After watching and reading the materials this week, along with playing the Settler's game, I can certainly see some common language appearing in my notes! One of the first words that I wrote down was MOTIVATION. In the TED talk given by Tom Chatfield, he mentions that when gamers "want" and "like" that they are increasing their motivation to continue.
Along with motivation, comes REWARD. Rewards are calculated in games so that player engagement (and motivation) can continue. The mathematics involved in providing players the correct percentage of winning ensures that players are constantly rewarded when needed, but allowing them to push to the edge of new discoveries, activities, etc. Gaming also offers players IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK. This is something that more traditional educational settings cannot always offer. This immediate feedback is important to effective learning, so much so that the National Educational Technology Plan encourages the use of gaming for the purposes of student assessment, just because of the immediate feedback!
Player ENGAGEMENT is one of the words that I kept writing over and over as I watched the videos and read through the materials. Games are highly engaging for students (and adults alike). That's not to say that students are mindlessly sitting in front of a computer playing games for hours on end. The engagement that I'm sensing is from students using higher order thinking skills to interact and react to both the games and the other players they encounter. I know that as a teacher I am always searching for ideas and activities that will keep my students engaged in their learning. Jane McGonigal reminds us that "gaming pushes the threshold of imagination". This is key to keeping students engaged in learning.
Another word that is such an important word in the educational community today is COLLABORATION. Collaboration with other players allows students to problem solve and from that problem solving, students who are good collaborators often find it easy and important to establish trust with other players. It offers them the chance to cooperate in different settings.
I think that when I reflect on my initial experiences playing Settler's Online, I can see how all of these factors come into play. I am excited to check in and see how my settlement is doing daily, spending some times too much time checking in. I'm most excited to play when I know that I'm approaching the chance to move up a level and see what that new level brings me. I'm offered immediate feedback when my geologist or explorer head out to see what they can find. In using the combat preview, I can also see what will happen if my troops attack the bandit camp. Obviously, if I'm still working and playing daily, I'm seeing the engagement that the game offers. I have found myself starting to think and plan ahead for my settlement. I wasn't doing that in the beginning, but now I see how important that is. I think having everyone else playing the same game offers the collaboration that gaming brings to the table. I haven't yet "friended" anyone outside of our class, but I anticipate doing so as I feel more comfortable with the gaming environment.
I think if I look back at the main words above, these are words that I would want someone to use when they were visiting my classroom. So, if gaming can offer students the chance for these, maybe we should be taking a closer look at the benefits of gaming in education.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Gaming as a New Paradigm
With the amount of money and time invested in video gaming (of all
different kinds), it bears looking into with regard to the effect that
video gaming could have on an educational environment. Over the years,
the educational community has struggled to find the best way to teach
students so that they could learn. The various strategies and methods
have become a lucrative business for those who are creating materials,
training, and support for these varied teaching strategies and methods.
Video gaming has become a billion dollar business. With over $7.4 billion dollars spent annually by gamers (http://labyrinth.thinkport.org/www/library/culture.php), it appears that this industry is not going away any time soon and it may be time for the educational community to take a closer look.
We must reach students where they are at and work from there if we are to even attempt to improve the learning environment. If students are engaged in gaming, we must figure out educationally appropriate ways to include these technologies into the curriculum. Video games allow students to collaborate, be creative, think "out of the box" and solve problems. If we can impart these skills on students, they can probably be successful in almost any career choice.
Jonathan Schenker makes a compelling case in his TED talk for gaming in education. He believes that online video games will "entice students to learn" in more effective ways (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auP-eq17U1g). One of the strongest arguments that he makes is that video games can be customized to meet a variety of different learning styles (aka Multiple Intelligence) when teachers are often so stretched for time and resources that they can only attempt to include a few in their regular teaching strategies.
I would agree that gaming could be a powerful paradigm that is worth exploration! With the students already engaged in this type of activity, half the battle is already won! It's time for the educational community to "level up!!"
Video gaming has become a billion dollar business. With over $7.4 billion dollars spent annually by gamers (http://labyrinth.thinkport.org/www/library/culture.php), it appears that this industry is not going away any time soon and it may be time for the educational community to take a closer look.
We must reach students where they are at and work from there if we are to even attempt to improve the learning environment. If students are engaged in gaming, we must figure out educationally appropriate ways to include these technologies into the curriculum. Video games allow students to collaborate, be creative, think "out of the box" and solve problems. If we can impart these skills on students, they can probably be successful in almost any career choice.
Jonathan Schenker makes a compelling case in his TED talk for gaming in education. He believes that online video games will "entice students to learn" in more effective ways (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auP-eq17U1g). One of the strongest arguments that he makes is that video games can be customized to meet a variety of different learning styles (aka Multiple Intelligence) when teachers are often so stretched for time and resources that they can only attempt to include a few in their regular teaching strategies.
I would agree that gaming could be a powerful paradigm that is worth exploration! With the students already engaged in this type of activity, half the battle is already won! It's time for the educational community to "level up!!"
Monday, January 6, 2014
My Gaming Experience
Describe your personal/classroom experience:
I don't think I would classify myself as a "gamer"! While I love to play games on my iPad or phone (mostly Candy Crush, Bejeweled Blitz, and Solitaire ;o)), I don't really have any experience with the gaming world! My kids are becoming experts in gaming and I'm amazed that they are able to do things so naturally, without fear or hesitation. I know that many of my students love to play games and several have asked about playing Minecraft in school. I've watched my sons play the game at home and I guess I'm just not clear on the point of playing.
I do think that games and simulations can and should have a place in the classroom. Our science and social studies teachers use simulations with different units of study, but they aren't exclusively using technology in their simulations. The experiences that I'm thinking of involve our junior high students becoming members of the Continental Congress and participating in the creation of the Constitution. They each assumed the role of a key member of the Congress and they continued to portray that person in their online environment. I do think that they enjoyed the experience! Our science teacher and I created a similar experience with a science topic. Students were creating a museum exhibit for a new species and they assumed the role of the scientist (along with other roles) and worked on creating a virtual museum exhibit of their new species complete with video, maps, and other artifacts.
In what ways do you think games could be beneficial/detrimental in the learning process?
As with any technology, if the outcome of the activity supports the learning goals, then it can be beneficial. I seems to me that gaming and/or simulation activities allow students to use other areas of expertise (or different intelligences they may have) and they can bring different things to the classroom situation. For those students who have a hard time in class, participating in these simulations offers them a more level playing field with other students.
Technology, not used in the correct way, can always be a detriment. If teachers don't have well established reasoning for using the games/simulations, then problems may occur. As with any device or program, the teacher should be well aware of how it works and be ready to troubleshoot when necessary. I've had teachers before who have come to me with apps they want to use, and then want me to explain it to them. If I've not used the app before, I still have to get to know it. I always tell them to download it first and then use it for a while before asking students to jump in.
Not all students are going to be interested in using games and/or simulations, so they need to be integrated into the curriculum carefully!
I don't think I would classify myself as a "gamer"! While I love to play games on my iPad or phone (mostly Candy Crush, Bejeweled Blitz, and Solitaire ;o)), I don't really have any experience with the gaming world! My kids are becoming experts in gaming and I'm amazed that they are able to do things so naturally, without fear or hesitation. I know that many of my students love to play games and several have asked about playing Minecraft in school. I've watched my sons play the game at home and I guess I'm just not clear on the point of playing.
I do think that games and simulations can and should have a place in the classroom. Our science and social studies teachers use simulations with different units of study, but they aren't exclusively using technology in their simulations. The experiences that I'm thinking of involve our junior high students becoming members of the Continental Congress and participating in the creation of the Constitution. They each assumed the role of a key member of the Congress and they continued to portray that person in their online environment. I do think that they enjoyed the experience! Our science teacher and I created a similar experience with a science topic. Students were creating a museum exhibit for a new species and they assumed the role of the scientist (along with other roles) and worked on creating a virtual museum exhibit of their new species complete with video, maps, and other artifacts.
In what ways do you think games could be beneficial/detrimental in the learning process?
As with any technology, if the outcome of the activity supports the learning goals, then it can be beneficial. I seems to me that gaming and/or simulation activities allow students to use other areas of expertise (or different intelligences they may have) and they can bring different things to the classroom situation. For those students who have a hard time in class, participating in these simulations offers them a more level playing field with other students.
Technology, not used in the correct way, can always be a detriment. If teachers don't have well established reasoning for using the games/simulations, then problems may occur. As with any device or program, the teacher should be well aware of how it works and be ready to troubleshoot when necessary. I've had teachers before who have come to me with apps they want to use, and then want me to explain it to them. If I've not used the app before, I still have to get to know it. I always tell them to download it first and then use it for a while before asking students to jump in.
Not all students are going to be interested in using games and/or simulations, so they need to be integrated into the curriculum carefully!
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