Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Week 2 - I love games!
Technology in education has provided a whole new way of learning for teachers and students alike. Teachers can easily pull up power-point presentations, show quick video clips, and demonstrate skills using a mimio. Students can search the answer to any question by simply typing it in Google. Technology has provided teachers with tons of ways to teach and try and help our students understand. One way is through games in school. I think games can be very beneficial. I have used different online games with my Physical Science students on multiple occasions. Once I had them building a roller coaster to see if it would actually work based on physics. I also had them determine trajectory and they played a game that required this to launch the shuttle to the moon. These different games really helped my students to understand. I don't think every day should be constant games, but some days the games put the topic into perspective. Students are becoming increasingly difficult to reach by just teaching out of the book because of the vast amount of technology at just an arms reach. They look for ways the information can be applied and that's what seems to help them the best. Games in school can help with this as long as they serve the intended purpose and that is to teach.
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Lindsey,
ReplyDeleteThe roller coaster simulation sounds like it is a fun way to complex ideas. It's safer and cheaper to test out possible designs on a computer than to build a roller coaster and it fail. :-) Games can present abstract ideas to students in novel ways.
Best,
Heidi
I commented on my blog about the same topic. I believe that students should play games in school as long as they are using educational software. In this day and age games are the primary source of entertainment for kids. There are a lot of different games out that are very good educational software that can help students learn and help them understand different concepts better than listening to a teacher talk or simply doing worksheets all day. I can remember using some software when I was in school that helped me learn a lot of different skills while having fun. Today software can be found for Math, Science, English, Social Studies, Reading, and even Physical Education. I also believe that computer education software can be used as a reward base. Using educational software as an object of reward would also allow the student to continue building their knowledge base. As with all things, I believe educational software has its time and place within the classroom. No teacher should attempt to use computer software as the primary source of teaching their students. Educational software should only be used as a supplement to the base that the teacher has already built. Over all I do believe that student should be allowed to play games in school and that this should be a part of every teacher’s lesson plan. I agree with you about games in school can help with this as long as they serve the intended purpose and that is to teach.
DeleteI am a History teacher, and I found that games really help my students. I used games with maps, music, as well as reading comprehension. Yes, history can be extremely boring!!!!! There, I said it!!!! Whew!!!! I practice active engagement with my students daily. I do not implement games each day, but they are a vital part of my review of lessons. I found that my students score higher on my exams, and have better comprehension.
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