Prensky article:
Do you agree with Marc Prensky that computer games (such as The Monkey Wrench Conspiracy) can really help students learn? If so, can you think of a game that would apply to your specific subject matter (e.g. math, english, history)?
Bonk article:
Do you agree with Bonk that online educational courses have improved learning? (He says that they have emphasized "mentoring, coaching and guiding" the learner.) Do you think all students can benefit from online courses?
Do you see the global improvements in technology as flat (in the way that Friedman sees them) or as spiky (in the way that Florida sees them)? Does "open education" bridge the gap between these two viewpoints?
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Prensky article: I think some computer games can be very helpful in improving student learning. In history computer games can be especially helpful to encourage historical empathy among students. If students have the opportunity to b involved in some area of history, they are more likely to empathize with the people who lived it.
ReplyDelete1. I agree with Marc Pensky that computer games can help students learn.
ReplyDeleteFor example:
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/World_Continents.htm
This is an online game in which students click on the different continents and oceans to learn information about each one. After the students learn about the different continents and oceans then they can choose the second game where they drag each ocean and continent to its correct location.
2. I do not agree with Bonk when he says that online educational courses have improved learning. Online classes are very convenient for people who can't attend class. In the online class that I took their wasn't any interaction with the teacher of the course. All of the assignments and readings were posted and we submitted them when they were due. All of the knowledge that I gained from the online class was knowledge that I constructed myself. I think that the only students that benefit from online classes are those that do not need a lot of guidance from the teacher and can construct their own knowledge from the content being studied.
3.I feel that global improvement in technology are a mix between flat and spiky. I agree with Friedman when he says that collaborative technology can improve the possibilities of success for anyone, but also agree with Florida when he states that talented people are going to be attracted to the creativity rich center cities. I feel that open education helps to bridge the gap between these two viewpoints because people will now have the freedom to learn and will give them high levels of success.
Bonk Article: I believe online educational courses come definitely improve learning if used correctly. Teachers must be willing to actually invest in students' lives for mentoring and coaching to really take place, but it is possible. Online courses can be very effective if students and teachers communicate well, but I feel sometimes teachers and students use online courses as the easy way out which then leads to the courses not being very effective.
ReplyDeleteI also see global improvements as flat more than spiky. I think the internet has increased globalization to the point that economic, political, and social is really a global experience. It is open to everyone. I think open education can help bridge the gap between the two viewpoints, because it allows education to reach some people who may not have received it before which will flatten the spikes.
Bonk Article:
ReplyDelete1. I believe online educational courses can and often do improve learning, but not necessarily because of the "mentoring, coaching, and guiding" that occur. Online courses, as Courtney said earlier, encourage the individual to construct his/her own knowledge. I think this can be beneficial in that the goal of many teachers is to teach students to become independent learners. I think learning can occur in an online course as a result of mentoring, coaching, and guiding, but most of my experiences with online learning does not speak to this claim. If teachers take time to implement the proper technologies to foster guidance (providing podcasts, participating in online discussions, etc.), perhaps more learning can occur. However, I still prefer face-to-face instruction and guidance when I have that option. When I am using online resources to learn, I prefer to explore my personal educational interests.
2. I see global improvements in technology as both flat and spiky, too. Yes, free access to new technology is an exciting advancement that can "even the playing field" for students and teachers all over the world, but as Bonk pointed out, there are still limitations to levels of web access around the world. Bonk creates a realistic perspective of the new technologies when he says, "Education and economy go hand in hand and are equally affected." I do think open education is a step in the right direction toward bridging the gap, but the political and economic issues still remain.
Pensky article:
ReplyDeleteI agree with Pensky; I believe educational computer and video games can create an exciting, often competitive learning environment for students, but it takes time for teachers to either develop these games or to locate appropriate games for their students. For example, I have to research educational computer games to make sure they aren't too elementary for my sophomore students.
One computer game my students enjoy playing during their downtime in the computer lab is Free Rice: http://www.freerice.com/. This is a game that encourages learning new vocabulary words and also supports a good cause.
Another educational computer game I enjoy using with my students is based on our study of Lord of the Flies. The Nobel Prize organization creates educational games, and this game is one of theirs. You can view the game at http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/literature/golding/about.html.
1. I think that computer games or any activity involving the computer definitely have the potential to almost instantly engage students because they love computers. They also immediately assume that using the computer is a "break" from class, so why not trick them with a game that actually teaches them? A girl that sat by me in RSED 6000 alwayd played this word game on her phone rather than take notes--I don't remember the name of the game, but it involved 8 or 9 letters and you had 2 minutes to create as many words as possible. She was recalling old vocab every Monday night as well as practicing spelling. I think this game would be great in an English classroom.
ReplyDeleteThis summer a representative from Pearson textbooks spoke to one of my classes, and she showed us the new and improved English online textbooks for high school and college classes. The neatest part about the site was the books-on-tape aspect of it--rather than read their books for homework (which most students won't do)--students can get on the website and listen to the stories in story-appropriate voices, for example a British man's voice reading "A Tale of Two Cities".
I think technology has the potential to make English fun for students, but I would need to research the possibilities out there, first.
2. I think onlie learning will become more beneficial for all learners as it ages... I completed my undergrad degree at Ole Miss, and they had tons of online classes. I only took one, and in my experience, "online" translated into "lazy teacher". I took the class almost four years ago, so I think online education has inevitably progressed from when I took it, since technology changes so rapidly. If a teacher is dedicated to showing students the numerous opportunities that lie at their fingertips in "the classroom" (online) then, I think, yes, all students can benefit from online education.
3. I think technlogy as a form of education is flat. The possibilities presented by technology for acquiring information is infinite, as long as you have Internet access. Not only can you get online and google any topic, you can also complete entire college degrees from institutions such as The University of Phoenix, etc. The economic market, however, is spiky. I agree with Florida in that only a handful of cities keep progressing economically... In order to succeed or become powerful, you still have to submit to the powerful companies in the powerful cities.
1. Pensky article: I do agree that computer games can be used to teach material, but only if they are used effectively. Maybe not for teaching a new concept, but for reinforcing and practicing the skill. As a special education, we do not teach one specific content, but one site I have used with my elementary students is a reading website. http://www.starfall.com/
ReplyDelete2. Bonk article: I do believe online courses have improved learning for some individuals, but maybe not necessarily every individual. Some individuals do not have access to educational programs that they may be interested in, but online courses provide access to those programs. They are also beneficial in that they can be accessed anywhere, at any time. However, I don't believe that online courses are for everyone. I took an online course and did terrible. I didn't have the determination, study skills, or time management skills to succeed. For me, I needed the instructor to "know" that I really existed and wasn't just a username on the screen.
3. I believe that improvements in technology are a mixture of both flat and spiky. I believe that they definitely even things out more, however, not everyone will have access to it. I think that "open education" does contribute to decreasing the gap in these two views, however, as we talked about in class last week, there will always be limitations and constraints.
Prensky article:
ReplyDeleteI do think that computer games can help students learn. They are appealing to students and seem more of something fun to do rather than work. It reaches them on a different level than lecturing and note taking. One that I used with my second grade students in internship was Ticket to Read. It allowed them to have their own clubhouse they decorated and earned toys for based on the number of short stories they read and how well they passed the quizzes for comprehension. It started off as a center during reading but students would ask for their log in information to practice at home. It eventually did help our lowest students with their DIBELS scores.
Bonk article:
1. I do agree that online educational courses have improved learning. It has opened up a world of education to people who may not have had the time or opportunity otherwise. It provides a means to an education for people who cannot attend a classroom during the day due to work but want to expand their knowledge. I think using the word “all” is very strong because no, not all students can learn from online courses. Some students still need interactions with peers or a teacher in order to better understand information. It is beneficial as a supplemental resource for all students but not all will receive the same benefits as attending a formal class.
2. I see the global improvements in technology as both flat and spiky. Friedman makes a convincing point when he talks about how it connects people from all over the globe forming new businesses and providing a social network that cannot be competed with. Everyone is placed on a more level playing field through the improvements in technology around the world. I can understand how Florida says that the improvements in technology are spiky because it does seem to happen mostly in large cities. People are drawn to the areas where technology is more prevalent so then these people work together to make even more improvements. It may begin in the big cities or “creatively-rich centers” but that does not mean it stays there, the spread happens quickly therefore creating a flattening effect. I definitely think that open education helps to bride the gap between these two viewpoints. It provides people with the choice to further educate themselves and use the resources available to them at their fingertips. The more that people have access to this “open education” the more success we will see in the world.
I think, when done correctly, computer games could positively effect a student’s learning process. However, I would think they would be more applicable for younger students.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that ALL students can benefit from online courses. I have taken a few and I can attest to the fact that I didn’t learn anything; I simply gave the instructor/program coordinator what he/she needed to hear.
I see technology improvements as spiky in that not all regions have access to technology. I believe that “open education” could bridge the gap between flat and spiky technology improvements, but all involved have to make the effort; it cannot be one-sided.
Students love computer games/technology. Why not use it? There are games, whether few or far between, that can be educational and can actually benefit students. I think that games of this nature are more geared towards science and math. English games, however, could be helpful in vocabulary instruction and helping students in literature.
ReplyDeleteI think that online classes have made learning more accessable to more people and have allowed a more diverse group of people to take ownership in their education. However, I am the type of learner who best benefits from being in a classroom to hear the teacher's instruction. Online learning has both pros and cons.
1. I do agree that computer games help students learn. As a special education teacher, it is often hard to keep my students attention on a lesson. However, when we place them in front of a computer and allow them to play a game, they tend to be completely focused. For example, starfall has many games that allow students to work with the letters of the alphabet, with numbers, and it also has games that allows students to play with and manipulate words/word sounds.
ReplyDelete2. I have only taken one online course, and from my point, there was no mentoring or guiding. I almost felt like there was no teacher at all. However, I do believe that online courses can aide learning because many people are able to take them that might not be able to attend class. Also, if courses are put on things like you tube so that anyone can watch them, this definitely helps learning occur. I do not think that all students can learn from online courses. Some people, such as the digital immigrants referred to in the other article, may need face-to-face contact with a teacher in order to learn. I myself have a difficult time learning through online courses as well.
3. I think technology improvements are both spiky and flat. Yes, everyone has an opportunity to learn through the new technology, but not everyone has access or the ability to learn through this technology at this point. So for now, some people are going to go higher than others, but open education will hopefully allow those others to start catching up.
Prensky article:
ReplyDeleteI do believe that computer games as well as any educational technology can help students learn. I think there has to be a balance though of explicit instruction along with using computers as supplementation. We have to remember that all children learn differently so a computer game could be a way of reaching a student that didn’t understand the first time around. One website that I have particularly useful in the classroom is http://www.abcya.com/. This website is divided up among grades and has games that correspond with each grade and its content. It can be used in whole group or small group learning. Students seem to link computer games with fun so why not incorporate learning into it.
Bonk Article:
I believe it depends on the person whether they will benefit from it. In the present time, I am a full time student, school is my only job, so attending regular college classes works with my schedule. I am also a visual learner, I want to see the professor, see the content we are learning about played out in the classroom. However, my boyfriend works two jobs and has no time to attend a regular class so online classes work perfectly for his lifestyle. He also hates the monotony of attending a regular class. He enjoys the online classes because it makes him responsible for every bit of what he learns.
I see the improvements to technology being both flat and spiky. Yes, technology is free in its access, and everyone can use it, but realistically it is not available to everyone in the since of if its affordable or feasible due to where you live. More and more people everyday have the wonderful option of using it. However, I do believe that technology improvements will only come from those drawn to it. What I mean by drawn to it, is as in if they have the mind-set and creativity to produce more technology themselves. I do believe that “open education” can bridge that gap between flat and spiky. It gives people the opportunity to take control of what they learn and the extent to which they will go achieve it.
1. Using a game to help students learn would be a great tool. Students love learning in ways that allow them to use technology and students really like doing something that is not your everyday activity. They would be very curious and excited to play the game to see how it relates to the material. The only setback would be creating the game, for most people creating a game would be very time consuming and frustrating. There is a game that I used to play in elementary school that used to employ your knowledge of history, science, math and English. In the game, the student was a kid lost in a museum. The only way for the kid to get out is to figure out all the puzzles involving the subjects.
ReplyDelete2. I agree and disagree that on-line classes can improve learning. On-line learning can be a good thing for students that are scared to talk in class, but on-line they don’t have to be the center of attention while they speak in class. They are free to discuss things openly and don’t have to be shy. It allows people to take classes at their convenience if they are working all day. On-line learning can create some problems since they are not in an actually classroom receiving instruction from a teacher. The learning can be problem based, but the student will not always get answers to questions immediately. For some students this is a great tool and for some it
3. I believe that improvements in technology are mainly spiky. Technology has spread vastly over the last decade and is more widely available than ever. There are still technology centers, mainly large cities, which will attract the creative class. Atlanta will attract more people of the creative class then a city down in South Georgia. Open education will help bridge the gap between these two points because no matter where you are, you can learn through distance learning and on-line classes.
1. I definitely agree that computer games are useful educational tools. Students are already resistant to learning in many cases and would rather have fun. If we can "trick" them into learning, then they often enjoy the whole process more. I remember learning about the life of a pioneer with "Oregon Trail" as a kid. While the depth of content in the game is not great enough for me to use it as a teacher, many web-sites have short games that I use. Many of my students also play games like "Civilization" and "Age of Empires" and come in with some cursory knowledge of historical cultures.
ReplyDelete2. Online courses may have improved learning slightly, but have certainly made opportunities more widely available. I agree with the aformentioned strengths of online learning, and believe that there is also another embedded learning objective of instilling intrinsic motivation present in students through these courses. Students learn greater self efficacy and responsibility as no teacher is constantly standing over them.
3. Having read Friedman before, I believe that his case was simply that entire bodies (countries) have experienced a flattening out due to technology and globalization. However, even Friedman is aware that the "trickle down" effects of this flattening is limited. Not everyone will benefit from the level playing field, even in technologically advanced locales. Ultimately, while global improvements are "flat" for nations and whole groups, the effects for individuals are "spiky" and based on class and socio-economic status.
Prensky
ReplyDeleteQuestion 1
I agree that the method works, it is currently used in most new video games educational or not. A screen shows how to do a move in the game and then asks the player to repeat it, thus showing mastery. After completing the move, the player is allowed to progress in the story. As I work in special education my course content changes day to day. However, last year I worked as an aide with a Music Education teacher and we used the game Rock Band for Xbox 360 to teach rhythm, beat, tone, and scale of notes. This game was very successful with the students.
Questions 2 and 3
It is vital to try and teach the future technologies so that the minds that we teach will be able to compete for opportunities that will be available tomorrow. However, it must be equally divided on both “Legacy” and “Future” content as the author puts it. An example, I’m 30, so I’m old enough to remember when there were only 4 television channels. Our TV had a dial, no remote. TV went off at 11pm and came on at 5am. The only way you would get more channels was with a 10ft satellite dish or with a UHF antenna atop your house. Well cable came along and gone were those days of antennas and 10 ft satellite dishes. Today if you want High Definition TV, how do you get it? A 3ft satellite dish or large metal antennas are mounted atop your house. Point is, like history, technology repeats itself. If our students don’t know the “old ways”, what are they to do when the network crashes or if the internet fails? These things happen all the time. As to whether or not to teach math with a calculator or not, a child’s brain shouldn’t be dependent on a machine to function, if it is that is not progress!!!
Bonk
Question 1
I do not agree. All an online course does is make things more convenient for the learner. For example, those who have taken distance ed courses here at Auburn know that the instructor teaches the same way they have for their entire career as instructors. Occasionally one might interact with chat rooms from the podium, which is the same as raising your hand in class. Convenience is the only benefit. Instructors emphasizing mentoring, coaching, and guiding whether online or not are benefits of a good teacher, not being online or not.
Question 2
Improvements in technology and education have always been both. The initial group that discovers the new method or technology is the spike and then throughout time everyone else catches up. Thus, it changes the spike into a flat line. It is always time and any form of education that bridges the gap.
Question 3
By incorporating computers into the phases of the scientific method: forming hypothesis, gathering evidence, and proving results, the convenience of education is improved. For example, the question to your students is why America went to war in Vietnam. Students will give their preconceived ideas (formed hypotheses). They will then use internet sources to gather evidence to prove or challenge their ideas. They will then either present their ideas with evidence or present their newly learned ideas with evidence. It is important to note that computers are purely another resource like the old “World Books”. All they have done is speed up the same processes and granted classes more time. With this extra time we are able to go further in depth than we were with previous technologies. This extra learning time is the sole benefit of computers.
1. I think that games can be useful in instruction. I observed a 6th grade math class in which the teacher introduced the students to a program that involved programming a turtle to make certain moves on the computer screen. Students used their knowledge of geometrical formulas and graphs to create designs using the "turtle". The students were excited about learning because they could visualize the concepts. Games for English could correlate with grammar instruction. There could be a game that required mastering certain concepts in order to move to the next level.
ReplyDelete2. I believe that online educational courses can be useful in any classroom as long as the teacher has an appreciation and understanding for the technology. If the teacher is not enthusiastic about the integration of technology, he or she will be easily frustrated by questions and problems, thus making the integration ineffective for classroom instruction.
3. I don't think that technology has experienced a complete flattening, simply because lower socioeconomic classes do not always have Internet access. Therefore, some communities cannot benefit from or experience connection to the online world. However, I do think that if students from these communities are exposed to computers at school and are thouroughly educated on technology in the classroom, the gap will start to grow. Some schools hold computer drives now where neighborhoods donate used computers for students who do not already own one. This is a good means for bridging the gap.
1. Some educational games can be useful (I distinctly remember those great Carmen San Diego games from my youth), but teachers should always test and judge the games before usage in the classroom. The game Leigh mentioned in her post is similar to the board game Boggle and usage of such a game (or an online game of Scrabble) could be useful in building vocabulary.
ReplyDelete2. The effectiveness of online courses, as others have mentioned, depends largely on the instructor. A few of us English Ed folks had a professor who did her doctoral thesis on online teaching, and what Dr. Paquette found was that teachers who tried to use verbal cues (like using students' names when teaching the class via webcam, for example) in their teaching to try and make the online classroom seem more like the actual classroom were far more successful.
3. Because we live in a global society where there are markedly different socioeconomic levels, the global flattening effect talked about by Friedman is a bit of a misnomer. Poorer people in both our country and the world at large don't have the same access that other socioeconomic groups do, and some argue this may never change. Creating greater means of access, ways for more people to use newer technologies should be the goal that would help equalize the levels.