Computer Games Can Get Your Brain Working: Student
Experiences and Perceptions of Digital Games in the Classroom.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17439884.2014.904339#.VETxt_nF_wg
This article is about using computer games in the classroom
and at home and giving students their voice back. The article talks about how
for the most part; teachers are the ones who make the decisions about the use
of technology in the classroom rather than the student. This study is about the importance of having
an understanding of students’ previous experience, the use of games in the classroom,
and what they make of these games. Results found that a lot of the games being
played take part in the students’ interests and the skills being taught.
Students didn’t necessarily think every game during this study was “fun” or
“educational.” The fun part came when the students got the opportunity to teach
another student how to play, problem solving or making things interesting. This survey focused on the students’
experiences and perceptions and not those of the teacher. They even took quotes from some of the
students they used for the survey and the majority of them said how you are
learning so many things and you don’t even realize it when playing the
different games.
I found this interesting because I do sometimes think a
student’s voice can often get lost in translation. I think if teachers focus on
student interests and needs the higher success rate you will have in class. I
think sometimes we are often too worried about teaching by what the test says
that we forget the best ways these students learn. You can still teach to the
test but putting the kids’ interest at heart! I just think kids learn better
when they are able to relate to something or see how you can use or do that in
real life. Especially at the kindergarten level, my kids need to be able to see
things outside of the classroom for them to really understand. Nowadays there
are so many different apps out there that go with different skills and I think
it’s important to find apps that go with things they are interested in so the
kids are learning but not even realizing it! The article really reflects on how
it is important to adhere to the voices of all students and to meet the needs
of where they are really at. It is important to remember that in technology,
diversity matters and will always matter.
I experienced this over the weekend as my kids were on educational gaming sites. They loved it, loved using them to show me how much they understood. Brody was very excited to show that he got 100 on subtraction. They were fighting over the computers to play these games. I wish there were more ways to do this type of things with high school students, have them learn while not knowing they are. Also, I like how the students can work on their strengths and weaknesses at their own pace and in their own safe environment. Diversity does matter, and we need to remember that students learn differently from the minute they are born.
ReplyDeleteTeaching to the test has become a way of life for educators. Maggie is correct in that we can teach the students what they need to know, and at the same time meet their needs and interests. That is one reason I like to ask how are the students using technology, not how are the teachers using technology.
ReplyDeleteIndividualized instruction is always our goal as teachers, so if finding tech game that appeal to individual students is what is going to improve student achievement than I am all for it. The problem is that, as Barb mentioned, the excitement of educational games wears off as kids get older. And there are less applications available for the high school age students, so teacher creativity comes into play.
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