Respond to the following scenario: A
large video game creation company has awarded your school a multi-million
dollar grant to support the education portion of a video game project. What
will you and your fellow teachers include in this game to make it a valuable
learning experience? Despite the grant award, there has
been some push back from the school board on the use of games in education. You
and your fellow teachers are tasked with presenting a case for the integration
of games into the curriculum. Present your “argument” focusing on how gaming
aligns with 21st Century Skills learning, and provide an example of
what would make an optimal learning experience within a video game. It is
essential that you support your argument with research. Be sure to cite your
sources using APA style format.
Presented
with this grant to create an educational video game, the other teachers at my
school and I will attempt to create a game that would benefit the most number
of students possible. It will span many grade levels and content areas. The
game will have several fun themes for students to choose from. Some examples of
these include: space, old west, under the ocean, rainforest, and the arctic.
Each of the themes will include information about the setting and all the
themes will have the same game play, so students will get the educational
information regardless of which theme they pick. The game will give mini
lessons in a variety of subject areas from math, to science, to language arts.
It will also give guided practice and independent practice. Teachers will have
full power to control which lessons each student is completing.
After
getting this push back from the school board, my first question is why do they
have a problem with gaming. Their answer to this question will direct my
argument. I would begin by explaining that when we say educational game, we do
not mean Halo, or Grand Theft Auto, or Minecraft. We are talking about real
educational tools that teach students specific skill sets. If they do not see gaming
as having any educational benefit, I would explain that using the technology
itself is incorporating 21st century skills that students will need
to have in order to be successful in their future lives. Using technology
day-to-day is no longer optional. And the use of technology is only going up. 21st
Century skills are not just about being able to use technology resources, like
iPads or computers. It is also about critical thinking, problem solving,
creating new knowledge, and sharing that with their community of learners. There
are so many more parts that go into an educational experience or game than
meets the eye. Video games, much like any other technology instructional tool,
are often self-paced. This allows for students to do the work that will make
them the most successful and teachers to meets every single student at their
level. Differentiation is necessary in education and this is a fantastic tool
to help teachers do this more effectively. Technology and games are engaging.
Getting students to want to learn and be motivated to learn is a constant
battle for teachers. Learning should be fun and games help with this.
Finally, I
will assure the board that we will be closely monitoring students while they
are playing educational games and assess them to ensure that adequate growth is
happening. If it is not, then I will adjust my instruction. All teaching
requires collection of and reflection on student achievement data. This type of
technology gaming instruction is not exempt to that standard. If I discover
that the game, or any game/ instructional practice is not being effective, I
will alter my instruction or discontinue it.
Resources
Palmer, A. (2013, November 14). SimCityEDU develops higher order thinking skills. Retrieved November 17, 2013, from Gaming and Education website: http://gamingandeducationengagementinlearning.com/
Schaffhauser,
D. (2013, August). Will gaming save education, or just waste time? The
Journal. Retrieved from http://thejournal.com/articles/2013/09/02/
will-gaming-save-education-or-just-waste-time.aspx
Wall Street Journal. (2013, October 8). Can games help improve education? [Video file]. Retrieved from http://live.wsj.com/video/can-games-help-improve-education/5B39DC78-5DC5-448D-9DEB-DEDD8F1A67BC.html#!5B39DC78-5DC5-448D-9DEB-DEDD8F1A67BC
No comments:
Post a Comment