Journal #9

Can Games Be Used to Teach? by Alix E. Peshette and David Thornburg

This article has two different views. Alix E. Peshette believes that games are beneficial for education. David Thornburg however believes that digital games should not be used in education. Peshette believes that digital games engage students. They also can help software companies start developing learning software, not just games in which to have fun. She believes students play digital games already and it would be beneficial for them to be playing learning games. Thornburg believes that games do not teach what students will need later outside of school. They need to learn real critical thinking skills. They do not need games that reward them for write answers. They need to study and acquire knowledge for its own sake.

Question 1:
How can these view points help me in the classroom?

Seeing the different view points will help me decide if digital games will benefit my students. I think that they can be beneficial, but I now see that I should be careful in what type of games my students should be playing.

Question 2:
What do I need to look for when designing digital game lesson plans?

First, I need to make sure I limit how many digital games my students play. I also need to make sure that the games use critical thinking skills. Games that are just practice with rewards may not be the best thing for the students. They can practice and get rewarded without using a computer. They need to learn skills that are better taught with a program. Skills that are more complex, like critical thinking and collaboration can be taught with a computer game.

Journal #8

Fun and Games by Gail Lovely

This article is a software review of different technology learning games. This author has put together games that she feels students will like and will learn from. She feels there are many games out there that do not teach students. She wanted to put together a list and overview of games that she feels are educational and fun. The different games she recommends are: Mia’s Math Adventure, Just in Time; Nancy Drew, Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake; Liberty Kids; Once, Twice, Thrice; and Age of Mythology.

The games in this article sound like a lot of fun for students. Mia has all different skill levels and types of math. These are integrated in a story and mystery that the students need to solve. If they want to bypass the story they can as well. Nancy Drew has problem solving and note taking. It also follows a story and requires the students to solve a mystery one step at a time. Liberty Kids teaches students about history from different perspectives. The students interview witness and then bring back there interview to the newspaper and decide on headlines for their stories. The students learn how to take information and report back the main points. Once, Twice, Thrice is a story with a series of mazes that require three students to work together to get through the mazes. Age of Mythology teaches students about different cultures and beliefs.

Question 1:
What games would teach the students other things besides the curriculum?

I think that Nancy Drew would get girls to use technology. I would incorporate it if I had female students who did not do well on the computer. I also like Once, Twice, Thrice. It teaches cooperation. It may be a good game to have if your students are not working together. It may help you to teach them how to work together.

Question 2:
What games would I most likely use in a classroom?

I think that Mia and Liberty Kids are the most likely games I would use. They both teach many of the curriculums that I will be required to teach. They are also less time consuming and may appeal to a larger audience, compared to the other games.