E-games have now become a very popular learning technology used in classrooms today. This is due to the large amounts of research being conducted on them, new learners or ‘digital natives’ being disengaged with traditional instruction and the increased popularity of games. Just what do games bring to the education table? General Research suggests using games helps to increase student engagement while being fun and educational at the same time. Furthermore, in an article by Van Eck, it is said that learning with games takes place within a meaningful (to the game) context. Games are so effective not because of what they are but because of what they embody and what learners are able to do as they play the game. A certain ‘flow‘ can be achieved when using games effectively that shows absolute student involvement and connection toward the games task.

However, as teachers we can not infer that using games will promote affective and meaningful learning all the time in all situations. Teachers need to be aware of how to make games beneficial in the above ways and not focus on ‘fun game play’ at the expense of educational value. Furthermore, there is also danger of games becoming too academic in nature and neglecting enjoyment and fun, which has been identified as being crucial to increasing student engagement levels and ultimate success of an e-game.

Check out our immersion activity podcast on games as an e-learning technology in education.

natsimon-interview

Simon

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Fitting in with what has been described as ‘meaningful learning’ is Ausubels congnitive theory on the psychology of learning; that new concepts or information can be connected or fitted into an existing concept already learnt.

The theory underlying use of concept maps and how to use them is highly useful to teachers as they can be used as powerful facilitators of the above learning theory in education. They were developed in 1972 in a research program designed to look into changes in childrens knowledge of science. They are graphical tools used to represent knowledge of a topic and also to show diagrammatically relatonships that exist between concepts. Cross-links are also an important feature of a concept map which can show relationships between concepts in different domains on the map. Specific examples can also be inserted into the map in order to help improve understanding of a concept and then to apply it in a certain context.

This type of learning displayed by use of concept maps helps replace what learning occured using more primative methods, such as rote learning. Concept maps serves the needs of text-style learners but at the same time doesn’t crowd the map visually as to disadvantage more visual type learners.

In a very useful article by Salter, a theme surrounding online education is that flexible online learning depends on the ways in which learning tasks can generate interaction. This interaction online can be promoted by use of a new powerful communication tool, online discussion groups. Online discussion groups fit well within a constructivist educational framework as students learn by constructing new information and fitting this new information into what they already know about the subject. This is achieved by social negotiation where research finds higher quality understanding can emerge.

Problems commonly seen in face to face type tutorial settings can be avoided or minimized with use of online discussion groups. For instance, bidding for a chance to speak where in a class situation, it is often just a race to see who can answer the fastest rather than who could be more reflective in thinking. Typical online discussion can go into great detail, tend to be well thought out and articulated and enables students to communicate a whole lot better.

However, beware of the assumption that setting up an online discussion will be a huge learning success. Teachers must become aware of what works.what doesn’t work in discussion groups as well as strategies that can be used in order to set up a more successful online discussion group.

Reactionary

Today, a new technology: use of digital video provides huge opportunity in order to help students learn. Its main advantage is ease of use along with ease of which digital video can be edited. In a Digital video article, it makes mention that using digital video has amazing affects on student motivation and interest levels. As supported in a lecturers’ blog, it provides an ‘exciting new way to learn’. I strongly agree with this statement and can already begin to visualize ways that digital video can be used in my key learning area. For example, students studying PDHPE can use digital video in order to provide commentary and analysis on specific movement patterns in certain sports. Along with this, game specific skills and rules can be highlighted. Thus, digital video can help provide insight in sport performance for students.

I also believe that digital story telling will also prove to be a popular means of learning in classrooms in the near future (and used in PDHPE). Digital story telling gives a personal voice along with digital images to the audience. Via its presentation, students are able to share their work, develop communication & decision making skills and gives them a sense of achievement. In addition to this, findings suggest that using digital video in the classroom accomodates students of different learning needs and levels, that ultimately helps the motivation and enjoyment of all students in the classroom.

Reactionary

In response to Maree’s blog are libraries obsolete I must say that even though I don’t want to admit it, I do believe libraries are becoming obsolete in this new digital age. I agree that libraries are vital learning environments and are gateways to knowledge but I also think that being mainly filled with text materials most definitely does not suite the learning needs and characteristics of learners of the digital age.

In this digital age, there are newer more exciting and interesting learning technologies that exist for the learners of today to take advantage of. Previously, we would have walked into any library and seen it crowded with students ready to learn. However, today we are more likely see a similar crowd waiting to log onto a computer to download or access information while at the same time catching up with friends and reading emails! A sign of the times no doubt, new learners multitasking and using technology to their advantage in a new digital age. But can libraries adapt and respond to the needs of generation Y learners? What must they do in order to do this and most importantly what would happen to all the text-type books? Perhaps they would always have a place on the shelves of the technologically illiterate…

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An excellent resource for anyone involved in teaching (or interested in future teaching) is the 1st chapter of the Jonassen book titled Meaningful Learning with Technology. I value the first chapter of this book because it focuses our attention on the what drives learning to take place and how technologies can help foster meaningful learning. Amongst other things, it is the nature of the task that determines learning outcomes. Students will learn more meaningfully when they are engaged in a more meaningful task such as in ‘active, constructive, intentional, authentic and cooperative learning’.

In this chapter, it is argued that students learn with technologies and that it’s more than just using hardware in the classroom. Learning technologies can be any envirnment or definable set of activities that engage learners rather than tools that communicate meaning. Furthermore, technologies will not be delivery vehicles of meaning but rather engages and facilitators of thinking and understanding.

I think this is a great pitch for technologies helping to foster better, more productive and meaningful learning. I see now the core theme that learning technologies help support a knowledge constructionist approach to learning where knowledge is explored and learning occurs through construction of ideas, understandings and beliefs and also by comparing and analysing perspectives of others.  

Powerpoint, which was created in 1984 and later acquired by Microsoft, has now become a widely used program in a corporate setting, businesses and our schools. It has allowed a giant step to be made forward in regards to technology aiding and enhancing how presentations are delivered. Since its introduction, Powerpoint has come under allot of scrutiny in terms switching focus to format rather than content. In the article Powerpoint Is Evil, Powerpoint is depicted as being ‘punishing’ to the audience as its style seeks to create a speakers dominance over the audience. While I agree it definitely helps the speaker outline their knowledge visually via presentation, I believe it isn’t out to excert authority over anyone listening to it.

The article also states that Powerpoint ‘rountinely disrupts, dominates and trivializes content’. I agree in presenting some graphic information, there is a tendency for information to become incoherent, but this is where the designer must take control and ownerships by deciding how best to deliver the content in order to keep its relevance and readability. I recently viewed a year 7 class who’s task was to research and present on a country’s recent Olympic performance using Powerpoint. Each student group presentation demonstrated to the audience that Powerpoint was responsible for students creative learning and gave the teacher indication that Powerpoint does have its place within the classroom. The presentations were a huge success, not dominating using Power…just showing uniquely creative ways to deliver presentations in the classroom…and that’s to the point!

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“learners don’t get ideas…they create ideas!” I think this is a great quote defining the essence of what constructionism is all about. It asserts that knowledge must be constructed in the mind of the learner rather than transfered from teacher to student. The quote comes from a review article of teaching and learning theory based on constructionism supporting the constructivist viewpoint-that the learner is an active builder of knowledge. Furthermore, the instructor acts as a facilitator and motivator while learners internalize the learning process while becoming more accountable for their own learning.

This article is a great resource for anyone looking to broaden their knowledge on constructionism in the classroom. This is due to many examples & strategies provided in the article as to how to implement constructionism in the classroom to help create better learning. Personally, teaching should be about engaging learners, encouraging interest & question asking. This can be enhanced with a constructionist teaching approach through the way people share representations of understanding, knowledge, thoughts and experiences. With this in mind, I liked Kayla’s learner-centred approach to teaching as it allowed students to connect to the content and at the same time make good use of peer feedback to develop their learning. At the same time, engagement and motivation levels remained high enabling better learning to occur through Kayla’s use of constructionism in her classroom.

After reading Downes (2004) article, Educational blogging the reader is able to understand what weblogging is all about how it has come about to be so useful in an educational context.

Originally, weblogs began as link driven sites where bloggers would ‘log’ all webpages they find interesting and relevant. It was also described as a ‘online diary’ where people would discuss problems in their lives. However it is now much more than that with weblogs now characterised by comments and observations while providing links to new and useful resources for the reader. Added to this is the personal style in commentary and reflection of the author.

As an educational tool, weblogging has now replaced the standard web page. With ease of use as well as providing links to additional course materials, weblogging allows students to add their own personal touch to their work whilst at the same time learning more about their fellow students by reading their weblogs.