"Gee has identified a number of principles that underlie modern game design that can teach us a lot about learning" (Jonassen pg. 54, 2008). I believe that three are very good principles. The practice principle lets the learners get lots of practice in a non boring way. It makes the learning not boring because it is virtual. The practice is related to the task at hand. I also like the discovery principle. This is letting the learner experiment and make discoveries on their own. In my opinion, it is similar to the practice principle but you get to learn on your own by making your own mistakes. I also like the active, critical learning principle. I love that it is a more active learning. I don't believe in passive learning, learning should be a hands on.
I believe simulations would be very hard to create in a math setting. I would have them use the urban simulation. Since mathematics was mostly originated in Europe, I would have them make do a simulation in Greece. All of the Greek scientists lived in very awesome architecture and discovered many formulas. They could use the language that was spoken and find developments in that. Simulations help people that are big in architecture and engineering and the Greek architecture would make this very interesting. In order to do these simulations, a student would have to be an upper level educated student, high school, college, etc. This would be a very interesting experiment.
I like the venturing into games. It makes learning much more fun and I know if I were a student and was given these products, I would love to be involved in this. When I was in elementary, it made me love math and also there was a program that made me want to learn to spell. Simulations are a great technology to keep the students involved. I think that learning is going to be a lot of fun in the future just because of the technologies that are vastly growing today.
Resources:
Jonassen, D., Howard, J., Marra, R., Crismond, D. (2008). Meaningful learning with technology (pp. 54). Upper Saddle, New Jersey: Pearson.
I totally agree with hands on learning being the best way to totally immerse students in a subject. I got the following quote from a Scouting training years and years ago...Can't remember which one but it applies so much to education today...Tell me and I may forget, show me and I may remember,let me and I’ll understand.If you include the tell, show and let, students with most learning styles will absorb the materials and skills.
ReplyDeleteI think the Pracice Principle is great because it is not boring. The best way for me to learn something is through practice, and if I am having fun while doing it, I will probably never forget what I learned. Any studet who has fun while learning will enjoy more being in school and doing homework. This will also promote a postive atmosphere in any classroom.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that could help your students in the sim world for your math class is let them have money, and allow them to go spend it and keep track of how much money they have. Just a thought.
ReplyDelete-Richard Smith
I couldn't agree more with the three principles that you chose. I chose them also in my blog. I think that the Active, Critical Principle and the Practice principle go hand in hand. If a student is active in learning and applying what they are learning through practice then information will become real to them.It won't be information that they memorize for A test and then forget soon after. Also, allowing students to discover things on their own through research and experimentation is a great way for them to learn.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoyed a video game in the classroom; up until college when I had to pay for the courses. Any visual aid you can give to a student will help. Any creative visual aid that is interactive is that much better. I think sociology and science related courses could benefit huge from interactive video games like that. More and more people, I think, are interested in how the construction of our society has become what it is. Would you agree?
ReplyDeleteI think your simulation choice is interesting. You tie it into math pretty well though through the architecture and engineering aspects. It would be neat to see how that turned out. I also agree with you that games can make math a lot more fun. Both of my own daughters used computer games like Math Blaster before they ever started school because they thought it was fun.
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