Using gaming and
other visual stimulation activates engagement, gives immediate feedback,
promotes critical thinking, and gives student a real experience to connect their
learning too. Arne Duncan, the US Secretary of Education,
cites that games offer feedback to the player, can be used to assess
comprehension and provide problem solving opportunities (Johnson, Adams and
Haywood p 18).
Gaming is also a great tool when you want to differentiate instruction. I use coolmath.com, which is a game site created for student learning. There are all sorts of math activities from learning vocabulary, to practicing facts and application, to digital gaming which introduces more complex math concepts. This site is great resource when you want to add some zest to your lesson plans. The students enjoy it and are able to ask for help if needed.
The second site I investigated and have also used with my own students is industrylayer.com. I used this site as an extension to my economics unit I taught were the students and I created an economic system in our classroom. The students and I investigated the game in the classroom as a group and then they were instructed to use it during their free time at home. The students were able to have an authentic experience verses the created system in the classroom.
The parents of my students were very impressed with what the students created. We followed up the unit by having career day. The parents came in and spoke about their careers and the students shared what they learned either in the classroom economic system and a career they researched or using the information from the site industry.com. NMC Horizon Report: 2011 K-12 Edition that on average gamers are in their mid-thirties and that 64% of parents view electronic games are a “positive force in their children’s lives” (p 18). Using this site also offered a great school parent connection.
The third site I investigated was http://more.starfall.com/. This site was tailored for younger students, but it offered great resources for teachers and parent for math and reading. The site was children friendly and was brightly colored and attractive. It also had multiplication and division as well as some great songs to accommodate a curriculum.
In my opinion, gaming is a great resource to use in an educational setting. It benefits the teachers, parents, and the students. Gaming offers a great way to differnitate instruction and offers a home school connection. Gaming has etched its way permanently into our society so using this resource in the classroom teachers curriculum and supports technology skills.
Johnson, L., Adams, S., and Haywood, K.,
(2011). The NMC Horizon Report: 2011 K-12
Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.
Johnson, L., Smith, R., Willis, H., Levine,
A., and Haywood, K., (2011). The 2011 Horizon Report.
Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.
www.industryplayer.com
http://more.starfall.com/
I liked how you took the websites from the assignment and integrated them into your classroom. It amazes me how far technology has come and how integrated it is in the schools. In my other response I brought up the point that technology games were discouraged back when I was in school. Your students may be too young, but I wonder if integrating smartphones into the classroom would also enhance learning. I hope that you continue to use technology in your classes.
ReplyDeleteI took a look at the industryplayer.com website. That looks awesome. Throughout this assignment I can't help but wonder how much more I would have learned and applied myself if was taught to learn through games. I found so much of school boring and dull. The industry player.com business simulation games would have definitely peaked my interest. Educators have the option now of sticking with traditional methods of teaching or implementing games as a method to motivate and educate.
ReplyDeleteThe one thing I wonder about is if kids will begin to take learning through games for granted and long for something even more dynamic. Forcing them to sit down and memoize the Preamble may fix that! Ha! I just wish there was a way to make them appreciate the resources they have available to them now vs. 20 years ago.