THERE’S MORE TO THE INTERNET THAN GOOGLE (REALLY!) - Part 2

THERE’S MORE TO THE INTERNET THAN GOOGLE (REALLY!) - Part 2

Do you want to engage your students using phenomenal new tools?

Does your school have “technophobe” administrators who see technology as a distraction?

Do you have colleagues that think computer use by students stifles their creativity and innovation?

Would you like to learn about some research findings that support technology use in the classroom?

Take the next step! Effectively empower your students to develop critical thinking skills! Get set to zoom through cyberspace, efficiently!

First things first, teachers themselves need to understand why using technology in the classroom leads to higher student learning outcomes. Second, teachers should aim to carefully examine and intertwine course content and technology tools, and then translate that into student expectations. Let me share my thoughts and findings below:

Ever since I enrolled in my first Educational Technology course during the Summer of 2008, I was enamored by all that technology in the classroom offered, from my personal perspective as a student. When the following school year in August began, I as a teacher offered my students opportunities to stretch their creative minds and develop projects using engaging Web 2.0 tools, and I was amazed. My students had never been more engaged or more happy with a Language class. They were now film creators, editors, directors, actors, comedians, technicians, and commentators; at the same time, they were learning Spanish language content effectively and with enthusiasm.

I recall how my administrators and fellow colleagues were confused as to why I would offer these types of projects to Spanish language study students. I was met with the skepticism inherent to “old-school” Educational Administrators. When called upon to substantiate my methods, I found it easier to skip past the research supportive of Educational Technology, and instead explained the educational gains and outcomes.  I would just point to the students’ end-products and their knowledge obtained by my entertaining and interactive technology approaches.

During the Critics of Educational Technology articles readings, from a research-based perspective, I noted the following themes to be prevalent:

   Ÿ the significant financial investment made by educational institutions does not equal the benefit gained from learning with technology

         Ÿ the human and physical world offer so much more to a student than a one-dimensional computer, as clarified by Oppenheimer (1997)

         Ÿ computer use stifles creativity and innovation, encourages isolation and sedentary learning, and renders reading tedious (Oppenheimer 1997)

         Ÿ distance learning courses through a Web medium “are merely correspondence courses distributed electronically” (Zemsky & Massy, 2004, p. 5)

I located an additional article by Hokanson and Hooper, where they described the rationale for failed technology integration in formal education. They emphasized that computers are tools, and consequently that students ought to “learn with technology, not just from technology.”  Hokanson and Hooper also made reference to the research of Oppenheimer, Clark, Jonassen and Kozma, emphasizing that instructional methods and pedagogy are critical factors of effective integration. They articulated that the “soft and subjective beliefs of society” as well as the handling of education with a business model have limited educational advancement with technology.

I believe that each of the above criticisms makes a valid point, but these points also can be negotiated. First of all, there is the criticism about the considerable amount of financial investment thrown at technology by schools. An administrator unquestionably would have to validate the advantages gained compared to monies spent. Culp, Honey and Mandinach (2003) expressed that on the contrary, “one cannot ignore the immense costs saved.” The use of computers coupled with the internet have made it feasible and easy to “(deliver) instruction to geographically dispersed audiences…  (or to use) distance learning systems to expand the reach of teachers in specialized subject areas to broader populations of students” (Culp, et al., 2003). Or thanks to Web 2.0 tools, organization of content (taught/learned) can be easily and cheaply displayed.  It is difficult to argue that we do not strive to educate our children and provide for them financially so that they will be successful in their futures; why would we not apply the same logic to the cost of technology in education?

Oppenheimer argued that computer use stifles creativity and innovation, encourages isolation and sedentary learning, and renders reading tedious (1997). However Culp (et al.) asserted that

         “many reports present strong assertions that technology can catalyze various      other changes in the content, methods, and overall quality of the teaching and        learning process, most frequently, triggering changes away from lecture-driven instruction and toward constructivist, inquiry-oriented classrooms” (2003, p. 5).

I look at it from the constructivist paradigm, where education is about participation, and includes social construction of knowledge and collaboration where students are encouraged to reflect on their learning. For example, with a collaborative learning approach, students are explorers, managers and producers putting forth a team effort. With problem-based learning approaches, a group of students may work together to achieve a final comprehensive goal. Working as members of a classmate group on a Moodle discussion forum or perhaps an educational social networking site such as Edmodo are the exact opposite of the isolation of which Oppenheimer claimed.

Furthermore, student technology use does not stifle creativity and innovation; quite the opposite occurs when students interactively work with content and digital tools. As Jenkins pointed out, “the explosion of new media technologies…make it possible for average consumers to archive, annotate, appropriate, and recirculate media content in powerful new ways” (2009, p. 8). In my Spanish classroom, students utilize Prezi or Brainshark for presentations, edit pictures with Photoshop, add their voice to animations and pictures with GarageBand or Audacity, annotate on a VoiceThread and demonstrate knowledge with Screenchomp or Bubble.Us. These Spanish classroom activities illustrate Jenkins’ theory and Lenhardt & Madden’s examination (2005) that students will more actively control and contribute to the production Web 2.0 culture to which they subscribe.

Finally, there is a criticism that distance learning courses through a web medium are flat and without interaction, similar to a correspondence course where only the teacher and student take part. I consider the opposite to be true and judge that online courses offer added value.  As Gee argued (as cited in Jenkins, 2009), these online spaces

         “offer powerful opportunities for learning…because they are sustained by common endeavors that bridge differences in age, class, race, gender, and   educational level, and because people can participate in various ways according to their skills and interests, because they depend on peer-to-peer teaching with each participant constantly motivated to acquire new knowledge or refine their existing skills, and because they allow each participant to feel like an expert while tapping the expertise of others.”

My personal experience with online graduate study is the reverse of “flat.” The online environment is rich, diverse and complex, and provides a space to share insight and experience. It forces a person to sharpen initiative, critical-thinking, and communication skills. My classmates and I explore, debate, reflect and gradually come to understand our personal and classmates’ perspectives.

As evidenced, I believe that a strong case for Educational Technology exists, and that the criticisms can be challenged appropriately with research findings. “College presidents predict substantial growth in online learning” (Parker, Lenhart & Moore, 2011); students will continue to be motivated and learn with the assistance of digital tools; and the computers and the internet will probably gain more sophistication in the near future. Similar to my personal experience as a graduate student, I believe students everywhere find the integration of technology in education to provide a positive and worthwhile experience; I therefore would count myself as an Educational Technology “criticism-naysayer.”

References

Culp, K. M., Honey, M., & Mandinach, E. (2003). A retrospective on twenty years of education technology policy. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 32(3), 279-307. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/20years.pdf

Goode, B. (2004). Unintended consequences: Distance learning and the structure of the university. Distance Education Report, (8). p. 2 & p. 7. Retrieved from http://online.education.ufl.edu/file.php/4303/Week7_Critics/Unitended_Consequences.pdf

Hokanson, B., & Hooper, S. (2004). Integrating technology in classrooms: We have met the enemy and he is us. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology, Chicago: IL. Retrieved from http://hokanson.cdes.umn.edu/publications/IntegratingAECT.pdf

Jenkins, H. (2009). Confronting the challenges of participatory culture: Media education for the 21^st century. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation reports on digital media and learning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved from http://digitallearning.macfound.org/atf/cf/%7B7E45C7E0-A3E0-4B89-AC9C-      E807E1B0AE4E%7D/JENKINS_WHITE_PAPER.PDF

Lenhart, A. & Madden, M. (2005). Teen content creators and consumers. Pew Internet & American Life Project paper, Pew Research Center, Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2005/Teen-Content-Creators-and-Consumers/1-Summary-of-      Findings.aspx

Parker, K., Lenhart, A., & Moore, K. (2011). The digital revolution and higher education. Pew Internet & American Life Project executive summary report, Pew Research Center, Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/College-presidents/Summary.aspx

Oppenheimer, T. (1997). The Computer delusion. The Atlantic Monthly, 280(1), 45-62. Retrieved from http://www.tnellen.com/ted/tc/computer.htm

Zemsky, R., & Massy, W. (2004). Thwarted innovation: What happened to e-learning and why. A Final Report for The Weatherstation Project of The Learning Alliance at the University of Pennsylvania in cooperation with the Thomson Corporation, Philadelphia, PA. Retrieved from        http://online.education.ufl.edu/file.php/4303/Week7_Critics/ThwartedInnovationWhatHappened.pdf

Additional Resources:
http://prezi.com/wde3mov9cjqt/the-defense-of-educational-technology/?auth_key=c97ce0b29faa45e49d011856909b69a0b315b7d8

Book Review--Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives by Palfrey and Gasser

Listen to my Book Review podcast by clicking the link below, and then the LISTEN icon: 

http://fransiracusa.podbean.com/

EME 5054, Module 7, Fall 2011  

Podcast Transcript:

   My name is Fran Siracusa and welcome to my book review podcast. The book is called Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives. The two co-authors, John Palfrey and Urs Gasser, wrote and published the book in 2008.  John Palfrey is a Professor of Law and Vice Dean for Library and Information Resources at Harvard Law School. He is also a faculty co-director of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. Dr. Urs Gasser is the Berkman Center for Internet & Society's Executive Director and was previously an Associate Professor of Law at the University of St. Gallen (Switzerland), where he led the Research Center for Information Law as Faculty Director. One can find more information about the book and authors at the http://youthandmedia.org/projects/digital-natives/ and the http://www.borndigitalbook.com website links.

   This volume is topically divided into 13 chapters, which include chapter titles such as “privacy,” “safety,” “overload,” “innovators,” and “learners.” The authors wrote from an expert perspective, and stated that due to the changing face of technology, some parts of the book will already be outdated by the time a reader obtains it. (However, the book does include a current relevant Afterword chapter.) The intended audience is comprised of parents, teachers, future employers, policymakers, technology creators and others who intend to figure out how better to work with Digital Natives. Moreover, digital natives themselves would truly benefit from reading this book.

   Palfrey and Gasser endeavored to explicate Digital Natives, or people who were born after the year 1980. The term was first coined by Marc Prensky (2001) in his article “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants.” Digital Natives are connected to each other through a common culture facilitated by digital technology immersion. They have only known a life full of technology, not without. Their human-to-human connections very much involve digital spaces, also resulting in the formation of relationships, quite different than that of other generations before them.

   Palfrey and Gasser scholarly presented each chapter with clarity and full development of the topic at hand, and vastly supported their arguments with  evidence and research. The writing style is semi-formal and candid, as they explored the habits and role of digital natives, while clarifying their viewpoints.  To me, the book reads like a discussion, with educated opinions, expert views, and includes quotes from digital natives focus group members. In my opinion, the authors have successfully succeeded in educating the reader.

   I believe this book is quite valuable to parents, educators, and digital natives themselves. Palfrey and Gasser made numerous important points that clarify critical issues of today’s digital world immersed by youth. For example, that digital natives’ digital identity can be remixed but will always exist somewhere else in cyberspace; or that from before they were born, each digital native has an expansive digital dossier outside one’s true control (p. 45); or that even if one posts something privately, it can be accessed by the world (possibly illegally or without one’s permission) (p. 57). The book affirms that parents and educators need to have productive conversations with youth so that they themselves may develop skills and tools to keep themselves safe online; that young people harness amazing talents evidenced by their creations (narratives, blogs, mash-ups, videos, and pictures); and that students are overloaded with digital content on the web, and again need the skills and tools to deal with the situation effectively (p. 194).

   This book reinforced my previous teacher perspective that students ought to receive the necessary tools and develop the skills NOW that they will need to succeed later in life. I was pleased to examine the authors’ interpretations of digital natives, which gave me new perspective and suggestions for comprehending digital natives’ choices and habits. The book asserts that digital natives are outstanding in their thinking and learning processes; and that it wise for teachers to let students be the guides in navigating these new ways of connecting with people all over the world.  Similarly the authors point out that some old-fashioned solutions that worked in the past also apply to the problems of the digital age: that is, “engaged parenting, a good education, and common sense” (p. 10). Palfrey and Gasser made a valid point I had not previously contemplated when speaking about identity: they reiterated that “some aspects of online engagement are cause for concern” (p. 21) and it is more important than ever to help them develop strong literacy skills.

   Born Digital was praised by Harvard Law Professor Lawrence Lessig who called it a “beautifully written book…(that) is required reading for parents, educators, and anyone who cares about the future.” He is the author of Code and Free Culture. Howard Gardner, a psychologist and professor from Harvard, recommended the book when he stated, “From now on, any attempt to understand what it is like to grow up or to live one's life in a digital world must begin with this outstanding, original synthesis.” Gardner is the author of Five Minds for the Future and Multiple Intelligences.

   I highly recommend this book for parents and teachers, and would assign it a 4.5 on a 5 point scale. This book warrants such a high score because it raises awareness of parents and educators about current significant topics and issues. It has such a timely focus, as it speaks to the vulnerability and opportunity of Digital Natives.

References

Palfrey, J. and Gasser, U. (2008). Born digital: Understanding the first generation of digital natives. New York, NY: Basic Books.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5).


Additional Resources:
http://youthandmedia.org/projects/digital-natives/ 
http://www.borndigitalbook.com
http://fransiracusa.podbean.com/

Learning by doing...iPads and iPods are IT! ...el 4 de febrero de 2.011

I am a priveleged teacher who was lucky enough to attend this year's FETC conference. Here I am attaching my notes. I hope that you can benefit!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20329169/FETC%20Conf_D1_020211.doc

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20329169/FETC_conf_D2_020311.rtf

Ch-ch-ch-changes...

(http://www.arttherapyblog.com/uimages/2008/10/transformation-and-change.png)

Ch-ch-ch-changes…

Pondering this topic, the song “Changes” by David Bowie runs through my mind. As I am a “digital immigrant” trying to educate in a new “digital native” world, I am adapting my methods by implementing big changes. The kind of teaching practices I employed with my Spanish students during my first year of teaching (14 years ago) are quite different than the techniques I utilize now. The internet has changed the way I view and access information today. In addition, the means of research used by today’s students are the only methods they have ever known.

Today’s students use the internet to access practically all their information. The internet is utilized for two purposes: the Read-Web and the Write-Web. Dan Gillmor elaborates more on this theory in a chapter entitled the “Read-Write Web” in his book, We the Media. When one seeks access to literature, research, and various texts, students explore various websites and databases by using search engines and other tools. When producing their interpretation of their findings, students apply content by implementing, sharing, uploading, and editing information; analyze content by comparing, organizing, deconstructing, integrating, and tagging; and finally evaluate by critiquing, experimenting, collaborating, networking, and reflecting. Just as Tom March wrote in his article, I tried to “look for the sparks that create insights, the contrasts that excite problem solving, the bells and whistles that motivate, the passion that inspires.” In this capacity the internet serves me well.

One great effect the internet has had upon students is that the internet provides a means to transfer content learned to a real-world context. For example, in one single project, a student may study the core subjects of Economics, Geography, History, Government and Civics. In one example of a Digital Youth Project: Nafiza, instead of just memorizing facts about three countries, she and other students transfer the content to a real-world context in a virtual world with characters, background and dialogue. Ideas are connected across disciplines and illustrated. Within the same project, students practice 21st Century themes such as global awareness and civic literacy. By actively participating in these internet activities, students will encourage curiosity and involvement in world affairs, which may initiate change throughout society. A particular student’s deliberation may lead to others’ participation.

In a different example of a Digital Youth Project: Luis, connections over the internet take a prominent role. Luis develops Financial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurial Literacy. Drawing on multiple forms of expertise enables Luis and his peers to be better able to see the relationship between subject knowledge and the world around them. Luis also develops civic literacy, as he chooses to educate fellow citizens. His reaching out to others advocates a call to action, which may lead to multicultural exchange for the betterment of all.

Unlike the last five to ten years, the internet has become a significant research source employed by students for school-related tasks. They look to the internet for resources when doing homework and/or projects; download podcasts for classes; use email (with the teacher) to obtain homework assignments or answer questions about projects; and use wikis, blogs, and social networks. Students even use Facebook as a way to connect with exchange-student friends from around the world. (Facebook was the communication tool of choice to maintain relationships established during annual Croatia-U.S. student-exchange at my school.)

So again, I would reiterate that change has come, change is here, and that one must be flexible in internet practices.

References:

Digital Youth Portrait: Luis (part of the Digital Education Project)
http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-profile-luis-video

Digital Youth Portrait: Nafiza (part of the Digital Education Project)
http://www.edutopia.org/node/6281

Gillmor, D. (2004). We the Media - Grassroots Journalism by the People, for the People. eBook distributed by Authorama – Classic Literature. Licensed under Creative Commons. Retrieved at http://www.authorama.com/we-the-media-3.html

March, T. (2005). “Working the web for education. Theory and practice on integrating the web for learning.” http://ozline.com/writings/theory.php

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On the Horizon, 9:5. Retrieved at http://www.hfmboces.org/HFMDistrictServices/TechYES/PrenskyDigitalNatives.pdf

¡Móvildependiente!

(Courtesy of Alan Cleaver http://www.flickr.com/photos/alancleaver/4104954991/)

In my Spanish IB classes, I teach a unit about Addictions to Technology in Spain. It is quite interesting to my students that people across the ocean are just as or even more “addicted” to their technology tools, namely cell phones (“móviles” in Spanish.) One might consider the scenario worse in Spain, as their fees are higher than those typically paid here in the U.S.

Personally, I consider my laptop as the computing device that is an extension of who I am. It actually belongs to my school, and I rent it out each summer in order to continue my search for new knowledge and tools during the long break. I have utilized it at home in my quest to master MovieMaker, to maintain Ning social networks, to play around with Voki, to watch and upload videos on Teacher Tube, to follow leading Instructional Technologists on Twitter, to explore and share on blogs, to create Scavenger Hunts, etc. I have actually given up watching television in the evening in lieu of investigating education-related websites.

I have spent many years tutoring Spanish for additional income, and I always bring my laptop. Panera and Crispers are Wi-Fi hotspots where I have frequented. Even my youngest son and I have played computer games on my laptop at the local Panera while we shared a bowl of soup. I initiated a Technology Consortium this year at my school, and I hook up my laptop to the LCD Projector in order to introduce and discuss new Web 2.0 tools. I present at area schools sharing my technology expertise in the realm of student-friendly Web 2.0 tools, and again I tote my laptop. Even when going on a cruise out of the country, I bring my laptop.

So, yes, I guess you would call me “móvildependiente!”

As for using mobile computing devices in disadvantaged or underdeveloped environments, they would appear to facilitate improved learning. Owning a cell phone is uncommon in countries with poor populations. “The flagship ITU publication Measuring the Information Society notes that two-thirds of the world's cell phone subscriptions are in developing nations, with Africa, which has a 2% subscriber rate as recently as 2000, growing the fastest. (World Bank 2010.)” As I read the EduTech blog from WorldBank.org, it is noted that cost plays as an important factor in structuring mobile computing systems in underdeveloped countries.

Disregarding the cost details, similar results from development of 21st Century Skills appear in students from underdeveloped countries too. For example, players from over 130 countries play an online game called Evoke. Here they “form their own innovation networks: brainstorming creative solutions to real-world development challenges, learning more about what it takes to be a successful social innovator, and finding ways to make a difference in the world (Hawkins 2010.)” The use of mobile computing devices will benefit students from all backgrounds. The question is will the poorer people of the world be given such tools in order to maintain similar learning levels, and perhaps will we truly collaborate so that solutions emerge.


Current References:

World Bank. (2010). The Use of Mobile Phones in Education in Developing Countries. Retrieved from website at http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTEDUCATION/0,,contentMDK:22267518~pagePK:148956~piPK:216618~theSitePK:282386,00.html

Hawkins, R. (2010). EVOKE -- When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion. EduTech:
A World Bank Blog on ICT use in Education. Retrieved from http://blogs.worldbank.org/edutech/evoke-when-spider-webs-unite-they-can-tie-up-a-lion

Geo-caching in the Spanish classroom

(http://www.flickr.com/photos/lollyknit/2145583498/)

After sharing and learning from a UF Ed Tech program colleague and friend, I have witnessed through discussions, videos, blog and a wiki how successful an experience can be using GPS in the classroom, with students as young as 2nd graders. Anna Baralt uses geo-caching with various levels of students to utilize cross-curricular learning in integration of reading, writing, math, science, social studies and geography. Geo-caching enables students to develop the 21st Century Learning skills of inquiry and problem-solving. Specifically “students take ownership for their learning; use real world data to encourage high order thinking skills; collaborate and cooperate when working with a team; increase their understanding of mapping systems, as well as the principles of direction, distance, and location; construct their own knowledge and share it with others; and make decisions. (Baralt 2009.)”

Many classroom ideas are described on Anna’s related blog and wiki, which makes it very helpful for educators like me looking for lesson plans. The particular project called Geocaching – Integrating Math & Social Studies revolved around “money” and piqued my interest. The directives included that an educator “scan or find photos of currency from around the world and then place the currency in caches. Once students find the caches, they return to the classroom to identify the currencies and find the exchange rate for each currency in US dollars using an online currency converter (Baralt 2009.)”

Even though Anna was able to acquire 10 GPS receivers through grant funding, I aim to rent or borrow similar GPS receivers for a similar proposed project of my own. [Another option is Groundspeak's Geocaching Application which is best supported by the iPhone 3G or 3GS, but is also compatible with the iPod Touch and 1st generation iPhones (wi-fi dependent) and an upcoming version for the Android in Spring 2010.] I intend to use authentic currency I have collected during my travels to Spain, Mexico, Costa Rica and Peru to use in caches I would hide around our school campus. I would have the student groups (of 2-4 persons) take digital photos of the currency (as to not remove the caches); go to the computer lab to aid in identifying the currency; find the exchange rate for that currency in US dollars; add up the currency to find out which group had the most valuable amount; graph their findings on a graph on the class community wiki; and finally write about the significance of the images on each currency in how it relates to that country’s culture and history. All information compiled will be written entirely in Spanish and shared on the class wiki.

Ultimately, this project will result in the students strengthening their language production skills. Performing an activity beyond the traditional classroom walls and different than plain lecture or worksheets can play an important role in influencing student achievement. By providing students with atypical and enriching learning activities such as this, students should develop collaboration and higher-order thinking skills, a significant benefit for today’s learner. In my experience, the teenagers benefit from learning a foreign language especially when it is meaningful, authentic, and integrated in other curriculum.

With regards to students in disadvantaged environments, if the educator were able to obtain the technology tools (perhaps with grant funding or simply borrowing the tools), the students would greatly benefit from the “exciting, empowering, exploratory environments that focus on student engagement in the learning process (Christie 2007.)” These students would apply problem-solving strategies in their learning, collaborating, and communication with geo-caching. Students who typically may be subjected to passive learning in their classrooms would have the chance to participate in “active, exploratory and inquiry-based learning (ISTE).” If applied, continuous educational gains would surely be achieved by these students.

Current references:

Baralt, A. (2009). Using GPS blog. Retrieved from website at http://usinggps.wikispaces.com/Resources

Christie, A. (2007). Using GPS and Geocaching Engages, Empowers, and Enlightens Middle School Teachers and Students. Retrieved from website at http://alicechristie.org/pubs/E6/index.html

ISTE. (n.d.). National Education Technology Standards. Retrieved from website at http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=NETS

------------------------------------------------------
el 16 de abril de 2.010
BI: Español B – Nivel Estándar, Segundo Año
Proyecto: BÚSQUEDA DE TESOROS (TREASURE HUNT)
GEO-CACHING


Jackie y Agnes son las primeras en encontrar los tesoros.


Jessica busca la caja-cache debajo del banco.


Finalmente Marina encontró la caja-cache detrás de la Máquina de Refrescos.


En la biblioteca, Agnes quiere conocer la tasa de cambio de las diferentes monedas del mundo.


¿Cuánto dinero conseguiste, JR? Si él tuviera un millón de dólares, compraría un coche-Lotus.

The Potential of Games & Virtual Worlds

http://www.ramonatrade.com/DSC06892.JPG

One thinks back to (maybe) ten years ago, sitting in an enclosed box-like video game, plastic gun in hand. Stereo speakers are at ear-level, and the visual imagery is amazing on the screen 12 inches from your nose. Placed in the arcade, watching that dinosaur chase you as you ride away in the Jeep while you excitedly rack up more points – how can a person not think that experience is thrilling?

Now, do all human beings enjoy playing digital games? I believe the answer is no. However, I believe most people have a competitive spirit somewhere inside them. That sense of competition may spark someone who normally shies away from digital games to go ahead and try them.

Speaking of technology-haters, there’s my dad. He is a 67-year-old man who refuses to buy a computer, to have an email account, or even to use an ATM card/machine. However, my seven-year-old son and he have spent many afternoons playing baseball on Wii. You see, my dad is very competitive and loves his sports. Consequently, he will gladly play a game of baseball, bowling or even jousting if it means he can beat Luciano at a game! And, he does learn a thing or two along the way.

Now, if you can entice a person to participate competitively in a virtual world/game, you may enrich his/her learning experience. The modeling found in a simulation/virtual environment is very important and may contribute to learning and development of 21st Century Learning Skills. “Because while people learn from their interpreted experiences…models and modeling allow specific aspects of experience to be interrogated and used for problem solving in ways that lead from concreteness to abstraction…it grows as well from comparing and contrasting multiple experiences. But modeling is an important way to interrogate and generalize from experience (Gee 2008.)”

Because of the “emotion” aspect, I believe that games and MUVEs benefit some students more than others. “Emotion appears to be a key source of motivation for driving thinking, learning, and problem solving. Video games, as a form of entertainment, are good at attaching emotion to problem solving, just as films are good at attaching emotion to stories (Gee 2008.)” As stated in the course recommended podcasts and various research articles, there are various academic uses for games and virtual environments. Benefits are reaped by educators transferring skills, and by the “gamers” who are “edutained” in these formats. Persons who take on personas through avatars in fantasy worlds, such as World of Warcraft, are given the opportunity to “act out” in different ways than they might normally in the real world. Prominent companies and even the United States military employ virtual simulations as part of their training exercises to transfer real-life skills to employees. Gaming as a form of entertainment and learning greatly benefits the learners, especially those who expect to be entertained or who simply are “digital natives (Prensky 2001.)”

A substantial benefit of gaming and virtual worlds in educational settings is its conformity with the “digital-native’s” mind. In today’s world, students are consumers and producers. They live in a different culture than what existed 20 years ago. We teachers are products of a different culture than our students, but we must still prepare them for the future, especially in ways that are different from the ones our predecessors used. Our old methods will not be effective, and it is our job to teach the youth and develop in them the skills needed to produce the desired outcome – success in their future academic and professional careers. We need to teach them essential skills, such as good judgment, internet navigation, creative “play,” collective intelligence, etc. These skills will enable our students to make meaningful connections with people all over the world, in whichever context on the internet, but perhaps more successfully through MUVEs. Recalling a quote by Marc Prensky from his article “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants,” he states that “students think and process information fundamentally differently from their predecessors.” Therefore, if teachers accept the fact that students’ thinking patterns have changed, it is in their best interest to help them learn in the Digital-Native style. An instructor who has the initiative to create learning activities using a MUVE enables students to manage information efficiently. Teachers expect students to absorb, analyze and create (information); why not teach them using a Digital-Native style? And how better to analyze, collaborate and create than in an “authentic” situation in gaming? Again, gaming and virtual worlds in education may prove advantageous.


Current References:

Gee, J. P. (2008). Learning and Games. The Ecology of Games: Connecting Youth, Games, and Learning. Edited by Katie Salen. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Media and Learning. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. 21–40. doi: 10.1162/dmal.9780262693646.021

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. MCB UP Ltd Bradford, West Yorksire: England. http://online.education.ufl.edu/file.php/3195/NativesImmigrants.pdf