Chapter 7
dedicated a section of its content to a subject that is near and dear to my
heart: the use of video games as a tool for learning, one that was of great
importance to me as an ELL student. Several professionals have concluded that
on top of being an invaluable aid to teaching, educational games allow their
players to develop skills essential to a technology-driven 21st century
society, such as strategic thinking, interpretive analysis, and adaptation to
rapid change. There was also something quite interesting explored in this
section, coined by MIT researchers as the "five essential freedoms of
learning:" the freedom to fail, experiment, fashion identities, effort, and
interpretation. I believe it's pivotal for teachers moving forward to recognize
the value of these games and incorporate into the daily experience of their
classrooms.
Further
explored in chapter 7 are the attitudes of parents and teachers still coping with
the psychological and sociological impact on children who spend a great deal of
time immersed in video games. Many of these people raise valid concerns; some
believe that there's been a desensitization to real-life violence, while others
fight to promote a more positive understanding of the gaming aspect of the 21st
century. Whichever side ultimately prevails, if either does, it is pivotal for
educators to remain in the loop while this debate is ongoing, so that we may
make the best choices that will benefit our students the most.
Chapter 8
covers the concept of electronic student-teacher communication. It's
interesting to see tools we have been using throughout this course already
discussed in such detail in our text. Blogs and wikis are but two of several
tools many educators are employing in the 21st century to remain in contact
with their students beyond the classroom and enhance learning for everyone
involved.
Resources:
Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen,
Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies.
2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Edutopia. (2012, March
21). James Paul Gee on Learning with Video Games. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnEN2Sm4IIQ
James Paul Gee is a true leader in the use of gaming in the classroom - with your interest in the concept, I would strongly encourage you to further explore his research, etc. I once tried to do more gaming concepts for this class (i.e., digital badges and quests) but I don't have the experience in gaming and it seemed too artificial. I would love to create more gaming for this class, though, as I think it would be a good fit. :)
ReplyDelete