Educational Computer Games

Today saw us look at educational computer games and their software, and how they can be used within the classroom.  Now as someone who actually enjoys computer games as a past time I have been looking forward to this workshop to see what is available specifically for the education market.  I was not disappointed to experience the programs presented to us, but did find some a little challenging to use.

Dance to Advance

The program we looked at was called 'Dance to Advance'.  It is, as its name suggests, a dance game.  A dance mat is connected to the computer and is used as the controller.  The screen then displays options in a circle - usually about 8 answers - and in the centre is where the questions are presented.

In order to answer the question, children have to step on the correct 'button' on the dance mat that links to the correct corresponding image or answer.  This type of activity engages both sides of the brain as children have to think about and answer the questions while coordinating their movements to select the correct answer.  I think that this is an excellent to get children involved, groups of children can encourage classmates and create team atmospheres when answering questions.  My only qualm about using this in the classroom would be the issue about space, as not all classrooms will have the space to accommodate the dance mat.  

Would I use this in my teaching?  If this program and resource were available to me and I could use it in a meaningful and suitable way, then I would most likely incorporate it into my lessons.  But it is important to only use a resource like this rarely as it enhances the special-ness of the activity and will not give children the opportunity to get bored easily.

Scratch

No, I'm not suggesting the physical act of scratching.  Scratch is in fact a programming software which gives children the opportunity to learn how to program a character on screen to move as they wish.  In advanced cases, children can create their own games or animated films using the software.

As the above image suggests, bright colours are used to make instructions easily identifiable and also to make the interface more interesting for children.

Personally, I found this program to be very confusing in the way you use it.  I will admit that the colour coding helped but I found it to be complicated when trying to move the character forward and changed appearance.  If given more time, I may have been able to understand and eventually gain some kind of mastery over the software.  The same can probably be said when children approach the program; with time I am sure that children can create some interesting pieces of work.

Anything else?

While these programs are useful and intuitive for a classroom experience, it may be productive to also think about and include other sources of interactive educational computer games.  Nintendo can be regarded as the pioneers of this technological era in educational gaming, with the introduction of their brain training games, children found enjoyment in learning without realising they were actually learning.

With the introduction of the xBox Kinect, this is another version of the 'Dance to Advance' premise that can incorporate physical movement with intellectual processes.  In fact, there are some games, similar to the Nintendo Brain Training available for the xBox that follow along the same kind of lines.

Wordle
As well as looking at interactive educational games, we were also given the opportunity to look at different ways of creating displays for our classroom environments.  Wordle is a website that takes written text and converts it into a word display in a variety of shapes, colours and arrangements picking out the most common words used - aside from the more convential words of 'it', 'a', 'as' etc.
The following wordle art is created from all the words this blog has used over the weeks:

And Finally.....

Ultimately, in is most likely that computer games in some way, shape or form, are going to become commonplace in schools at some point in the future.  All I can say is that as long as the technology is used appropriately and effectively, I don't see why it can not create a niche in the interactive education area.  Again the main issue is not to use it constantly as this can cause children to get bored with the technology and stop to see it as a treat or something different.

Later Days,

Literacy: Speaking and Literacy

Today was a continuation of the practical workshop we took part in last week - see Digital Media and Computer Control.  In today's session we have looked at the use of speaking and listening resources and digital imaging.

We started by looking at how digital equipment can be used to aid in literacy classes.  More importantly, we looked at this use of sound recording and what benefits it has.  There are many different ways in which technology can be used to help aid the education of Speaking and Listening in Literacy, including the use of talking tins and other such talking devices, and pod casting.

Talking Tins

Talking Postcards

These talking products can be used to record voices and play back at random.  A teacher can record themselves saying a phrase such as "Good Work" or "Well Done", or possibly even something else.  Talking Tins are an excellent resource for phonics lessons, allowing the phoneme of the day to be recorded and, if more than one talking tin is available, words that are related to that phoneme can also be recorded on individual talking tins for children to listen to.  They can be used as part of interactive displays on tables and walls throughout the school, to really get children into their learning.

Podcasting


Podcasting is the radio show of the modern age - well, in most ways any way.  It is essentially a pre-recorded radio show that is broadcast over the Internet for all to hear.  This is an excellent for children to work on their Speaking and Listening for Literacy as in some instances they may be required to draft what they intend to say before actually recording it.


Some Primary schools have used podcasting to create their own radio stations that get publish on the school's Learning Environment for everyone to hear.  They can also be uploaded to iTunes via the program iPodder.
These podcasts can range from relaying school information on a school wide scale [what's for dinner in the canteen?, what school events are taking place], to creating replica radio stations in the style of World War 2 broadcasts for history lessons.  They could be used to record times tables that can be accessed by children on their electronic learning area and used as learning aids.


There are some examples of Primary School Podcasts which can be found at:
Downs FM
Radio Anywhere

Podcasting programs like Podium are very good for use with younger children, allowing them to get to grips with the idea of creating podcasts.  It has an easier interface that embraces this.  For older children, Audacity is a more suitable solution and gives them more creative control.They are able to import sounds, cut and move sections of their recording to suit what they are creating and are pretty much given free reign to create engaging material.





Digital Imaging & Recording

Digital imaging involves still and moving pictures and can be used in a variety of classroom settings.  Still imaging is an excellent way of recording children's achievement in class and this can then be uploaded onto the school area for parent's and everyone to see.

Moving imaging aka digital filming, is up and coming within education.  There are digital cameras that are specially made to create films, more to the point, stop-motion animation.  The camera can be attached to a stand, directly connected to the PC and the children can create their own stories frame by frame.  This is a great tool to use alongside an English topic, as the children would be required to come up with a story and then proceed to make a storyboard so they knew what they were doing before they started - a good way to utilize the time with the equipment.

I found this to be most enjoyable.  Below is my group's attempt at creating a stop-motion animation.  As you can see we have been able to add in effects, sounds and borders to our finished product, another engaging extension that can get children thing about the presentation of their work.

This kinds of activities take up a lot of time, but they can sometimes produce some of the best work.  When using equipment like this, it is important to take into account how much time you will need to execute it properly.  If you are only giving them a small amount of time to explore and work with the equipment, there is no way to ensure there have understood learning objectives and have had a quality learning experience.

Ideally, digital imaging in all it's forms will become more commonplace.  Stop-motion animation allows for creativity from the children and hopefully an understanding of an art form that is underused.

Next week, I'll be writing about more interactive media like programming products and more physically uses for ICT in the Curriculum.

Later Days,