Today’s lesson was focused on Game-based learning with Minecraft, from this I have been able to identify how Game-based Learning can be used in the classroom, and the huge amount of skills that can be developed from it. Having had no previous experience of Minecraft I was a bit apprehensive at first, however I thoroughly enjoyed Digital Leaders from a local primary school coming in to show us what they have been working on in school on Minecraft. After seeing the amazing creations they have made and them explaining how to work it to us, we then went on to making our own.
I believe it is essential for me to be confident when using technology in the future with children, as if I am confident, they will get more from their lessons. I think it is also very important that I stay up to date with the latest games that could be used within a classroom, as children will be more engaged and interested if they are working with games that they play on at home. (Beauchamp, 2012, p9) states that “…Children spend most of their time on games not found in schools” – From personal experience I believe this is true, however as a student teacher I am going to work to the best of my ability to ensure that the children I am teaching can make strong connections with both their home life and their education; as I believe this is when children work best. (Ofcom, 2011) state that “86% of 5-7 year old children and 90% of 8-11 year old children using gaming devices regularly”, this also backing up the idea that games are such a big part of children’s lives, therefore, they should be incorporated within all areas of the curriculum when necessary. After today I am fully aware that games being given to children as a reward is not a positive thing, instead, technology should always be incorporated within the curriculum (Bray, 2012). (Beauchamp, 2012) states that the types of skills that could be developed by ICT games are: strategic thinking, planning communication, application of numbers, negotiating skills, group decision-making and data handling skills. All of these different skills explain how important it is that games such as Minecraft are used in education, so that children can have “fun whilst learning”, as one of the pupils we were working with today said technology brings.
When the children came in to show us what they had been creating on Minecraft I was shocked at how much time and effort they had put into it to make sure they had covered the smallest details – from windows, to doors, and many other objects. Along with this and the fact that they do this in their lunch time as a club shows how much the children enjoy using games within their school. They have recently been working on a Harry Potter theme, which meant all the buildings and objects within it was related to this. This showed us as student teachers that anything can be incorporated into games such as Minecraft, and the teacher of this class also stated that they have used it for many other things such as class topics and as a stimulus for creative writing. Below are a few examples of Curriculum for Excellence outcomes and experiences that using games within a classroom fits into:
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
After the children showed us how to work Minecraft, we then tried for ourselves to create something. In my group we made a room and made it into a book shop, which had a glass top roof, a corner sofa, book shelves and other different objects. Although it was difficult to work at first due to the position of the screen and squares appearing on the ground when I wanted to get rid of a block, it was more rewarding that anything else! The difficulty did not lead to frustration as we were having that much fun trying to work it out, that we fully turned into the learners while the pupils told us what to do when we needed help. Not only was this a great experience for us as student teachers, but also for the children for their hard work and skills within this game to be acknowledged. When working with the children we asked them what they enjoy most about Minecraft and they all stated that it allows them to work together as part of a team, this therefore sets them up for further education and jobs in the future. I also thought it was a really good idea that at certain times the children got assigned roles, this teaching them leadership skills and motivating them to work the best they can as everyone in the club was working on the same creation/world.
Therefore, todays lesson has showed me that it is also very important for teachers to learn from pupils to be able to communicate with them fully and for everyone’s skill set to be improved upon. Every week within Digital Technologies my confidence working with technology and games is increasing, due to the hands-on activities we carry out. Working with children this week was especially beneficial as I loved being taught how to work Minecraft, and they loved teaching us how to work it. Therefore, it was an extremely beneficial morning for everyone involved.
References:
Beauchamp, G. (2012) ICT in the Primary Classroom: From Pedagogy to Practice. Pearson.
Bray, O. (2012) Playful Learning: Computer Games in Education. [Online] Available: https://www.slideshare.net/Microsofteduk/playful-learning-computer-games-in-education [Accessed: 13 March 2018]
Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes, Ofcom (2001) [Online] Available: https://www.slideshare.net/Microsofteduk/playful-learning-computer-games-in-education [Accessed: 13 March 2018]
