My Gaming Experiences

Describe your personal and/or classroom experiences using games/simulations.

I am an adjunct instructor and have just started using gaming and sims in the classroom. Historically, I have not used games at all because there is so much to cover in one class. Games were not part of my syllabus. Since starteing classes in Ed Tech, I see the advantages to using games to introduce material, convey concepts and for projects/presentations. I would have never guessed that there are so many neat applications for gaming in the classroom. The first time I saw gaming used in a k-12 class was in 2010 when I was a sub. The teacher assigned a research project and had her students use GoAnimate to create a presentation of what they had learned. http://goanimate.com/  They had a great time with it and created some of the most creative and fun animations I have ever seen. We laughed the entire class period, because of the clever nature of the game interface and what the students came up with. We didn't want to stop (and it was a 2- hour block class). You know your students are engaged when they don't want to leave.

I have also had the pleasure of teaching a section on Google Earth (sims) last semester. It was a lot of fun and again, the students came up with brilliant presentations by using it. I will say that Google Earth was definitely more involved than the simple GoAnimate interface, but once you get the hang of it, it is fun and very educational. Google has mapped much of the Earth (air and sea), the Moon, and Mars. And there is a flight simulator built into it.

In what ways do you think games could be beneficial and detrimental in learning situations?

Computer games are tough to compete against in class. If students are gaming or on facebook rather than paying attention, it creates a huge problem for all. Teachers have to take more time reiterating the lesson for those who are not keeping up. Students who are keeping up do not get the extra help they need when this occurs. The problem is, they are doing so and we can't stop it without blocking technology or invoking discipline... or can we? I find that I will have to address this phenomenon soon in my classes. ALL of my students have smart phones now and use them during class. Last spring I had a student who used his smart phone during an exam; I had to ask what he was thinking?? He didn't even realize that using the phone was inappropriate.

One possible answer is to deliver instruction via apps and social media. To engage students, teachers could post twitter questions about assignments, much like they would on a wiki or discussion board. Google Earth is interactive and interesting to students. When we teach about the rain forest, we can use it to demonstrate where it is and what we can find there. While researching this topic, I found this blog about text-based gaming. http://www.edstuckinthecloud.com/tag/educational-games/  Ed's point is interesting and I can see how this form of gaming would improve reading skills once the students get started.

I would like to see a second life site for educators that is totally secure for students and safe for all. That would be great fun, and I think the students and teachers would love it. Teachers could create a multitude of classes within that site and share information easily. The military uses gaming and sims for training purposes. NASA trains pilots by using flight sims. Architects create simulated buildings and concept walk-throughs to show clients what a building will look like. It makes sense that students are beginning to use gaming and sims in the classroom. It is apparent that we need to continue to learn more about these technologies and expand our knowledge base to improve our effectiveness.