games

Gaming and education have always been considered as separate entities by traditional systems of teaching and learning. Despite this fact, a large number of students and even adults spend millions of hours completely immersed in the games sitting in front of TVs, computers, mobile phones, iPads or other PDAs.

explores the possibilities of integrating games in traditional instructional methodologies, both online and face to face, so that teachers can help students learn the ability to perform problem solving, engage in high-level thinking skills, promote collaboration, foster engagement with the subject matter and retention.

If teachers pretermit the gamification of education, they would not be able to connect with the learners who are practically born in this digital world. The advancement in the digital world calls for changes in the way education is imparted to students.

The demands and needs of the modern world have changed a lot, and teachers can not continue teaching the same way as they used to teach in 20th century, moreover, this may not bring the best results for today’s technologically advanced students

support the fact that computer games can motivate students to learn and better transform the way students acquire knowledge. Kirriemuir (2008) further claims that, “Games are associated with fun, play, challenge, imagination, enjoyment, lateral thinking and experimentation – concepts that, for many, sit uneasily with study, concentration, silence, obedience and checklist (or curriculum) teaching

believes that digital game environments can enhance human cognition and always involve purposeful human action within a specific context. Gee (2003) sees games as a medium of mastering new literacy practices. Gee(2003) considers ‘literacy’ practices as reading, writing, sounds, interpretation and manipulation of images. Digital games have been used in formal settings for the last decade, but still there is a lot of scope

it has been demonstrated that games can supplement formal education and may not necessarily interfere with existing instructional strategies

Many interactive games, known as ‘Serious games’, usually combine educational content with game and its elements

Games, by design, rely on intrinsic, not extrinsic motivation and ‘intrinsic motivation can be undermined by external rewards linked to tasks’ (Lepper & Green 1976).  Wlodkowski (1999), defines motivation as the driving force behind someone’s actions. Intrinsic motivation  are the internal desires to perform a particular task whereas extrinsic motivation is doing something because of external rewards (Deci & Ryan, 1985). The classroom environment and the teacher interaction are also very important in motivating students (Grolnick and Ryan, 1990). Further, Waraich states that “For any learning task to be meaningful to the learner, they must have both a sufficient context for the learning and motivation to perform the tasks that will help them to learn.”(2004, p.98). Malone and Lepper (1987) observed that games intrinsically motivate players to engage in problem solving and critical thinking, because challenge, curiosity and fantasy act as the motivating factors.

Some organizations working for a cause

1.   Mumbai Mobile Creches: http://www.mumbaimobilecreches.org/home.htm

2.   Open University Malaysia : http://oum.edu.my/oum/v3/index.php

3.   University of Ghana: http://www.ug.edu.gh/

4.   University of Ibadan: they have a distance learning department http://www.ui.edu.ng/

5.   African virtual university: http://www.avu.org/About-AVU/introduction.html

6.   Global teenage group: http://www.globalteenager.org/

7.   The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD): http://www.nepad.org/

8.   Digital Links: http://www.digital-links.org/

Effective Instructional Design

My MS in Online Teaching and learning from California State University has made me believe that effective instructional design depends on sensitivity to the cognitive load which, depends on an understanding of how the human mind works.  There are many things about the presentation of the instructional design that I was not aware of. As I began reading Clark and Moreno & Mayer’s article I came to know how pictorial and verbal material is associated with cognitive structures.

I think that a presentation should be broken down into digestible ‘sub-sets’ alternating between a few seconds of narration followed by a few seconds of corresponding animation. Moreno & Mayer found in their experiment (2002)  that people with high-spatial ability have to put less effort in holding and manipulating mental images whereas low-spatial learners may not be benefited of simultaneous presentation. This may require them to devote more time in cognitive processing to hold mental images.

Moreover, segmenting helps in making meaningful subsets of the instructional material. I find when any video/power point is presented with animation continuously, with no breaks between the segments; I can make sense from the first segment. But, the additional processes of organizing and integration of information presented in next segments become difficult to understand because my mind is still processing the information presented in the previous segment. Thus, a useful practice is to use the technique that can be called weeding. Weeding reduces load and make the multimedia narration as concise and coherent as possible.

GameMaker

This week has been very interesting. Clark brings some important points regarding the culture of transfer in the workplace. She emphasis that the training should be such that at the end participants are in a position to apply knowledge and skills learnt in real life situations. Chapter 13 further suggests selecting the instructional methods to promote deeper learning (p.342). There may be several reasons behind failure of training and the main reason can be ‘poor learning strategies and monitoring failure.’

I tried to make a game using Gamemaker.com which is free platform to develop free games. It enables users to create basic games from scratch or user can write codes to create one. I started with a game but found that it is a long process and I need to practice before I could create a good game. I tried using Classtoolnet.com to create a basic game and realised the dustbin game was the best fit for my topic. Classtoolnet offers limited options and there are few colors to choose from. But it is a very good free tool which gives teachers and students an option to create their own games, even if, they don’t know coding. Teachers do not have to rely on expensive games or game making software. They can make their own small games using this tool. The only drawback is the color scheme which may not be fit for visually challenged students.

What is MMORPG

A Flipped classroom

Created by Knewton and Column Five Media

How to give and receive feedbacks

Feedback Covenant: This is the set of rules those have to be followed when you are engaged in a group where giving and receiving feedback is an  integral  part. I have tried to divide some of the points under following headings

Maxims of quality:

I will carefully consider all feedback but retain the right to use or not use what is offered.

I will ask for clarification when needed, both for my own work and that of my colleagues.

I will provide specific feedback that is concrete.

I will keep a professional tone.

Maxims of Quantity:

I will strive to respond within 24 hours to new postings by team members.

I will provide detailed feedback balancing negative and positive points

Maxims of Relation:

I will keep an open mind when giving feedback as well as when receiving it.

I will offer positive support and help in every interaction.

 I will not take feedback personally if the receiver does not use suggested changes.

I will give constructive feedback ideas that can help improve the work as opposed to criticisms.

Maxim of manner:

I will offer positive support and help in every interaction.

I will try to  avoid obscurity and ambiguity. 

Reference:

Armand, T. (2007, 11 7). Basic rules of conversation. Retrieved from http://armannd.com/basic-rules-for-conversation.html/