious games that deal with a real world situation or current world issue can give students a chance to be put in someone else's shoes.
2. A Goal: Students not be participating in a game that may not have an end goal in mind. There should something students are working towards. If the game is being used for educational purposes then just like everything we teach there should be an objective attached to the lesson or activity.
3. Lesson Supported/Standards: The game being played in the class should be related to a subject or unit students are working on in the classroom. Lesson and activities within and out of the game should relate to each other and provide plenty of chances for reflection and discussion. Games should go past the traditional educational lesson.
4. Collaboration: By having students collaborate or work together on a game they build social skills they may miss out on with other activities. Also by working collaboratively on a serious game students can find different strengths in each other and work together to problem solve a situation. It is always said "two heads are better then one!"
5. Promotes Risk Taking: The great thing about serious games students can take risks without facing "real world" consequences. Many of the students in the school I work at have huge fear of being wrong. Nobody likes to be wrong but students will learn that it is okay to make mistakes but their may be a consequence for our actions.
6. Allows for Exploration/Problem Solving Skills: "Students learn by doing"- http://www-935.ibm.com/services/multimedia/serious-games-overview.pdf It is key for students to build upon the knowledge they already have to complete the goal or find the solution they are looking for. Students should be able to work towards thinking and problem solving what may happen based of the current move they are going to make. Students need to be able to use there logical and reasoning skills
Resources:
http://www-935.ibm.com/services/multimedia/serious-games-overview.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serious_game
http://learningworksforkids.com/2011/10/example-science-of-play-related-post/
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Week One Reflection
I can say that this was one crazy long week. I was very nervous about all the components of this course at the beginning, but as the first week comes to a close I am happy to say that this is all making more sense to me. Although I did not get a chance to participate in the twitter hour, it was fascinating to read through the chat. This is still one component I am uneasy about, but I know as I use it the easier it will become.
I am excited for the component of the serious games, as I explored them the more interested I became. As I read and responded to different classmates blogs I began to wonder how people use them in their own class. How do people in our class already use them in their own class, if they already do. Learning needs to be fun for students and that there are ways to introduce our students to new information in ways that don't involve a text book. I think one thing that I took away from everyone blogs is that we may not all use serious games, or advanced technology, but we all very interested in them and incorporating them into or classrooms or with our children. These games gives students a chance to be immersed in situations they may never get a chance to understand or learn about. I really like what Gary has said about these games," I believe that very few students will ever really change the world, but they will be making a difference in their "own little world" of the people they are in contact with from day to day." We can all hope that students take away something from these games and that they will take the knowledge they gain to better themselves and others around them. I look forward to the weeks ahead and working collaboratively to create a serious game.
I am excited for the component of the serious games, as I explored them the more interested I became. As I read and responded to different classmates blogs I began to wonder how people use them in their own class. How do people in our class already use them in their own class, if they already do. Learning needs to be fun for students and that there are ways to introduce our students to new information in ways that don't involve a text book. I think one thing that I took away from everyone blogs is that we may not all use serious games, or advanced technology, but we all very interested in them and incorporating them into or classrooms or with our children. These games gives students a chance to be immersed in situations they may never get a chance to understand or learn about. I really like what Gary has said about these games," I believe that very few students will ever really change the world, but they will be making a difference in their "own little world" of the people they are in contact with from day to day." We can all hope that students take away something from these games and that they will take the knowledge they gain to better themselves and others around them. I look forward to the weeks ahead and working collaboratively to create a serious game.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
#etlead What serious games exsit for students and what can they teach us?
Before truly digging into the world of serious games, I needed to research what a serious game was. I had never heard of a serious game, or what it stood for. Growing up and even to this day I have not been big into gaming, so this is all a new concept for me. The thought behind serious games is a wonderful idea! We live in a game centered world and kids completely engaged when they are playing video, so why not teach them a valuable lesson using video games. Serious games are more then just video games they can include other types of game. There are endless amounts of serious games out there, and it is interesting to see all the different types of games out there. Here are a few games I found that I found interesting:
Peacmaker- In this serious game players can either be the Israeli Prime Minister or the Palestinian President and make decision relating to the Middle East Conflicts. This is a single player game, where the player works through the challenges of being a world leader. This game is very interesting to me and if I was teaching a current world class for older students, this is a game I would have my students use in class. The game is free to download for both Mac and PC.
http://www.impactgames.com/peacemaker.php
PowerUp: This is a multiplayer game, where up to 8 players can play a mission and up to 50 players can play per planet. Players are asked to save a planet from the effects of burning fossil fuels. The game focuses on engineering and alternative methods of energy. As students play the game they meet and work with a Expert Engineer who helps guide student to understand was to create renewable enegry. There is also a teachers guide that goes along with the game, that provides teachers lesson to build a deeper understanding. The game is free to download.
http://www.powerupthegame.org/teachers.html
POX Save the People: This is both an application that can be downloaded on an iPad and a boardgame. Players work together in a group as large as four to stop the spread of a deadly disease. The game works to teach students the importance of vaccines and what can occur if there are not vaccines present for diseases. It also show players the importance of collaboration. The board game costs 24.95, while the iPad download is free.
http://www.tiltfactor.org/pox
Serious games put students into real world situations without actually being part of it. Teaching in a village I see serious games as being very beneficial for the students. Students are not exposed to many current world issues or places outside of the region. I see serious games as a way to provide students who live in rural areas to be exposed to issues and areas that they may never know about. Serious games allows players to learn new things by trying them out. I know working in a remote location I thing I am really intrigue with these games is how they can provide students opportunities to do things are learn things they may never know. Players get a chance to "walk" in someone else's shoes and understand what life may be like for others. Serious game are a virtual world were explore real world concepts but not receive real life consequences for a mistake.
In general serious games teach us the importance of different things we are exposed to in the world. Games show us what can occur if issues are not taken care of or changes. These games can lead to players wanting to take a stand and step out of the game world to make a difference in the real world. Serious games can also teach students how to work collaboratively to solve a problem. Knowing what I know now about serious games, I look forward to working and exploring them more. They are something all students need to be exposed to in on way or another.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serious_game
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/23/arts/23thom.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
http://www.seriousgamesdirectory.com/
Peacmaker- In this serious game players can either be the Israeli Prime Minister or the Palestinian President and make decision relating to the Middle East Conflicts. This is a single player game, where the player works through the challenges of being a world leader. This game is very interesting to me and if I was teaching a current world class for older students, this is a game I would have my students use in class. The game is free to download for both Mac and PC.
http://www.impactgames.com/peacemaker.php
PowerUp: This is a multiplayer game, where up to 8 players can play a mission and up to 50 players can play per planet. Players are asked to save a planet from the effects of burning fossil fuels. The game focuses on engineering and alternative methods of energy. As students play the game they meet and work with a Expert Engineer who helps guide student to understand was to create renewable enegry. There is also a teachers guide that goes along with the game, that provides teachers lesson to build a deeper understanding. The game is free to download.
http://www.powerupthegame.org/teachers.html
POX Save the People: This is both an application that can be downloaded on an iPad and a boardgame. Players work together in a group as large as four to stop the spread of a deadly disease. The game works to teach students the importance of vaccines and what can occur if there are not vaccines present for diseases. It also show players the importance of collaboration. The board game costs 24.95, while the iPad download is free.
http://www.tiltfactor.org/pox
Serious games put students into real world situations without actually being part of it. Teaching in a village I see serious games as being very beneficial for the students. Students are not exposed to many current world issues or places outside of the region. I see serious games as a way to provide students who live in rural areas to be exposed to issues and areas that they may never know about. Serious games allows players to learn new things by trying them out. I know working in a remote location I thing I am really intrigue with these games is how they can provide students opportunities to do things are learn things they may never know. Players get a chance to "walk" in someone else's shoes and understand what life may be like for others. Serious game are a virtual world were explore real world concepts but not receive real life consequences for a mistake.
In general serious games teach us the importance of different things we are exposed to in the world. Games show us what can occur if issues are not taken care of or changes. These games can lead to players wanting to take a stand and step out of the game world to make a difference in the real world. Serious games can also teach students how to work collaboratively to solve a problem. Knowing what I know now about serious games, I look forward to working and exploring them more. They are something all students need to be exposed to in on way or another.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serious_game
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/23/arts/23thom.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
http://www.seriousgamesdirectory.com/
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