EDUC 6305 Advanced Educ.Tech. Excel 1 Activity # 23

The  NCES site, National Center for Education Statistics, is a site dedicated to collecting and analyzing educational data. The statistics used from this site for National comparison were Math, 8th Grade and Gender. In comparison to other states, WV scores higher than Alabama, Mississippi, California, and Louisiana. The District of Columbia has the lowest score, and 45 states score higher than WV with Massachusetts scoring the highest. After completing the descriptive statistics, I've concluded WV's Scale Score of 273 is below the Mean Score of 283.
As Educators, analyzing and compiling data is relevant and directly correlated to designing curriculum. The Scatter Plot and Trend line enhances the data and provides an overall view of results.


NETS-T:  Teachers using Excel and the Data Analysis tool are modeling the use of digital tools to locate, analyze, represent in chart/graph form and make informed decisions based on data. The Education system is data driven and educators must be knowledgeable in interpreting data. Following interpretation is being able to communicate the findings.

3. Model Digital Age Work and Learning
Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society.

EDUC 6814 DEJ # 5 All I Really Need to Know...

Quote: "As I see it, the traditional kindergarten approach to learning is ideally suited to the needs of the 21st century. In a society characterized by uncertainty and rapid change, the ability to think creatively is becoming the key to success and satisfaction, both professionally and personally."
Response: 
To begin with, "the traditional kindergarten approach" statement is what I find interesting.  Recently, I had a conversation with a kindergarten teacher.  She intimated that the implementation of the Common Core Standards is going to require the kindergarten environment to revert back to "play".  Play in the sense of the teacher creating an environment that allows students to participate in or simulate authentic or real-life situations.  Planned and unplanned situations that require creative thinking, problem-solving and collaboration.  Hopefully, this means "gone are the redundant worksheets".  It's disheartening to walk into a kindergarten classroom and see children sitting in their desks with stacks and stacks of worksheets that must be completed before they get to play.

Quote: " Too often, educational technologies are overly constrained, such as tutoring software for teaching algebra, or simulation software for modeling planetary motion in the solar system. Our goal is to provide
tools that can be used in multiple ways, leaving more room for children’s imagination."
Response:
This quote has made me think about some software programs that I use in a new light.  It's true that a lot of software and programs associated with our text books are designed for repetitive practice of skills without much room for students to change or use in a creative manner.  Maybe using software of this nature (the majority of the time) isn't the best way to promote critical thinking.  So, I will definitely think about intended outcomes, besides regurgitation of information before using particular programs.

Quote: " Certainly, play has been an integral part of the traditional kindergarten approach to learning, and most adults recognize the importance of providing young children with opportunity to play.  But as children grow older, educators and parents often talk about play dismissively, referring to activities as “just play,” as if play is separate and even in opposition to learning."
Response:
I believe the attitude about play being just play and not important in the learning process stems from the feeling of not having control or structure. Because play is not always specifically designed with defined or measured outcomes in some situations, some cannot easily observe the learning that is taking place.  Educators are under an extreme amount of pressure in relation to standardized testing.  It's my opinion that educators have to keep a pace that correlates with covering material before testing and this leaves little room for imagination.  Some, K-2 teachers feel the pressure from colleagues that are teaching grade levels just above K-2 and feel the need to try to prepare students at an early age for testing.  I make this comment based on witnessing comments such as, "We work hard in 3rd grade, you have to work harder in K-2 so it's not so hard to get them test ready".  


Reference:

Resnick, M. (n.d.). All I Really Need to Know About Creative Thinking I Learned by Studying How Children in Kindergarten . Retrieved February 24, 2012, from http://web.media.mit.edu/~mres/papers/kindergarten-learning-approach.pdf

Additional Resource: 


I chose Play: It's the way young children learn  mainly because it explains how play promotes success in school.  For example:

"Using experimentation and logic

When children play with materials such as blocks, clay, sand, and water, they develop skills in logic. They experiment with cause and effect, with counting and sorting things and solving problems.

What you see:

• Children experiment with blocks to figure out how to build a stable structure
• Children count the number of cups needed for a “tea party”
• Children pour sand into different sized containers.

How it promotes school success:

This practice in experimenting, observing, comparing, and working with shapes, sizes, and quantities forms the basis for understanding math and science and for all higher-order thinking."

Reference:

Tepperman, J. (2007, May). Play: It's the way young children learn. In Children's Advocate. Retrieved February 24, 2012, from http://www.4children.org/issues/2007/may_june/play_itrsquos_the_way_young_children_learn/

EDUC 6305 Advanced Educ.Tech. Jeopardy Game #22

Creating Science Basics Grade 5 Jeopardy was a quick an easy way to develop a review to engage students.  Using this format, links could easily be placed on bookmarking sites (quia, portaportal, delicious, diigo,etc...) for ease of access by students.  Games motivate students and allow students to practice until they succeed.  In my opinion, students should be given the opportunity to create their own jeopardy games.

NETS-T:  Using Jeopardy Labs, the teacher is designing relevant and engaging learning experiences.  Students are active participants and are given the opportunity to manage their own learning.  Teachers are also demonstrating fluency in using new technologies.

2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
    a.  design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity

EDUC 6305 Advanced Educ.Tech. Jing Screencast

Looking for a way to incorporate micro-blogging into your curriculum?   Watch Microblogging with Edmodo!

To create this digital movie without a digital camera, use the Jing feature "capture video".   The user selects a region or area to be recorded.  The area is chosen by clicking and dragging the "rectangle" to make a capture.The options for saving a capture are: (1) Choose save from the Jing toolbar menu to save to your device (2) a specific url is created, copied to your clipboard and ready to be pasted in a new tab  (3) Click "share via screencast"  this allows your Jing video to be uploaded to your library, located at screencast.com. To retrieve my screencast (1) it depends on where I choose to save (pictures, desktop, etc...) (2) Go to screencast.com and choose share;  a link and/or an embed code are generated by screencast.com. To share with others, I have the option of embedding a code into blogs, webpages or emailing the link.   Jing also creates a hyperlink that is copied to your clipboard, which can be pasted anywhere.  Jing videos are saved as (swf), this file extension indicates a small web format, used for embedding videos, and playing flash animation files.

NETS-T: 

Teachers using Jing are designing and exploring creative applications of technology to promote student learning.  Jing would allow teachers to model digital-age work and learning by providing screen captures and videos to deliver content.  I have found screen captures especially effective when describing a lengthy process. For example, screen captures that assist students setting up a blog can be beneficial.

2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessment

    a.  design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity

EDUC 6814 SCRATCH Pentominoes

Learning Level 1:  How?  
The player learns to use the keyboard to rotate, turn and flip tiles.  Also, the player learns pattern recognition.
Learning Level 2:  What?
 The player learns the rules to Pentominoes.  You quickly learn what grid that you should try first in order to be successful, after trial and error.
Learning Level 3:  Why? 
 The value of learning to work in a small group and cooperate is one strategy to employ while playing pentominoes. In addition, while viewing each grid, the number of solutions possible is made available.
Learning Level 4:  Where?
Achievement in this particular game would require the player to understand that in the "world" of pentominoes, it requires stolidness and patience.
Learning Level 5:  When/Whether?  
The player learns whether placing the tiles is right or wrong.  However, it takes a considerable amount of time and trial and error to learn the correct patterns.

EDUC 6814 SCRATCH and DEJ #4

Quote: " The most explicit level of learning that takes place as one plays a video or computer game is that one is learning how to do something.  As one plays one learns, gradually or quickly, the moves of the game – how the various characters, pieces, or anything else operate and what you can make them do. One learns how to drag tiles to build up a virtual city or theme park. One learns how to virtually fight and protect oneself. One learns how to train a creature and make it evolve.  And of course one learns the physical manipulations of the controllers involved in doing all this."

After reading this article, I  could easily see learning targets written for students with "I" statements:  I will learn how to manipulate tile and enhance mental spatial processing.  I will learn how to rotate and flip tiles.  I will learn how to establish patterns for tile placement.  I will learn how to cooperate with other players.    I will learn how to use the arrow keys on a keyboard.  If we think  about games in  our classrooms and break the games down into learning targets, then possibly we can identify the intended outcomes.

With Pentominoes, you learn how to manipulate tiles using the keyboard.

Quote:  "At the second level players learn about what to do in any particular game (and, equally important, what not to do).  In other words, they learn the rules.  The rules of any game teach you what is possible and/or doable in that environment, and video and computer games are no exception."

Learning by trial and error is definitely the theme of video games.  When playing a board game, I read all of the directions and then explain the entire section of rules before playing.  But, when immersed in a video game, it's all about diving right in and playing levels and finding out what to do next to succeed.  Again, students are not usually afforded the opportunity to try and try again in a traditional classroom environment.  You often hear students talking about the rules.  So, I feel this gives them a sense of what is fair or unfair. With Pentominoes, it's about moving and placing tiles repeatedly until you achieve success.

Quote: "The third level is learning  why. Players learn the strategy of a game as they play it. (Strategy, of course, depends on, and flows from, the rules.)"

As part of comprehension strategies, we teach our students:  The 5 w's and h, (who, what, where, when, why and how).  So why not use this strategies with games?  When students understand the "why" they are analyzing and evaluating.  There are also other comprehension strategies involved: compare and contrast, sequence, and cause and effect.  Of course, a real-life lesson in this situation would be setting goals.  

Reference:  What Kids Learn that's Positive from Playing Video Games. (n.d.).www.marcprensky.com. Retrieved February 17, 2012, from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/prensky%20-%20what%20kids%20learn%20thats%2

Related Resource:

How Video Games are Good for the Brain

"Most games involve a huge number of mental tasks, and playing can boost any one of them. Fast-paced, action-packed video games have been shown, in separate studies, to boost visual acuity, spatial perception, and the ability to pick out objects in a scene. Complex, strategy-based games can improve other cognitive skills, including working memory and reasoning."   

I find the scientific research behind video games intriguing.  The medical profession often guides the "older generation" to play games, work puzzles, etc... to improve or continue memory functions.  Should we be saying this about kids too?

Anthes, E. (2009, October 12). In Boston.com. Retrieved February 17, 2012, from http://www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2009/10/12/how_video_games_are_good_for_the_brain/

EDUC 6305 Advanced Educ.Tech. Blog Post #2 Personality Activity 20

After completing the Jung Typology Test, my results indicated a close match with the Myers-Briggs personality type.  As with the Myers-Briggs, I'm considered to exhibit a Rational temperament. The Jung typology test describes my personality as a Field Marshal. The Field Marshal is an almost perfect match to how I view myself.  While reading the portrait of a Field Marshal, I found myself repeatedly nodding yes, yes, yes....   In order to be an effective leader to students, it's imperative that teachers understand themselves.  I believe that quite often teachers teach students based on how they learn and function best.  It's important to understand that different personalities exist and students need for teachers to be aware, and instruct accordingly.  To lead a group of teachers or principals, knowing yourself and being able to tease out the best in others is a quality of good leadership.  In summary, an awareness of individual differences is key to interacting, obtaining quality work, and finding the best fit for possible committees or positions.

NETS-T:  Teachers participating in self-assessments are modeling digital-age learning , participating in professional growth and development, and  using resources to guide in the design and planning for students.

3.  Model Digital Age Work and Learning

d. Model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate,
and use information resources to support research and learning.

EDUC 6305 Advanced Educ.Tech. Blog Post #1 Personality Activity 20

According to the Myers and Briggs Personality Type assessment, my code is ENTP.  My temperament is Rational-Inventor and I also researched my Best Job Fit based on my code.  The description is accurate to a certain degree.  For example, each characteristic listed might fit into categories such as "always", "sometimes" or "rarely".  Then, these would have to be ranked according to situation.  After reviewing my temperament, as a Rational-Inventor (utilitarian-abstract) , I have to agree that I speak about new problems that I'm facing or interested in, and how these problems will be solved on a regular basis.  Maybe this is in part because I'm an educator?  Educators are always facing new challenges, finding a solution as quickly and efficiently as possible.  On a side note, during a lunch conversation (actually today), the discussion of working in small groups and committees arose. Some tend to believe that completing the task on your own is more efficient.  Of course others feel the need to collaborate. Maybe placing group members together according to their personality assessments would be a good idea and solve this debate?  :)

NETS-T:   Teachers engaging in relevant self-assessments are exhibiting professional growth and leadership.

Professional growth will lead to the effective use of resources and directly impact student learning.

   

5.   Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

c.   Evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.

EDUC 6305 Advanced Educ.Tech. Jing Graphic Activity #19

As an instructor using Jing, it provides the opportunity to "teach in the moment".  For example, I chose the above JingPyramid  to help students make a connection between activities and levels of  LOT and  HOT.  Also, during instruction it is sometimes difficult to highlight or point out specific items, so project your image, and while instructing, hilight, frame, add text, and receive students' input (create your content together).  I also find Jing valuable when explaining the steps or procedures to complete an assignment.  By taking screencasts, and inserting directions, students get a  visual aid to assist in assignment completion.  On the other hand, students would be able to use the tool for various presentations.

1. What file types come out of Jing? PNG (Portable Network Graphic - This type of file allows for transferring of images on the internet.)
2. How / where do you save images on your computer? Most of the time I save images on my desktop if I need immediate retrieval. Also, I save in my" Pictures" in various folders. However, if I know that I will need certain pictures from different physical locations, I save in my Dropbox account.
3. How do you access your Jing history? I like to refer to the Jing "yellow ball" as the "sun". Click on the middle "ray" and that is the history.
4. What happens if you screencast an item in  your history? After you screencast an item in your history, it automatically saves the image link, then go to screencast.com and you will see your images/videos in your screencast library. Or, open History from Jing, click on image, click share and upload will begin, after upload you will be able to open a new tab in your browser and paste link. A plus to using Jing, you can access your images from your screencast library, from other devices when connected to the internet.
5. How to  import Jing objects into our blog posts? (1) After creating your Jing image, save on your computer (desktop, picture folder etc...) go to new post on blog page, insert image (2) Go to your screencast library, Share url, embed link or embed on your page.
6. How do you publish your artifact? If I'm publishing in a blog posting, I will choose new post, click on insert image, and locate image on my computer. Or, I will follow one of the steps listed below.

7. How do you share your artifact with others?

NETS -T:   Teachers are modeling the use of digital tools while implementing Jing in the classroom.  Jing would allow teachers to effectively communicate information to a wide-audience.  

3.  Model Digital Age Work and Learning

 Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society.

a. Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the 

transfer of current knowledge to new technologies 

and situation.

c. Communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital age media and format.

EDUC 6814 DEJ # 3 Making Learning Fun: Quest Atlantis, A Game without Guns

Quote: " On the other hand, some advocates of game-based learning suggest that educational video games are the only way that educators can  adequately engage the  "video game generation" (Katz, 2000; Prensky, 2000). The need to  design educational video  games represents more than an attempt to harness their tremendous motivational power: Digital multimedia  provide  a  resource for  children  to develop a sense of autonomy and an awareness of  consequentiality. Jenkins (cited in  Laurel, 2002) suggested that children today have fewer means for expressing agency, and even fewer opportunities for engaging in play, than they have had in the past. Their physical space for exploration and play has been reduced from several square miles to an electronic screen."
I don't believe that game-based learning is the only way to promote self-efficacy.  However, we do know that students are motivated when it's time to play a game.  I haven't really thought of physical exploration being reduced to an electronic screen.  So, the importance of designing and implementing "good" games that create social collaboration, a meaningful place to play, and a safe environment would fall in line with good pedagogy.

" Further, in addition to the thousands of quests assigned by teachers and participating staff, children ages
9-12  in  both school and  after-school settings have voluntarily completed hundreds of educational quests without  any mandated requirement. These findings, coupled with dozens of student and teacher interviews, suggest that the QA context is engaging, meaningful, and educational."
 I think that it speak volumes when we know that our students are engaging in activities both in school and out of school that are part of the curriculum.  As teachers, if what we are doing with our students is relevant, then we should expect our students to continue these activities on their own.  By providing the opportunities for motivation, we are modeling for our students the importance of content.  Personally, when a student comes to school and says, " Since we created digital stories in school, I taught my mom and dad how to create a digital story last night", to me, that's what teaching is about. So, to be able to latch on to a program like QA, and  find success in student learning should be a sign to teachers to investigate the advantages of using games in the classroom.


"Numerous scholars and  learning theorists have advocated experiential  learning the belief that learning involves real-world participation, the belief in the intimate relations between experience and education, the certainty that understandings  are  derived  from  and  modified through  experience, and  the  conviction that
action and reflection are necessary features of meaningful learning (Dewey, 1938; Kolb, 1984). Regarding inquiry-based  learning, there is broad consensus among educators and psychologists in a variety of fields that students learn best when the learning process involves inquiry, as opposed to the memorization of the facts and principles that were generated from someone else's  inquiry (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1993; Barab, Hay, Barnett,  &  Squire, 2001; Bransford et  al.,  2002; Krajcik, Blumenfeld, Marx, & Soloway, 1994; National Research Council, 1999)"
As a Reading/Lang. Arts and Science teacher, I am 100% behind the advocates for real-world or authentic participation.  Our science curriculum is based on inquiry and it doesn't take long to realize that students learn best when they experience the process and reflect on the experience. Games allow students to be in a simulated or virtual world and make decisions with the opportunity to reflect by either continuing or doing the action over again until they are successful.  We often hear, "experience is the best teacher",  as educators we need to keep this in mind when developing our curriculum.  

Reference:  Barab, Sasha, Michael Thomas, Tyler Dodge, Rober Carteaux, and Hakan Tuzun. "Making Learning Fun: Quest Atlantis, A Game without Guns." Educational Technology Research and Development 53.1 (2005): 86-107. Web. 10 Feb. 2012. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/30220419.pdf?acceptTC=true>.

Additional Resource:   20 online tools to make Learning Fun 
I chose this resource basically because I'm always searching for ways to engage and motivate students.  I particularly like the Stacks activity through Scholastic, it promotes book clubs, chats, and online games.

EDUC 6814 Globaloria Game Design

2011 WV Globaloria Game Design Competition

1. Which one do you like the best?  (Elemental Elegance)

2. What content is being learned? (Elements: Chemical Reactions)

3. Do you think it effectively teaches the content? (Yes, as a 5th grade science teacher, it is not possible to "do" all of the chemical reactions that are in this game.  Students have the option to learn vocabulary, definitions, and actually create numerous combinations of the elements to observe chemical reactions.)

4. Does it involve higher order thinking?  I believe that to create the game it requires Higher Order thinking skills such as; animating, publishing, collaboration, linking, media clipping and playing.  While playing the game, the higher order thinking skills are; applying, evaluating and creating.  

5. Does the game possess and principles of good games and learning:  Elemental Elements

• 1.They can create an embodied empathy for a complex system :  The game allows for a deeper feeling of how the chemicals/elements react.
• 2. They are action-and-goal-directed preparations for, and simulations of, embodied experience” : This is definitely an example of acting out the simulation and testing chemical reactions before acting out in the real world.
• 3. They involve distributed intelligence via the creation of smart tools: Possibly playing the role as "scientist".
• 4. They create opportunities for cross-functional affiliation: This is not a multi-player game.
• 5. They allow meaning to be situated:  This game is based on "academic language".
• 6. They can be open-ended, allowing for goals and projects that meld the personal and the social:  I feel that Elemental Elements can be viewed as "a project" with goals of completing the vocabulary, definitions and making the correct matches between elements.

6. In your opinion do you think letting kids design games is productive activity for school based learning?  Yes!  My colleague and I have allowed our students to create games based on content/cso's for 5th grade, and actually used the games in stations for other students in the class to play.   To create these games, students were most definitely operating at higher level thinking skills to design the game.  These games were board games, but technology tools assisted in the design, images, game pieces, and research.  Here is a link to Game-Based Learning- (GBL)   Game Based Learning

EDUC 6305 Advanced Educ.Tech. Word Clouds Activity #18

NETS-T   2000

NETS-T  2008

The rapid changes and advancement in technology and digital integration in the classroom required a change in the language of the NETS-T.  Even though the original nets-t set the stage for technology integration, I feel that because technology has changed and student use has changed, the nets-t 2008 addressed the demand for correlation.  When comparing the wordles, I notice the 2008 language seems to address a framework that is designed to create situations for "web 2.0 experiences".  For example, "global, resources, societal, attitudes, responsibility, contemporary, evaluate, evolving, experience" are terms that would be addressed by teachers designing activities centered around a 21st century environment.  Also, if we look closely at the language and compare 2000/2008 to Bloom's Digital Taxonomy, the 2008 language is at the upper level of the pyramid, indicating higher level thinking skills. 

NETS-T:  By implementing the NETS, teachers are using standards to design relevant learning experiences and assessments.  Wordles are an example of using digital tools and resources to promote student creativity.


2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments  

a.  design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote  

           student learning and creativity.

d.  model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and 

      use information resources to support research and learning.  

EDUC 6305 Advanced Educ.Tech. Millennials Activity 17

How  Millennial are you?

I was born in 1965 and scored  a what?

Millennials are confident, outgoing and open to change.   Well, the definition fits my personality, but my score from the Millennial Quiz certainly surprised me, because I’ve always been categorized as a “baby-boomer/gen-x”.   My millennial profile must be indicative of being a teacher and the desire to not be left in my students “tracks”.  It’s imperative for teachers to understand or “get” our students.  Our students are the information mind-set group.  As teachers, if we don’t understand the way they learn, think, and socialize, how are we going to be effective teachers?  If we continue our traditional ways, it’s as if we are fighting a battle, a battle that is not in the best interest of our students. 

The 10 attributes of  the Information-Age Mindset: 

(1) Computers aren’t Technology:  In and Out  I’m in the middle.  I gravitate toward devices and gadgets and sometimes do not read directions.  But, most of the time I’m a manual reader.  Also, I would say that computers are technology, but not indicative of 21^st Century skills and teaching, the computer is the tool.
(2)Internet better than T.V:  In  I rarely watch t.v., mainly  news channels in the morning. I prefer to retrieve information from my devices. Using Web 2.0 allows for collaboration and interaction.  Watching t.v. can be mind-numbing.
(3) Reality no longer real:  In  Critical media literacy skills must be used to analyze and interpret media. As participants in media literacy, we need to be critical consumers and possess the skills to differentiate between reality and fiction.
(4) Doing rather than thinking: In  My school years are a true reflection of being forced to memorize and learn facts. Being put into authentic situations to solve complex problems and sort through an abundance of information was rare.  Our students will be expected to participate in a global society and will need the skills to be an effective member of society.
(5) Nintendo over logic: In  I was part of the trial- and error experimentation approach to learning,  I agree with the “Nintendo” theory, keep trying, failing, and trying until you succeed.
 (6)Multi-Tasking way of Life:  Definitely In  I’m 100 % into multitasking,  I can’t do just one thing, most of the time.  Reminding myself to not be a hypocrite, if I can do it, then I must have faith when my son is listening to music, playing a video game and studying.. whew...
 (7) Typing/Handwriting:  In  I do not enjoy handwriting notes (any longer), and my writing legibility has gone downhill.  I agree that it is the power behind the “typing” that’s relevant, not so much understanding traditional keyboarding skills.
 (8) Staying connected:  In  I can’t imaging not having my phone or another device in my reach at all times.  Staying connected has become a natural part of my daily routine.
 (9) Zero Tolerance for Delays: In   Guilty… guilty of wanting immediate responses, guilty of expecting businesses to available 24/7.
 (10) Consumer/Creator blurring: In  Consuming and using material for educational purposes is part of creating digital media.   As teachers, accessing the most up-to-date material and sharing with our students is relevant.  

NETS-T:  Teachers participating and analyzing self-assessments or surveys are modeling professional growth.  To be effective, teachers should use the results to impact student learning.
 5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership  

contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community.

EDUC 6814 Game Design: DEJ #2/Gardens of Time

Comparing the learning principles of good games to Gardens of Time
Identity:  
"Either way, players become committed to the new virtual world in which they will live, learn, and act
through their commitment to their new identity."
  All players of Gardens of Time create and commit to their identity.  Designing a garden, posting a profile, and choosing to send gifts and help other neighbors sends your identity message to other players involved.  Constructing a garden reveals more than just images, it showcases a person's likes and wants.  You can visit other gardens and note information about a particular player.  Also, a player commits to increasing their reputation to add to their garden. I believe that in this type of game, students would be able to create an identity of being and doing.

Interaction:
"In a good game, words and deeds are all placed in the context of an
interactive relationship between the player and the world."
In Gardens of Time, players must act and make decisions.  This game is social!  If we want to succeed in this game, then we must visit gardens, give gifts, read the story line, and interact with the smart tools or virtual characters.  Today's students need their reading to be social.  If we compare texting, comments, blogging and video clips, these formats are most often short, and collaborative/interactive.  We need to understand that often we present our students with lengthy passages to comprehend without establishing a purpose or providing "situated meaning".  Allowing our students to read passages that have an outcome of being able to collaborate, assume roles, make comments and possibly create a product ,aligns with what the majority are already doing in their out of school environment.  Today's students  are very much concerned with being able to stay in touch with family and friends instantaneously.

Risk Taking:
" Good video games lower the consequences of failure; players can start from the last saved game when they fail.  Players are thereby encouraged to take risks,
explore, and try new things."
  How often do we allow students to take tests, or complete assignments over and over until they succeed?  In a good video game, the player can try as long as he/she wants to complete a level.  In Gardens of Time, you can jump around a bit, without collecting all of the stars, but you realize, that you should probably go back and collect all stars for more rewards.  I think that is is a valuable lesson in itself, to plan and problem-solve and predict your "needs"  for future levels in the game.  Being able to explore and take risks without negative  consequences is a concept that should not only be in video games, but also in the classroom.

Resource:  Gee, J. P. (n.d.). Good Video Games and Good Learning. In Academic ADL Co-Lab. Retrieved February 3, 2012, from http://www.academiccolab.org/resources/documents/Good_Learning.pdf


Related Resource: Are Video Games Educational?
"Video games. While they may seem like the bane of every parent's existence, they don't have to be—many of them offer unique learning features. And with increased requirements in schools placing unprecedented demands on children and parents, it may be time to start thinking about video games as teaching tools. The learning component of gaming can be optimized with parent involvement. That means understanding what makes a game both fun and educational."
Gibson, J. (n.d.). Retrieved February 3, 2012, from http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Video_Games_Educational/

Although brief, I appreciate what the author says about "fun and educational".  I believe that to make work and fun become intertwined is essential for success.

EDUC 6814 Game Design: Thoughts... Jim Gee Video

To begin with, I rarely hit the pause button, or go back and watch videos to just hear something said again, and again. But, that's exactly what I did with this particular video.  Jim Gee's words and thoughts are profound and created a stir in my thoughts and emotions.  His comments that referenced changing the types of assessments that we administer in order to design a curriculum that involves deeper learning, innovation and problem solving are right on target.  Most educators are waiting for the paradigm shift to take place in the education system in regards to assessment/testing.  Watching this video provides hope.  Due to companies and businesses providing 24/7 customized learning, and knowing that this method is putting pressure on current schools, then quite possibly we will see a change. Finally, his comments about teaching specific content for numerous weeks then giving a test at the end, holds true for many classrooms at this point.  His point about video games; you learn, and pass levels, quite possibly after hours and hours of playing, and would you give someone a "final" test?..of course not.  So why do we think it is best practice to have our students memorize facts, over an extended period of time, then assess?

EDUC 6305 Advanced Educ.Tech. Diigo Activity # 16

Diigo V3: Highlight & Share the Web! Social Bookmarking 2.0 

The video suggests that in order to connect and engage users of Diigo, the user should create (1) bookmarks, (2) tags, and (3) annotations.  Completing these three steps allows the user to display interests and expertise.  This tool would allow community building, research, and sharing of knowledge.  
A significant difference between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 is that users of Web 1.0 were considered consumers of content, and Web 2.0 users are creators of content.  Web 2.0 allows users to create content (post videos, photos, comments, tags, annotations, links, etc...) in various sites, such as facebook, myspace, youtube, bookmarking,wikis and blogging, to name a few.  I've read that Netscape is considered Web 1.0 and Google is Web 2.0.  However, there still seems to be much discussion and debate about the differences between 1.0 and 2.0.
Social bookmarking vs. Traditional storage and retrieval
Social bookmarking allows the user to bookmark, tag and annotate web sources, or links that are of particular interest, and join community groups. By joining these groups it is optional to receive emails with the newest topic.  It's like getting the "paper" delivered to your door, but delivered in electronic form and you choose whether it's something you'd like to archive. Accessing bookmarking sites is available in any situation with an internet connection.  Mobile phones, ipads, tablets, laptops, etc... are all devices from which you can access your bookmarks.  Traditional storage and retrieval is time consuming.  Where did I put my flash drive? Did I save the information on a flash drive, my laptop, or desktop?  In conversation with a colleague, "I have the best picture to use in this presentation, oh wait, it's on another device."  Also, traditional retrieval can be one-sided. It lends itself to limited interaction and collaboration with online communities.
I am currently using google chrome and diigo with my laptop. Until this past August, I always used internet explorer.  However, being exposed to and using google tools, I've found that google chrome is a better option.  I haven't used internet explorer for months, it seems clunky, heavy and slow compared to google chrome. When using my ipad, safari is the browser that I use for searching.
A browser add-on can be, but not limited to an Activex control, or an additional toolbar to improve your experience on a website.  Most of the time, I do not choose to add the browser add-on when prompted to do so.  Recalling one experience, while exploring a "dictionary" site, I chose to add the toolbar that provided additional features.

NETS-T:  Teachers implementing and creating a diigo account are modeling collaboration, using digital-age tools and value engaging with colleagues and students.
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity  (c) promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual  understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes. (d) model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments.    4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility  (c) promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of  technology and information.  (d )develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools.