In
most cases today students find school and the idea of learning to be the
equivalent of having to clean their rooms and do laundry, which is daunting and
boring. If the tasks that students were assigned more pleasurable then they
would not hesitate to engage and complete them with a sense of accomplishment. One
of the ways that students could become more interested in their education is
through gaming. Many children are acquainted with some type of technology most
commonly iPhones, iPads, tablets, computers, etc. so why not use digital games
for learning. With all the many technological advances there have been many
software programs developed to incorporate learning as its main focus using
games. In order to engage the students
the software must involve what they enjoy or are interested in. (Raymer, 2011) The
more enjoyable the game the less a student is likely to think "what is the
purpose of this?!"
Secondly
there are strategies for using games with students that can prove to be very
effective. By combining games that
target a combination of skills instead of just a single skill. For example, if
a games objective is for Maddie to learn to subtract, she must then pop 5 of
the party balloons, before they fly away, until there is only 5 left. While she
is popping the balloons she focuses on doing so before they fly away rather
than counting to see how many are left. Causing them to be more game savvy than
problem solvers. Also not basing the students knowledge on whether or not they did well by recognizing how many
points he/she earned or if they won or lost. Unlike this website which strictly
focuses on the material, instead of the
student learning by playing a game. While games are fun, teachers and parents
should use caution while their child is online, by discussing appropriate
content or even by playing the game with them. (Maloy et al., 2013 p. 175)
Lastly
software such as Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) unlock more opportunity for
students, while the system tests the students knowledge it also allows for students
to track their progress. These systems are similar to human tutors asking questions
and gathering responses. With these systems students are able to have somewhat
on hand tutoring. Helping to apply learning skills and become better at taking assessments.
Each ITS is said to be equal to having one teacher per one to three students
vs. one teacher per 20-30 students per class. These systems have shown great
improvement in students learning, particularly in math. While I would not ever
think these systems could replace the position of a teacher they surely provide
more help for students allowing for an equal education. (Maloy et al., 2013 p.
176)
Resources:
Dinesh, A. (1998). Online
Educational Games and Worksheets for K-12! Retrieved February 21, 2016, from
http://www.ezschool.com/index.html
Drapal, J. (2016, February 21). Games the Next Big Thing
[Photograph].
Maloy,
R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning
with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.
Raymer, R. (2011, September 28).
Gamification: Using Game Mechanics To Enhance ELearning. Retrieved February 21,
2016, from
http://blog.empowerlms.com/index.php/gamification-game-mechanics-enhance-elearning/
Students Playing Video Games to
Learn English. (2013, May 23). Retrieved February 21, 2016, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idCOgNR8U-g
