Tuesday 5 March 2019

We are on week 9 of the module and I can’t believe how fast time has gone. In the nine weeks of doing the module I have learned so much about the importance of digital technologies in the classroom. My knowledge about how to use technology and how to integrate it throughout learning has improved greatly and I feel a lot more confident in using digital technologies as a learning tool.

This week we looked at using games-based learning and how it can be used within the classroom. We focused on looking at the computer game ‘Minecraft’. “Minecraft is a worldwide phenomenon. Since it was first released back in 2011, it’s been taken to the hearts of thousands and thousands of gamers.”  (How to do Everything in Minecraft, 2014, p.3). Today’s generation of children spend so much of their free time playing games on their computers, phones, tablets or games consoles, it has actually been reported that 86% of 5-7-year-old children and 90% of 8-11-year old children use game devices regularly (Ofcom, 2001). With games playing such a huge role in children’s lives today I think it’s a great idea to use them in the classroom as it is certainly something that will engage a lot of children and allow them to demonstrate their knowledge of games while also following learning outcomes from the Curriculum for Excellence.

The popularity of using games as a learning tool has sparked the growth of the ‘Edutainment’ industry. This industry looks at designing games specifically to aid learning and to develop skills (Groff et al, 2010).  In today’s session we were looking at using Minecraft ‘Education Edition’. I had never used Minecraft before this session, so I learned a lot about this game. The education addition was really good as it had healthy food options, elements of the periodic table, a map which you could use when teaching coordinates in numeracy and it also allowed students to join the same world so they can work together in the game. Getting students to work together in the game could be a really good thing but I think many children could also be distracted by the idea of meeting their friends on the game and so the rules would need to be made clear before using the game. I loved how you could find elements and react them together to make a compound, this would be great when looking at the periodic table in a science lesson. I did however think the controls were quite confusing, I figured out the space bar moved your character up, shift was down, and W was forward but before using Minecraft in the classroom I would want to ensure I fully understood all the controls and features so I could provide the best lesson I could.

It is essential teachers understand the game so they can use it in such a way that it promotes learning. “Not only do (teachers) have to become familiar with the games, they also have to ensure that they make clear the way in which they want the game to be used” (Beauchamp, 2012, p.9). If teachers do not properly understand how a game works, it is likely it won’t be that effective as a learning tool as teachers need to have a clear understanding of the game in order to see how they can use it effectively as a learning tool. Bray (2012) states games-based learning has the most transformational impact when it is combined with good learning and teaching. Teachers should consider and analyse if the game provides relevant content which they are able to connect to an area of learning, they should ensure it is appropriate and is of the right age rating – it shouldn’t depict something like violence. Teachers also have the responsibility to assess whether a game is too complex or too simple, the game has to challenge them in some way but not too much. A game should have good graphics but also shouldn’t be too distracting because the children can’t lose focus on the learning at hand (Ladey, 2010).

Beauchamp, (2012) states these skills could be developed by using games in the classroom:

• Strategic thinking
• Planning
• Communication
• Application of number
• Negotiating skills
• Group decision-making
• Data Handling skills

A lot of games could also help children with reading as their having to read instructions and so I would say games can develop skills in literacy too. Games can be a really good way of allowing children to learn in groups and so can benefit their communication skills and team working skills.

I think ICT games would enhance children’s learning, it’s claimed that games are more motivational, engaging and more challenging than formal teaching methods, they also provide a more authentic teaching experience (Ulicsak et al, 2011). Many children would enjoy using games as children will remember more and learn more if they’re enjoying their lesson. Children may however get carried away with a game and might not focus on learning so much but that is why it is so important for the teacher to make the learning clear and keep the class on task. Games like the ‘Planet Coaster’ could be good if you’re looking at speed in science or maths as you can build a rollercoaster and then it tells you how fast it goes, the g-force levels and if it could be built in a real theme park  or if it’s too dangerous which is great as it makes real life connections.

Our task in today’s session was to create an interdisciplinary plan for using Minecraft Education Edition in the classroom. We created our plan in groups and started off by making a mind map in which we essentially analysed Minecraft. We looked at where in the curriculum it would fit, what skills could be developed, the principles it allows to be developed and how effective it would be as a learning tool. We then made another mind map which explained our lesson idea.

We decided that for our lesson we would put children in groups and give them a historical or famous landmark. The group would have to use computers or iPads to research their landmark, they can look at pictures and find out some information about the landmark and create a short fact file. They would then have the opportunity to use Minecraft to build their given landmark. We thought it would fit into the following curricular areas:

• Expressive Arts
• Languages
• Numeracy/Mathematics
• Social Studies

The children would then have the opportunity to show another group what they built and tell them about their building, like when it was built, where is it, who built it etc. The children might be able to learn more by doing this ‘show and tell’ / ‘teacher to pupil’ method as it allows them to not only learn in depth about the landmark their given, but they can also learn about another landmark.

I think that using games in the classroom would enhance learning and engage a lot of children, however it is important for teachers to have knowledge of the game and ensure effective learning can come from playing it. Games need to be used throughout the curriculum as an approach to learning and shouldn’t only be brought out as rewards according to Bray (2012).

I have learned a lot about Minecraft Education Edition as before the session I had never used Minecraft at all. I got to explore this game and learn how to work some of the features, but I still think I need to become more familiar with the game before using it with a class. I can see real benefits of using games-based learning and think Minecraft Education Edition could be a really useful thing to use as its engaging and also covers multiple Curricular Areas. I really enjoyed making an interdisciplinary plan as it really got me thinking about all the features I saw in Minecraft and allowed me to directly compare it to the Curriculum. Games-based learning would really engage children and enhance their learning in many ways as long as the learning is made clear. I think games should be normalised more and used more often as learning tools and not just as rewards.

REFERENCES

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

Bray, O. (2012) Playful Learning: Computer Games in Education. [pdf] Available: https://www.slideshare.net/Microsofteduk/playful-learning-computer-games-in-education  [Accessed: 8 March 2019]

Groff, J., Howells C and Cranmer, S. (2010) The Impact of Games in the Classroom: Evidence from Schools in Scotland. [pdf] Available: file:///C:/Users/User/Desktop/Uni%20Work%20BA1/Digital%20Technologies/GAMES%20BASED%20LEARNING%205TH%20MARCH/Console_Games_report.pdf [Accessed 8 March 2019]

Ladey, P. (2010) Games Based Learning Analysis and Planning Tool. [pdf] Available: file:///C:/Users/User/Desktop/Uni%20Work%20BA1/Digital%20Technologies/GAMES%20BASED%20LEARNING%205TH%20MARCH/Games_Based_Learning_Analysis_and_Planning_Tool_0.9.pdf [Accessed 8 March 2019]

Ulicsak, M. and Williamson, B. (2011) Computer Games and Learning: a handbook. [pdf] Available: file:///C:/Users/User/Desktop/Uni%20Work%20BA1/Digital%20Technologies/GAMES%20BASED%20LEARNING%205TH%20MARCH/Computer_games_and_learning.pdf [Accessed 8 March 2019]