Simulations in Education
This webzine presented ideas of how engaging online simulations can be compared to classroom learning. The emphasis seems to be on the engagement in problem solving and higher order thinking with a motivation that does not occur in the classroom. They illustrated this concept with the lines that form outside a store at 12am waiting for the latest game/simulation to be released when we obviously do not have those lines forming outside of our schools.
One of the simulations presented was SimSchool which would provide preservice training to teachers before the entered a real classroom. This opportunity would have been useful to me as an alternative routes teacher that was expected to learn classroom management exclusively from my internship with limited exposure to different approaches or best practices.
Simulations are used with the military, business, education to provide just in time training that would be too expensive or dangerous to provide in real time. I can see a simulation game being used to provide opportunities to practice skills previously learned in the classroom. Examples of this could be interior decorating, home constructions, and simple business models such as a pizza company. This could provide practice with simple linear equations.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Games in Education
Reflections on Games in Education
1st generation of games were edutainment that provided repetitive practice of skills but were not as engaging as other games on the market
2nd generation of games focused on the student and the experiences they already had before playing the game.
3rd generation does not focus on a specific game but on the social context and questions being asked to lead people to appropriate learning.
Development of visual/iconic skills occurs with games. The ability to pay attention to multiple visual events and keep track of location of information needed to be successful in the game. This translates to skills in science and technology.
Early use of computer games develops a play approach to interactions with computers for young learners.
Computer games develop problem solving skills, co-operation, and practical participation in an activity. Games are not as good as other media for developing textual understanding.
Secondary teachers liked the adventure and simulation games the most but had trouble seeing how it would fit within their curriculum that has so much focus on coverage of the content of the course.
Games can provide a secondary rehearsal of skills and develop learning skills but do not provide the primary learning of the course content.
The use of games in a classroom would require the introduction of the game at the beginning of the course and established time for the students to begin to become familiar with the objectives of the game. Time would also need to be set aside to reflect on the learning from the game and how that connected to the content of the course. Training for staff ahead of time is always critical in getting any buy in. The effectiveness of games will continue to be challenging in secondary education until the pressure for coverage of course content shifts to a focus on depth of understanding of a smaller set of content.
1st generation of games were edutainment that provided repetitive practice of skills but were not as engaging as other games on the market
2nd generation of games focused on the student and the experiences they already had before playing the game.
3rd generation does not focus on a specific game but on the social context and questions being asked to lead people to appropriate learning.
Development of visual/iconic skills occurs with games. The ability to pay attention to multiple visual events and keep track of location of information needed to be successful in the game. This translates to skills in science and technology.
Early use of computer games develops a play approach to interactions with computers for young learners.
Computer games develop problem solving skills, co-operation, and practical participation in an activity. Games are not as good as other media for developing textual understanding.
Secondary teachers liked the adventure and simulation games the most but had trouble seeing how it would fit within their curriculum that has so much focus on coverage of the content of the course.
Games can provide a secondary rehearsal of skills and develop learning skills but do not provide the primary learning of the course content.
The use of games in a classroom would require the introduction of the game at the beginning of the course and established time for the students to begin to become familiar with the objectives of the game. Time would also need to be set aside to reflect on the learning from the game and how that connected to the content of the course. Training for staff ahead of time is always critical in getting any buy in. The effectiveness of games will continue to be challenging in secondary education until the pressure for coverage of course content shifts to a focus on depth of understanding of a smaller set of content.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Video Resources Website Review
Screencast.com
Easy storage of video files. I like the ability to design my own folder structure as well as the ability to control who can view the files. The stats features that indicate the amount of downloads per file would also be helpful in understanding the popularity of a video as well as being aware of how close to bandwidth limits I was approaching. I can see using this for my classroom videos that I would not want seen everyone to see.
Easy storage of video files. I like the ability to design my own folder structure as well as the ability to control who can view the files. The stats features that indicate the amount of downloads per file would also be helpful in understanding the popularity of a video as well as being aware of how close to bandwidth limits I was approaching. I can see using this for my classroom videos that I would not want seen everyone to see.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
21st Century Classroom - A teacher perspective
21st century classroom
A day in the life of a teacher
As the teacher arrives at school the first thing on the agenda is to meet with the other teachers on the curriculum team to discuss the progress of the students they share. Checking in with each other to identify which students are ready to move onto the next learning objective and which students need additional help. Once back in their room the teacher gets on a video conference with teachers in their subject matter to discuss and trade different interactive learning activities that each has found or developed.
As the students arrive at school they choose which of their curriculum teachers to check in with first. The student is provided a choice of learning activities based on their needs which may entail individual study, collaborative work with students at other schools using the internet to explore, discuss, and develop material to demonstrate their understanding of the objectives. The collaborative work will frequently be working on multi-disciplinary concepts at the same time so the students see how different items are connected with each other. By allowing students choice of learning activities they may choose the learning style that fits them best or interests them that day. Once the students have completed their learning activity they will move onto their other curriculum teachers. Students may have different amount of time that they spend at school depending on how quickly they grasp the concepts they are working on that day.
Teachers take on many roles during the day. Assessment of meeting academic standards will be based on students demonstrating their knowledge of the learning objectives. This may be from webquests, videos, projects, tests, or successful completion of interactive games that are correlated to the learning objectives.
A day in the life of a teacher
As the teacher arrives at school the first thing on the agenda is to meet with the other teachers on the curriculum team to discuss the progress of the students they share. Checking in with each other to identify which students are ready to move onto the next learning objective and which students need additional help. Once back in their room the teacher gets on a video conference with teachers in their subject matter to discuss and trade different interactive learning activities that each has found or developed.
As the students arrive at school they choose which of their curriculum teachers to check in with first. The student is provided a choice of learning activities based on their needs which may entail individual study, collaborative work with students at other schools using the internet to explore, discuss, and develop material to demonstrate their understanding of the objectives. The collaborative work will frequently be working on multi-disciplinary concepts at the same time so the students see how different items are connected with each other. By allowing students choice of learning activities they may choose the learning style that fits them best or interests them that day. Once the students have completed their learning activity they will move onto their other curriculum teachers. Students may have different amount of time that they spend at school depending on how quickly they grasp the concepts they are working on that day.
Teachers take on many roles during the day. Assessment of meeting academic standards will be based on students demonstrating their knowledge of the learning objectives. This may be from webquests, videos, projects, tests, or successful completion of interactive games that are correlated to the learning objectives.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Cell phone usage in the classroom - Arnotb
Currently the Issaquah School District prohibits the use of student cell phones during the school day. However there are a number of teachers that may ignore this policy particulary at the high school level where they choose not to fight the battle. Students also are known to use their camera phone to take candid photos in their classes. Finding these pictures on social networking sites is rather easy. I have also been told that some students find ways to text during class without the teacher being aware of it. The students have become very adept at texting while not looking at their phone so they can appear to be paying attention when they are busy texting their friends. Some of the phones even have a video capture option. This could be used in a positive way to record class celebrations such as birthday songs or take pictures of class projects that can be sent to parents or students that are absent. With many of the phones having internet access it is possible to have 1 to 1 computing possible without the districts having to fund it.
But, what do we say to the students that can not afford a cell phone of their own or can not afford to have one with internet access, cameras, and video recording options. If cell phones are allowed at school or even encouraged will parents try to hold the school responsible for lost/stolen phones. This liability issue is one of the key points that the administrators at my building bring up when discussing why cell phones and other electronic devices are prohibited.
Assignments can still be designed for students to use their cell phones to take pictures. The pictures may need to be taken as homework assignments and then uploaded for later retrieval at school for editing and discussion. A top ten ways phones can be used in school is below pulled from:
Read more: "Mobile phones in the classroom…. again - Teach42" - http://www.teach42.com/2008/05/06/mobile-phones-in-the-classroom-again/#ixzz0EN9FAnNq&A
Such as…
1) Check the spelling/definition of a word
2) Research a topic
3) Look up reference images
4) Pull up maps (even with satellite imagery)
5) Document a science lab with built in digital camera/video
6) Fact check on the fly
7) Mail questions to the teacher that they might be embarrassed to ask
Classroom response system
9) Take quizzes
10) Record and/or listen to podcasts
Other websites that I found with useful information are below:
Useful articles:
Students pay to store their phone during the school day: http://weblogg-ed.com/2008/students-pay-a-price-literally-for-cell-phone-ban/
http://www.cellphonesinlearning.com/
http://edutechie.com/2007/06/06/8-ways-to-use-camera-phones-in-education/
But, what do we say to the students that can not afford a cell phone of their own or can not afford to have one with internet access, cameras, and video recording options. If cell phones are allowed at school or even encouraged will parents try to hold the school responsible for lost/stolen phones. This liability issue is one of the key points that the administrators at my building bring up when discussing why cell phones and other electronic devices are prohibited.
Assignments can still be designed for students to use their cell phones to take pictures. The pictures may need to be taken as homework assignments and then uploaded for later retrieval at school for editing and discussion. A top ten ways phones can be used in school is below pulled from:
Read more: "Mobile phones in the classroom…. again - Teach42" - http://www.teach42.com/2008/05/06/mobile-phones-in-the-classroom-again/#ixzz0EN9FAnNq&A
Such as…
1) Check the spelling/definition of a word
2) Research a topic
3) Look up reference images
4) Pull up maps (even with satellite imagery)
5) Document a science lab with built in digital camera/video
6) Fact check on the fly
7) Mail questions to the teacher that they might be embarrassed to ask
Classroom response system
9) Take quizzes
10) Record and/or listen to podcasts
Other websites that I found with useful information are below:
Useful articles:
Students pay to store their phone during the school day: http://weblogg-ed.com/2008/students-pay-a-price-literally-for-cell-phone-ban/
http://www.cellphonesinlearning.com/
http://edutechie.com/2007/06/06/8-ways-to-use-camera-phones-in-education/
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Visual Learning
In Media Literacy the author Phillip Seymour advocates for the inclusion of digital images and sound into our curriculum. He goes on to describe how the National Council of Teachers feel it would be a breach of a teachers duty to ignore the impact of digital images and sound on our students. They also advocate for teaching the students to approach the images with a critical mind.
In looking at the effects of new media and technology on our society there is a disagreement as to the result. Does the new media dumb down our society or has a new presented a new communication paradigm?
Advocates for media literacy in the school see three key concepts that need to be taught:
1. Developing analytical and critical thinking skills in our students which will provide them the tools to interact positively with multiple media sources.
2. Teaching visual literacy schools that allow students to communicate effectively and appropriately with visual images.
3. Infusing technology and media into the core school curriculum.
The article continues on to give examples for how technology and visual images can be integrated into the curriculum and sample lesson structures to provide ideas and promote Polaroid cameras.
All 6th graders at our school take a technology class and our high school has a technology requirement as part of the graduation requirements. In each class basic technical skills are taught that will be required for using technology in the core classes. I do not know to what extent digital image editing and copyright are discussed. Integrating technology use into the curriculum to engage the students can be challenging in some subjects. The limited use of creating reports that have images attached to them does not seem to allow space for critical thinking about those images. This might be accomplished in a series of lessons within our tech courses but I do not see the time being allocated in all of the different core subjects. I agree with the need to find more ways to integrate technology into the curriculum in the hope of engaging the students but it needs to be done carefully in order to make sure the technology is not just a distraction but is enhancing the learning experience.
In looking at the effects of new media and technology on our society there is a disagreement as to the result. Does the new media dumb down our society or has a new presented a new communication paradigm?
Advocates for media literacy in the school see three key concepts that need to be taught:
1. Developing analytical and critical thinking skills in our students which will provide them the tools to interact positively with multiple media sources.
2. Teaching visual literacy schools that allow students to communicate effectively and appropriately with visual images.
3. Infusing technology and media into the core school curriculum.
The article continues on to give examples for how technology and visual images can be integrated into the curriculum and sample lesson structures to provide ideas and promote Polaroid cameras.
All 6th graders at our school take a technology class and our high school has a technology requirement as part of the graduation requirements. In each class basic technical skills are taught that will be required for using technology in the core classes. I do not know to what extent digital image editing and copyright are discussed. Integrating technology use into the curriculum to engage the students can be challenging in some subjects. The limited use of creating reports that have images attached to them does not seem to allow space for critical thinking about those images. This might be accomplished in a series of lessons within our tech courses but I do not see the time being allocated in all of the different core subjects. I agree with the need to find more ways to integrate technology into the curriculum in the hope of engaging the students but it needs to be done carefully in order to make sure the technology is not just a distraction but is enhancing the learning experience.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Arnotb TCI515 Developing Ethical Directions
It takes an entire village to raise a child is appropriate to invoke in this situation. All of the adults involved in a child's life are going to influence the ethical compass that the student views the world through. This compass will also be influenced heavily by the student's peer group/friends. Finding a way to engage the students in a discussion about digital ethics is important and challenging. The challenge for the adults is to engage the students at their level and get them to take the conversation seriously. With the middle school students I deal with they are pushing the boundaries of adult authority. It is a critical time to engage them in the conversations about digital ethics as they are gaining more access to technology and are trying to fit in socially. This need to fit in will lead some of them to make poor decisions regarding technology use.
The authors indicate that simply giving the students appropriate use policies is not enough. I would agree that they need more than just a set of guidelines. They also need to have clear boundaries as they will test the boundaries and often see what they can get away with. If we can have a couple activities in our classrooms that are followed up by the parents and others involved in their life than we might have a meaningful impact.
I think we all need to have a discussion about what is perceived as appropriate use of technology in the classroom. We also need to realize that what is appropriate is influenced by how comfortable we are with the technology being used. The use of PDA's and cell phones in classrooms are not allowed at this time but there may be appropriate uses for the students in the future. How can we work with the students so they don't have to "unplug" to be engaged in the lesson and make their education meaningful?
The authors indicate that simply giving the students appropriate use policies is not enough. I would agree that they need more than just a set of guidelines. They also need to have clear boundaries as they will test the boundaries and often see what they can get away with. If we can have a couple activities in our classrooms that are followed up by the parents and others involved in their life than we might have a meaningful impact.
I think we all need to have a discussion about what is perceived as appropriate use of technology in the classroom. We also need to realize that what is appropriate is influenced by how comfortable we are with the technology being used. The use of PDA's and cell phones in classrooms are not allowed at this time but there may be appropriate uses for the students in the future. How can we work with the students so they don't have to "unplug" to be engaged in the lesson and make their education meaningful?
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