Hello! Welcome back to another weekly technology reflection. This week we learned about the power of gaming in the elementary classroom. Additionally we learned about how games can be an effective method of teaching students when used as a learning tool.
Considering gaming in a classroom context, I believe that games can serve the role of learning tools rather than distractions. There are a few factors that impact the effectiveness of these games including engagement, participating, and storytelling elements. The biggest factor in my opinion is that games incorporate fun. At the end of the day, students are children, and children love to play. By incorporating play and gaming (whether it be online games or physical/experiential games) students are experiencing stimulation. Additionally, students are learning through experience which aligns with the First Peoples Principles. When students learn through experience they are more likely to remember the concepts and ideas as well as leave with a memorable learning experience.
Gaming is loved by some educators and hated by others. There are pros and cons of gaming. Here are my lists of consideration:
Pros: Increased motivation and fun factor, collaborative elements, experiential learning, and students learn new skills (such as coding).
Cons: Technology usage concerns, lack of budget for said projects/programming, lack of control for teachers, and distraction of students.
Thinking reflectively, I do think I will try and implement gaming in my future classroom. I know that there will be challenges and that some students will not respond in alignments with my expectations. However, I do think there is value in students engaging with popular technology. I also think that gaming may be a good method of engaging learners who are generally disinterested by learning into their personal preferences. Teachers must be careful when giving students new technology as a learning method. I believe if done with great thought and intention, students can walk alway with an engaging learning experience through the use of gaming.
See you all in next week’s reflection! GAME ON!!!
