Tag: Uncategorized

QR Codes & Outdoor Learning 

Today was our last class of Digital Technologies and we looked at the use of QR codes and the Pic Collage app. We also learned about promoting Outdoor Learning using digital technologies and they many benefits this can bring. This encouraged me to think about different lessons plans that incorporate technologies with the outdoors.

Outdoor Learning is more than just being outside; to offers “motivating, exciting, different, relevant and easily accessibly activities from pre-school years through to college” (Education Scotland, 2010) and it is said that outdoor learning experiences are often remembered for a lifetime (Learning and Teaching Scotland, 2010). Outdoor learning also provides relevance and depth to the curriculum in ways that are difficult to achieve indoors (Learning and Teaching Scotland, 2010).  Education Scotland (2010) builds on this as they say “The core values of Curriculum for Excellence resonate with long-standing key concepts of outdoor learning. Challenge, enjoyment, relevance, depth, development of the whole person and an adventurous approach to learning are at the core of outdoor pedagogy”. Other benefits of outdoor learning include developing critical thinking skills;  giving children opportunity for personal development; promoting healthy lifestyles and being aware of personal safety. Outdoor learning also provides a chance for children to showcase skills and abilities that are not always visible in the classroom, and this can therefore boost their confidence. Outdoor learning also allows links to be made across other curricular areas, such as health and wellbeing, where children can capitalise on the challenges of the outdoor environment and science, where children can study the local, natural and built environments. Our class also looked at the link between outdoor education and children’s wellbeing: the eight indicators of wellbeing are that the child is safe, healthy, active, nurtured, achieving, responsible, respectful/respected, and included (or SHANARRI as it is commonly referred to). Examples of this would be that a child has to be safe outside as there could be roads nearby, they need to be respectful of the wishes of their teacher and should feel included in the community of the class.

The SHANARRI Wellbeing Wheel

We then learned about QR codes and QR code scanners. QR code is short for Quick Response Code and these codes are a type of two-dimensional image-based hyperlink. It is an updated version of a standard barcode, which can store up to 30 numbers, whereas a QR code can store 7089 numbers. QR codes can also link a short piece of text, and audio recording, a website, a map location or even a calendar event. Our first task was to retrieve one of the iPads with a QR code scanner already installed and a worksheet with questions on it. We all went outside and had to run around completing a treasure hunt as it was a race against the other teams! Every time we found a QR code, it had to be scanned to unveil the question with 2 choices for the answer. Each QR code also had a clue for the next QR code to help us along the way. Once we had all the answers, each associated letter formed a six letter word and cracked the code. It turns out our group came last, but it was so much fun in the process! This would be an amazing activity to do with children as it was so engaging and encouraged us to work really hard to beat all the other teams – a little healthy competition! If this activity was to be used with children, clear boundaries would have to be set, ie a point that they are not allowed to cross (and why) and to listen out for the teacher calling them. If activities like this are carried out, trust starts to form between the teacher and the pupils and it goes both ways: teachers can trust that their pupils will respect the rules, and the children respects the teacher enough to follow the rules. We were also set a task of taking photos along the way of completing the treasure hunt and then creating a collage of our journey with the app, Pic Collage. This is another great tool to use with children as it provides a platform for children to share their journey and give a short round-up of their experience. It would be helpful, in a classroom, to ask the children to talk us through their collage and explain what is happening in each picture: this gives the children more structure and guidance when sharing stories with their classmates, which in turn may give them more confidence. Learning outcomes for an activity such as this in the classroom could be:

Today’s class was so exciting and engaging, even for us as adults! This kind of activity would definitely be a hit with children, while educating them on not only digital technologies but also on whatever the topic was (it could be maths, literacy, Vikings etc) – with extra cross-curricular input too!

Today was the last input of Digital Technologies for this semester! I can truly say I will miss this class. After completing the sheet given to us on the first day and realising my lack of knowledge of digital technologies, I now feel that, after twelve or so weeks, I have improved massively. I now have a confidence with using these technologies and even better, how to use them to teach! I feel inspired to learn even more about digital technologies and use this effectively in my classroom. I believe that digital technologies are the future of education, and to be able to have knowledge of these amazing resources will really help me in my future career.

References:

›Beauchamp, G. (2012) ICT in the Primary School: From Pedagogy to Practice. Pearson Education Limited.

››Education Scotland (2010) Curriculum for Excellence Through Outdoor Learning.

›General Teaching Council for Scotland (2012) The Standards for Registration.

››Learning and Teaching Scotland (2010) Curriculum for Excellence Through Outdoor Learning.

›SHANARRI Wheel image taken from: http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0043/00438639.jpg

A question that is always being asked between educators and parents is if mobile devices should be used in classrooms or not. The British Educational Suppliers Association carried out research and found that technology in schools especially games consoles and smartphones play an important part in children’s education. Rather than have access to a mobile phone, teachers would much rather pupils have access to a games console, such as an NintendoDS, where they can play games such as ‘Suduko’ and ‘Brain Trainer’ (Teaching Times 2013).

Incorporating digital learning into classrooms activities has proven much more effective in today’s society. Sophie Curtis, a journalist for The Telegraph, carried out an experiment in a classroom where the first part consisted of listening to a teacher talk through the themes of Shakespeare’s Macbeth and then following this up by writing her own understanding of it. The second part involved her watching a number of video clips that showed different interpretations from the famous balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet, then using the internet to research each theme and interpreting them onto a laptop provided. Curtis wrote that while the first lesson was intense and required her to concentrate, the second was more interesting and at no point during the lesson did her imagination go elsewhere (Sophie Curtis 2014).

In today’s lesson, we learned to incorporate Easi-Speak Microphones into lessons. Our task was to write and ‘I am poem’ and use the digital microphones to record sound clips from the poem. We were to then explore the internet and choose images linked to the words in our poems and add the images and recordings together in a PowerPoint presentation.

Myself and three others worked in a group of four and rather call the poem ‘I am’, we changed in and called it ‘We are’. This was a fun task that I will incorporate in my classroom activities because it gets the children to use their imagination to think about their characteristics following a basic guideline and also incorporates their digital skills by having the ability to upload the voice clips onto the computer.

 

References:

Teaching Times. (2013). Games Consoles Benefit Children’s Education.Available: https://www.teachingtimes.com/articles/games-consoles-education.htm. Last accessed 29th Feb 2018.

Sophie Curtis. (2014). Digital learning: how technology is reshaping teaching. Available: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/11051228/Digital-learning-how-technology-is-reshaping-teaching.html. Last accessed 30th Feb 2018.

 

 

I have combined week six and seven’s blog post together because they both focus on animation through movie making. What a fun filled learning during these two weeks! Our tasks were to use animation programmes, specifically Puppet Pals, iMovie and iStop Motion.

Animation and using it across the curriculum explore all areas of learning, including art, design, history, ICT and literacy. Children are used to watching animation in movies made by Dreamworks and Disney Pixar, therefore, it is extremely important to address to them that animation is not just used by these movie companies but rather it is a performing art. Animation is an excellent group-work exercise and through every child’s individual co-operation, as a group, bringing all of their skills together, they can create a fun and creative animation (Film Education 2012).

One thing I believe that any teacher or student teacher will worry about is the introduction to these new technologies. It is important that we do not show our worries but rather encourage these technologies to our pupils. As ICT is a part of children’s everyday lives, it should be a part of their everyday play also (Beauchamp, 2012, p.66).

Incorporating animation into classroom learning is important for interactivity and developing children’s skills. There are five types of animation, including ‘Cutout, Stop-motion, Pixillation, Drawn and Computer’ (Moving Image Education website).

Our task over the two weeks was to create either an iMovie or trailer based on a children’s novel. We were to incorporate our own ideas and ranges of resources provides to create the movie. This was a fun learning experience as it consisted of us using our imagination to create a story, along with incorporating our literacy skills to tell the story and using our digital skills to use the range of resources provides to set the scene for the story.

Taking away the knowledge and skills that I gained from today and last week’s lessons, I can use the iMovie technology to incorporate this in classroom learning where I can get my pupils to create their own stories and use resources to plan each scene and get them to film a story of their own which will encourage them to enhance their visual representations, as well as illustrating their processes and providing an interactive element (Jarvis, M. 2015).

References:

Film Education. (2012). Introduction to Primary Animation. Available: http://www.filmeducation.org/resources/primary/teaching_with_film/primary_animation/introduction/. Last accessed 22nd Feb 2018.

Beauchamp, G. (2012) ICT in the Primary Classroom: From Pedagogy top Practice. Pearson.

Moving Image Education website: [Online] https://movingimageeducation.org/create-films/animation [Accessed: 14.2.18]

Jarvis, M. (2015) Brilliant Ideas for Using ICT in the Classroom: A Very practical Guide for Teachers and Lecturers. Routledge.

 

 

Game-Based Learning with Minecraft

Today’s class was all about using games, specifically one called Minecraft, as a stimulus for learning. We looked at how to how to plan, create and design using Minecraft, and then how this may be of benefit in the classroom. We also reinforced last week’s learning of explaining why we use name-based learning in the classroom and outlined some of its benefits, continually making links to the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) Experiences and Outcomes. We were lucky to have a local primary school send their Digital Leaders out to show us some of the fascinating work they have been doing with Minecraft, which really showed us the true reason as to why we use this in education.

It makes sense that game-based learning is being introduced into schools more and more; an Ofcom report (2011) states that gaming is hugely popular in the UK – almost 86% of 5-7 year old children and 90% of 8-11 year old children use gaming devices regularly, and so it follows on that this be mirrored in their school environment. Video gaming is a part of of 21st century youth culture (Ofcom, 2001), and to avoid this would mean our children’s school life is disconnected with their home life, which doesn’t bode well for quality education. The connection between playing and learning is not a new one; Vygotsy and Piaget introduced the idea of learning while doing, and Beauchamp (2012) states that “in recent years, interest has grown considerably in the potential for play to form the basis for learning”. Beauchamp (2012) states that there are many skills that could be developed by the use of ICT games such as strategic thinking, planning, communication, negotiation and group decision-making skills. Furthermore, Bray (2012) suggests that game-based learning could have the most transformational impact when it is used effectively, along with good teaching. It is also important to remember that using games solely as rewards or for entertainment is not the way forward, using games as an approach to learning is what will engage and motivate your students. Games can be used across the whole curriculum but it needs to be well thought out and planned, using an IDP (see last blog post) can ensure that games are being used in the most effective way possible. Beauchamp (2012) suggests that teacher not only have to become familiar with the games, they also have to be clear on exactly how they want that game to be used. He goes on to claim that a game’s effectiveness in a classroom is more related to the teacher’s knowledge of the curriculum than their confidence working with the game.

There are many different games out there to choose from, but today’s focus was Minecraft. MagBook (2014) claims that Minecraft is a worldwide phenomenon since it’s release in 2011, with thousands and thousands of gamers playing it regularly. We looked at YouTube tutorial to show us the basic controls on the game and what it’s all about; we learned to collect/mine for different materials and then use them to create a simple house. It was at this point that the Digital Leaders worked with us to show us their amazing creations in the Minecraft world and then teach us their tips and tricks. The group had been creating their own Harry Potter world, with each group creating an iconic shop on Diagon Alley. The leaders walked us through what is possible on “Creative Mode” (basically, anything is possible!) and gave us a tour of their world. Their teacher also spoke to us about all the curricular content that the class have gained from using Minecraft. Harry Potter was already their Topic, but Minecraft has allowed this to come to life in their classroom! They have a physical representation of their imagination, which can aid in any expressive art or literacy activities that they may do. Once the Digital Leaders had shown us how to work Minecraft, they let us loose in their world! We were able to create buildings using different rare materials and introduce animals using the ‘spawn’ function. I had great fun learning how to work Minecraft and could completely understand why it is such a great creative tool for the classroom. Outcomes for a lesson such as this in the classroom could involve:

I can extend and enhance my design skills to solve problems and can construct models. – TCH 2-09a

When I engage with others, I can respond in ways appropriate to my role, show that I value other’s contributions and use these to build on thinking. – LIT 2-02a

I have the opportunity to choose and explore a range of media and technologies to create images and objects, discovering their effects and suitability for specific tasks. – EXA 1-02a

Today’s input has really inspired me and I look forward to using tools like Minecraft in my future classroom. Traditionally, children would always either have to use words to describe an image in their imagination, or they had to draw it, which is not easy for everybody; but now, there are digital tools available to allow children to express their creativity in a different way. I think this is amazing as someone who never felt very confident with my drawing ability in school, to have an outlet for creativity that didn’t need fantastic drawing skills would maybe have allowed me to use my imagination more.

References:

Beauchamp, G. (2012) ICT in the Primary Classroom: From Pedagogy top Practice. Pearson.

Bray, O. (2012) Playful Learning: Computer Games in Education. [Online] https://www.slideshare.net/Microsofteduk/playful-learning-computer-games-in-education [Accessed: 2.3.18]

MagBook (2014) How to Do Everything in Minecraft

This week’s lesson has probably been my favourite one so far! Another assessment task week that consisted of using the Book Creator app. I have a Kindle of my own and am a consistent user of Apples own iBooks, therefore, I am very familiar with the term eBook. As they are becoming more and more popular and are the reasoning behind our classic hand-held books becoming less, it is very important that we as student teacher’s grasp the understanding of the resources that are becoming frequently used in classrooms.

As most of us are aware, an eBook is an electronic device that has replaced a printed book which can be read either off of a computer or specifically designed hand-held device, such as a Kindle or Smart Computer (WebWise Team. 2012). The Scottish Government have said that by introducing and using eBooks in classrooms it will allow learners, educators and teachers to take advantage of opportunities that eBooks will provide, specifically to raise attainment, ambition and opportunities for everyone (The Scottish Government.2008). The government have also expressed the use of eBooks and digital learning allow to develop the skills and confidence of teacher’s, along with improving access to digital technology for learners. Digital technology should be a main focus in the curriculum and should drive leaders to invest in teaching using digital technology, according to the government (Scottish Government 2017).

As society is ever changing and growing, schools are adapting to these changes also, so much so, according to the Scottish Government in 2012, almost 20 schools and hundreds of pupils are using a range of digital technology. Six years on from that figure it will be more or less every school in Scotland that are using digital technology, or at least beginning to introduce such technology in classrooms (BBC Education 2012).

Although it easy to understand an adult and educator’s perspective, I believe it is a crucial part in our educating system to understand and listen to the views of our children. A recent study undertaken by the Scottish Government with 93 children, all aged between 8 and 11 years old asked questions on digital technology (Consultation by Children’s Parliament 2016). One section of the study that really shocked me the most was the amount and different types of digital technology these children use. There was technology mentioned that I have never heard of myself before and I would say I am aware of the majority of the popular types of technology. Devices such as ‘LeapPad, Raspberry P1, You View and Notebooks’ (Consultation by Children’s Parliament 2016) were mentioned in the study and I can honestly hold my hands up and say that as a student teacher my pupils would be the ones educating me about the technology. When I further thought about this idea of pupils teaching their teacher’s I suppose it’s not actually too bad an idea as it encourages participation within classrooms and let’s face it, it is the younger generation who will be growing up in a society full of technology.

Our task in today’s lesson was to be able to locate and explore the Book Creator App, which I believe I successfully done. I used a children’s book and took pictures of each page that I thought played an important role in the storyline. For every page, I took a picture of I asked a question about it. For example, the book I chose was about a young boy whose family were always too busy and they couldn’t decide what they wanted to do that day. On the page where he showed his family being too busy, I took a picture of it and on the app, wrote ‘write down five adjectives in the picture’.

The Book Creator App, in my opinion, is a very good resource because for one it allows pupils to use digital technology but it also allows teacher’s to use it in lessons by choosing a specific book and getting pupils to answer questions on it digitally, again, adapting their creativity and thinking skills.

References

WebWise Team. (2012). What is an eBook?. Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/guides/about-e-books. Last accessed 7th Feb 2018.

The Scottish Government. (2008). Curriculum for Excellence .Available: http://www.gov.scot/resource/doc/226155/0061245.pdf. Last accessed 8th Feb 2018.

Scottish Government. (2017). ENHANCING LEARNING AND TEACHING THROUGH THE USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY. Available: https://beta.gov.scot/…/enhancing-learning-teaching-through-use-digital-technology/…. Last accessed 9th Feb 2018.

BBC Education. (2012). Education Scotland looks to expand use of tablets computers in schools. Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-18081005. Last accessed 10th Feb 2018.

Consultation by Children’s Parliament . (2016). A Digital Learning and Teaching Strategy for Scotland The views of children. Available: http://www.childrensparliament.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/REPORT_digital-learning-consultation_Childrens-Parliament-1.pdf. Last accessed 9th Feb 2018.

This week’s lesson on coding was very interesting as it is something I had never heard of before and was intrigued to learn more about it. Having never heard of it before, I was surprised to learn that for children today, having the ability to code is a very important part of literacy in today’s society, so much so that studies are suggesting that coding is the new literacy. For children, when they learn to code, the learn to problem solve, design projects and communicate ideas (John Naughton 2012).

In today’s lesson, we explored coding using ‘Scratch Jr’ which is an introductory coding programme that helps infants from aged five and onwards to create their very own interactive games and stories. For young children to create their own Scratch projects, it benefits them because they think creatively and work collaboratively which is emphasised in today’s world for success (The Lead Project, 2014). Having never used Scratch before, much less heard of it, after today’s lesson it is clear that it was developed for young children to develop creative thinking skills as well as develop their logical reasoning, problem solving and collaboration skills (The Lead Project 2014).

Our learning objective for today’s lesson was to create an interactive story to promote literacy skills using a coding programme, and as always link to the Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes. The assessment task consisted of creating our very own Scratch adventure story using the iPads provided for us. The app allowed us to explore different interactive activities that encouraged us to use our imagination, creativity, knowledge, problem solving and collaboration skills. The task included changing the background for each story we created, adding characters to make the story more interesting. To make the viewer even more engrossed, we used our skills and programmed the characters to move and added speech to each of their characters.

Today’s session definitely opened my eyes to the many interactive programmes that we as adults are unaware of. Scratch is another programme that I have been able to add to my list that I will take away from my experience in university and teach the many young children I will work with about. I particularly love how Scratch gives you the freedom to use your imagination and helps develop communication and problem-solving skills to create a story that although looks simple but has been created with great thought and creativity.

References

John Naughton. (2012). Why all our kids should be taught how to code.Available: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2012/mar/31/why-kid. Last accessed 15th Feb 2018.

The Lead Project (2014) Super Scratch Programming Adventure: Learn to Program by Making Cool Games! No Starch Press.

In this week of Digital Technologies, we reviewed how the Nintendo Wii could be used as a stimulus for and an enhancement to, learning in a primary classroom. In the past it has been observed that the use of computer games has promoted and help develop ‘soft skills’ in primary children but more modern approaches to ‘game-based learning’ focus on how games can be used as an interactive introduction or foundation to a lesson which advances other areas of the curriculum.  These modern approaches have

Mario Kart is a game in which a varied cast of characters compete in races around equally varied tracks with the goal of gaining the most points on a league table. At first I was rather sceptical about how this game could be used to teach children anything outside of the ‘soft skills’ mentioned above. However, after reflecting on different aspects of the game I have concluded that it can be used to support many learning outcomes from across the curriculum. For example, after participating in or watching a race, pupils may be asked to design an effective ‘kart’ based on the games rules for weight and perhaps even write a short description explaining why their design is more effective than the ‘karts’ presented in the game. The activity ties into the curriculum for excellence in the following ways:

“TCH 2-01a – When exploring technologies in the world around me, I can use what I learn to help to design or improve my ideas or products.”

“LIT 2-28a – I can convey information, describe events, explain processes or combine ideas in different ways.” (Scottish Executive, 2004)

Another activity would be again to participate in or watch a race and then to write a short story as a driver or spectator. By allowing children to interact in an environment they gain a more defined insight into that environment which in turn can inform and inspire their writing:

“ENG 2-30a – As I write for different purposes and readers, I can describe and share my experiences, expressing what they made me think about and how they made me feel.”

“ENG 3-30a – I can recreate a convincing impression of a personal experience for my reader, sharing my feelings and reactions to the changing circumstances with some attempt at reflection.”

“ENG 2-27a – am learning to use language and style in a way which engages and/or influences my reader.” (Scottish Executive, 2004)
There are of course many other ways that Mario Kart can be used in a teaching environment and has been noted by many teachers as being helpful in supporting the learning of Maths – with emphasis being drawn to “averages, decimal numbers, rounding and sorting data.” (Robertson, 2012)

In reflecting on ‘game-based learning’ I have also become aware of numerous concerns that must be addressed if these activities are to be successful. When planning ‘game-based learning’ the most obvious issue would be having enough hardware to allow a class of children to participate within the planned time of the lesson as lack of engagement with the material may severely impact pupils experience – especially those forced to miss a ‘turn’ due to lack of resources. Another concern is in the extent of teacher participation as I feel a lack of direction or focus either during the activity or the assessment may devalue ‘game-based learning’ outside of the ‘soft skills’ previously mentioned. Therefore, it is important that any lessons which focus or build on ‘game-based learning’ are well planned, researched and clearly defined both for teacher and pupil to ensure that the lessons link purposefully to the wider curriculum. (Learning-Teaching Scotland, 2010)

Mario Kart is just one of many games that can be played on the Nintendo Wii and as I develop as a teacher it may be prudent to research further games on a variety of platforms to find more opportunities for ‘game-based learning’ as I feel this style of learning offers a fun, motivating, attractive and accessible way for pupils to explore the curriculum.

References

Learning-Teaching Scotland (2010). The impact of console games in the classroom. Edinburgh: Learning-Teaching Scotland.

Robertson, A. (2012). Mario Kart in the classroom: the rise of games-based learning. [online] The Telegraph. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/video-games/9745664/Mario-Kart-in-the-classroom-the-rise-of-games-based-learning.html [Accessed 3 Mar. 2018].

Scottish Executive (2004). Curriculum for Excellence. Edinburgh: Scottish Executive.

30/01/18

Coding

The ability to code computer programs is an important part of literacy in today’s society. Coding can be used to help develop children’s confidence in areas of the curriculum that they struggle with. Scratch Jr is a child friendly programme that allows children to develop skills such as:

• Creative thinking
• Logical reasoning
• Problem solving
• Collaboration

This is an introductory programme to the language of coding and is an easy and accessible way for children to create their own interactive stories and games. The programme consists of piecing together graphical programming blocks to make the characters move, jump, speak and communicate. “Scratch is designed for exploration and experimentation so it supports any different learning style… Schools can use Scratch to aid teachers in subject like mathematics, English, music, art, design and information technology” (The Lead Project, 2004).

 

By covering a multiple of topics, different areas of the curriculum can be covered and teachers can create many activities from a simple Scratch presentation. I choose to create a simple character and go on an adventure in space and share facts about different planets. This could act as a starting off point for many activities such as the children creating their own story or adventure in space, drawing their own planets and characters and learning about the solar system and about the planet they live on. These different activities and the programme its self can link to many areas of the curriculum and be used in a variety of ways not just by the teacher but by the children.

Learning to use code, can be like learning a new language, its creates a gateway to a new of thinking, looking at things and skills. This can be shown in the different areas of the curriculum for excellence:

• “I can explore and experiment with the features and functions of computer technology and I can use what I learn support and enhance my learning in different contexts”. – TCH 1-04a / TCH 2-04a
• “I am developing problem-solving strategies, navigation and co-ordination skills, as I play and learn with electronic games, remote control or programmable, I can work individually or collaboratively to design and implement a game toys”. – TCH 0-09a / TCH1-09a

Through coding children “are learning to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively – essential skills for success and happiness in today’s world” (The Lead Project, 2014).

 

Reference List:

The Lead Project (2014) Super Scratch Programming Adventure: Learn to Program by Making Cool Games! No Starch Press.

Scottish Government , Curriculum for Excellence: Technologies experiences and outcomes [Online] https://education.gov.scot/Documents/technologies-eo.pdf [Accessed February 1st 2018]

Game-based Learning

The focus for today’s input was game-based learning and its benefits in the classroom. We brainstormed why games-based learning could be beneficial and then looked at the use of inter-disciplinary plans. Graham showed us examples of childrens’ work based on one game – I was amazed at how many lessons and how much content could be created and achieved using just one video game.

In groups, we brainstormed the question: why is game-based learning an effective tool to use in education? Our mind-map:

Our original mind-map was written in pink, we added to the mind-map at the end of the input with orange pen

We spoke about how games used in education bring a sense of enjoyment to lessons in school, and are interactive and engaging. The Higher Education Academy supports this as it states “the link between learning and playing is longstanding and predates the digital era by thousands of years” and theorists such as Jean Piaget and Leonard Vygotsky have argued that play is a crucial component of cognitive development. We also noted that bringing games into school would create a connection between home life and school life for children. The idea of learning by doing is very current in today’s education system, and using games to learn helps with this. Using games can also mean teamwork, and therefore improves children’ communicative and collaborative skills. Games can also be used across the entire curriculum, while also building on the pupils’ digital skills. It is argued that games are as high quality materials to deliver lessons as novels, films and plays are (Edutopia).  Furthermore, using games allows for imagination and creativity in the classroom with can overlap into creativity in other subject areas such as art and literacy. The Higher Education Academy defines games-based learning as “the integration of gaming into learning experiences to increase engagement and motivation”. At the end of session, we returned to our mind-map and added some extra information that we had learned. This included game-based learning increasing children’s motivation and grabbing attention. We also thought about how games could help the recall of information and to reinforce knowledge. It is also important to note the ‘stress-free’ aspect to using games to learn – some children may find textbooks and traditional techniques stressful and games in the classroom should help with this.

Despite game-based learning having countless benefits in the classroom, it is critical that the games are being used effectively to achieve the best learning possible. Different ways to integrate games into teaching is using the games as a stimulus, using the games to teach content, using the games to teach social skills and also, creating games. It can be daunting to introduce an idea like gaming into a traditional school, as some other teachers may not be as keen to try new things. Stephen Reid says that “although game-based learning has had a ‘difficult history’ with teachers who may have felt threatened by children becoming more expert in technology than they are, there is no denying that such platforms offer them a way to engage the pupils in a way they understand and can relate to”. As Reid has stated, we, as teachers, should try to build our confidence in new areas of technology as it is the key to unlocking our pupils’ creativity and imagination as it is something they can directly relate to. Other challenges to overcome while trying to incorporate game-based learning in class could be resources/budget restrictions; it may seem time consuming; identifying a suitable game; integrating the game into the structure of the school day; and lack of knowledge on how to assess. Some support on how to evaluate a game and its suitability for a classroom could be: make sure the game can be used to develop specific curricular content (eg maths, literacy etc); look at assessment opportunities or the lack of; does the game provide stimulus for further work; problem solving and collaborative working should be involved while using games to learn; how involved will the teacher be and is it likely to engage pupils. Positive answers to these questions leads to an age appropriate game being suitable for use in the classroom.

Inter-disciplinary planning (IDP) allows a teacher to take a single game and make sure that it will cover the curriculum. It shows the number of curricular areas that game-based learning can achieve. Working in a group, we came up with an IDP for using Mario-Kart in the classroom. Before we had brainstormed this, I struggled to even think of one lesson for the classroom, but it is amazing what you can do with one single game. For example, for a Literacy lesson, the children could write a diary entry based on being in the audience of a Mario-Kart race. Asking the children to use adjectives to describe the setting around them and to describe their thoughts and feelings allows them to really immerse themselves in the game. I am learning to use language and style in a way which engages and/or influences my reader. – ENG 2-27a.     I can convey information, describe events or processes, share my opinions or persuade my reader in different ways. – LIT 1-28a / LIT 1-29a.   For an art lesson, the children could be asked to design their very own kart! They could use large cardboard boxes to wear, decorated to look like a kart that could feature in one of the races. This could be taken even further to produce a drama performance of a tense race between rival competitors.  I can create and present work that shows developing skill in using the visual elements and concepts. – EXA 2-03a. I have experienced the energy and excitement of presenting/performing for audiences and being part of an audience for other people’s presentations/performances. – EXA 0-01a / EXA 1-01a / EXA 2-01a. 

Our full IDL is shown below: 

Today’s class has really inspired me to use game-based learning in my future class. I can really see its benefits for all children as it is something they can relate to, that brings excitement but also that brings content, questions and growth.

References:

Beauchamp, G. (2012) ICT in the Primary Classroom: From Pedagogy top Practice. Pearson.

Edutopia [Online] https://www.edutopia.org/article/3-ways-use-game-based-learning-matthew-farber [Accessed 6.3.18]

Higher Education Academy [Online] https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/gamification-and-games-based-learning [Accessed 6.3.18]

Stephen Reid [Online] http://futurescot.com/educators-encouraged-open-minds-possibilities-games-based-learning/ [Accessed 6.3.18]

 

Mobile Devices 

In today’s class, we looked at the potential of mobile devices in the classroom. We looked at how the use of mobile devices could enhance learning and be a useful tool in the classroom. At the beginning of today’s session, we were asked to answer the question: should mobile devices be used in education? After reading different articles and journals, it seems apparent to me that mobile devices, if used effectively, can be very beneficial for both teachers and learners. In today’s society, it is clear that digital technologies and mobile devices are used by the majority of us on a daily basis. Research has shown that most children have access to some kind of mobile device at home and are even able to use an iPad before they learn to tie their shoelaces.  These “techno-babies” have been immersed in a technology saturated world and that is all they know – to go to into a school environment that does not take advantage of these technologies would seem foreign to them. Ofcom research has found that six year olds have the same understanding of communications technology as 45 year olds. Children are entering schools as “digital natives”, as Marc Prensky (2001) would call them, and are ‘naturals’ with how to use technology. The use of mobile devices in classrooms would create a link between home life and school life. The Children’s Parliament paper (2016) noted that children mostly use digital technologies to play games and socially, to instant message with their friends. It is important, as teachers, that we educate the children that these technologies are a great thing, but there are so many more ways to use them effectively and productively. And, because the young generation are really interested in technologies, having mobile devices in the classroom seems to be a tool to get (and hold) their attention! It is for these reasons that I thoroughly believe that mobile devices are a positive addition to the classroom and teachers should be encouraged to use them effectively.

We were then introduced to Talking Tins, a recording device that is simple and easy to use and therefore very child friendly. The controls on the recorder were very simple: start, stop and playback. This simplicity is key to its usefulness within schools. There are a wide array off possibilities inside the classroom, for example, children studying a Modern Foreign Language (MFL) could record themselves saying a phrase and then play it back instantly to practice pronunciation. This instant feedback makes these great tools for self-checking in the classroom. The learning outcome for a lesson such as this could be:

 I enjoy playing with and exploring technologies to discover what they can do and how they can help us. – TCH 0-05a.

After exploring the Talking Tins, we moved on to look at Easi-speak microphones. These are similar to Talking Tins, with some more functions, but most importantly the ability to transfer the files onto the computer. Our task was to complete an I Am Poem, record sound clips of the poem, find images that tell the story and make a PowerPoint presentation including the images and sound. The format of the poem was as follows:

My group and I chose to make our poem about a mermaid who wished she was a human. Our final poem:

Using the Easi-speak microphones was reasonably easy. It took a couple of tries to get used to it, but after that, we all found it simple. Uploading the files to the computer was so effortless as there is a USB stick attached to the microphones and this plugs directly into the computer port. We changed the settings on the PowerPoint presentation so that each audio clip would play automatically on its specific slide, this means there is no ‘speaker’ icon and the reader doesn’t have to click for the sound to come on.

Our finished product:

Completing a task such as this in the classroom is very much an inter-disciplinary activity. Children will be actively using and improving upon their literacy knowledge when creating their own poem but also improving their confidence on mobile devices such as Easi-speak microphones and on the computers. This type of digital storytelling combines the old with the new (Porter, 2004). Outcomes for a lesson like this could be:

I can explore and experiment with digital technologies and can use what I learn to support and enhance my learning in different contexts. – TCH 1-01a

I regularly select subject, purpose, format and resources to create texts of my choice. – LIT 1-01a / LIT 2-01a

Today’s class was really interesting to get a flavour of what simple “start/stop” recording devices can do in the classroom. Even if a specific school doesn’t have Talking Tins or Easy-speak microphones in their resources, using the recording function on iPads and phones could theoretically do the same job! I love seeing the creative ways to use digital technologies with children – it’s not all about computers, there are fun, engaging activities to do that children love and will even help with their other subject areas!

References:

Children’s Parliament (2016) A Digital Learning and Teaching Strategy for Scotland: The View’s of Children

[Online] http://www.childrensparliament.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/REPORT_digital-learning-consultation_Childrens-Parliament-1.pdf [Accessed: 27.2.18]

Porter, B. (2004) Digi Tales: The Art of Telling Digital Stories. Bernajean Porter Publication.

Prensky, Marc (2001) Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants.