Tuesday 7th March 

Mobile Devices 2 

This week had a main focus on a continuation of the topic from last week on Digital Mobile Devices. However, the mobile devices we focused on this week was the use of Nintendo Dsi. Now you may be surprised as to how this can be used effectively to teach in a classroom. When we were told that we would be using the Nintendo in the classroom I thought that something was not right and that it would never work. How very wrong I was! I was so surprised to find out actually just how many apps and functions this digital device has and how good it can be in the classroom. If I were a teacher in a school that had just bought the iPads I would be exactly the same as this journalist points out: “sometimes, once the tablets arrive, they are scratching their heads. Now we have them, what do we do with them?” (Read-G, J. 2015, P.2)

 

Some examples of the sorts of things that these Nintendo’s could be used for is: to carry out mental maths activities. To do this, all the children need to do is use the pixochat within the Ds. On this chat, once joined, someone can play teacher and ask the whole class questions mentally to see how quickly they can be answered. Or the teacher can ask the class several questions mentally to see who is coping and who needs a bit more support as the names appear at the top of all posts posted on the chat. Using this interactive Nintendo app has been found to be of great benefit to children. As this journalist points out: “three-quarters identify home access to educational game consoles like Nintendo DS as being helpful to children’s educational development.” (Teaching Times, 2008, P.1)

 

Another idea, is to use the Flipchart app on the devices which allows animation. Here, our group decided to ask the children to firstly think of what an adjective is. Then the teacher would put some examples on the board so they are clear of some examples of adjectives. Here, then the children would then take an example and make an animation of one of the adjectives. Once they have a clear understanding of how to use the program on the Nintendo and know what an adjective is they can progress onto the next part of the tasks. They will then, assuming they have read the book on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, create an animation on the key scenes and use one adjective to sum each scene up. This could be done individually or in groups for each scene deepening on the availability and resource of having Nintendo’s themselves or as a school.

 

The main scenes from the book would be:

• The introduction – when the children first meet the factory and everything inside the small room is candy and they can eat it all.
• Augustus Gloop – being sucked up the tube for being mischievous and falling into the chocolate river.
• Violet Beauregard – not listening and eating bad gum which results in her being turned into a giant blueberry.
• Veruca Salt – not listening again and being taken away by squirrels by falling into the squirrel pit.
• Mike Teavee – not listening and being shrunk into a tiny, tiny person needing re-sized.
• Charlie – getting to the end and being the only one who listened.
• Charlie and his family – winning the Chocolate factory

 

The outcomes from Curriculum for Excellence that this designed activity would cover are (due to the complexity of animation the use of detail devices, this is best suited for first/second level):

• I can communicate clearly when engaging with others within and beyond my place of learning, using selected resources as required. LIT 1-10.
• Using what I know about the features of different types of texts, I can find, select and sort information from a variety of sources and use this for different purposes. LIT 2-14a
• I am developing my knowledge and use of safe and acceptable conduct as I use different technologies to interact and share experiences, ideas and information with others. TCH 1-08a / TCH 2-08a
• Using appropriate software, I can work collaboratively to design an interesting and entertaining game which incorporates a form of control technology or interactive multimedia. TCH 2-09a

Our learning Intention was:

• We are learning to use adjectives to describe.

Our Success Criteria was:

• I can understand what adjectives are
• I can use adjectives properly to describe pictures
• I can use animation to show different parts of a story
• I can use the flipnote animation program on the Nintendo

 

Today, I really enjoyed and was surprised as to just how a Nintendo can be used in a classroom perspective. Also, by putting the teacher hat on; I now have begun the journey on how to lesson plan and give the lesson intentions and success criteria I would use if I were to use this as a lesson. I am confident with the use of Nintendo as I grew up with it and it has many fun aspects especially the funny things the camera can do. It can make a normal lesson have an interesting ‘spin’ which will help to engage the children. The interesting thing about the Nintendo is the positivity it has of using it in the classroom as it is bringing a fun activity used at home into the classroom. I will hopefully use this in the classroom if it is still a popular trend and used with children. In fact, using such a technology device as the Nintendo can make the children feel accomplished and acknowledged as they may know things that the teacher may not know. This is because they have grew up using such technology devices: “Over four in ten households now have a tablet, meaning that children are becoming computer-literate before they’ve even started primary school.” (Curtis, S. 2014, P.2)

 

Here is the video of the creative work we made on the application flipchart for Nintendo Dsi. This shows how if we can make this and have fun, the children will have just as much fun while still learning and being productive:

 

Until next week,

Christopher

 

References:

Scottish Government (2009) Curriculum for Excellence: Experience and Outcomes. [Online] Available:https://www.education.gov.scot/Documents/All-experiences-outcomes_.pdf [Accessed: 7 March 2017]

 

Read-Gurney, J. (2015) Classroom Technology ‘Rarely Used’ by Half of Teachers. [Online] Available: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/12013650/Classroom-technology-barely-used-by-half-of-teachers.html [Accessed: 28 February 2017]

 

TeachingTimes (2008) Games Consoles Benefit Children’s Education. [Online] Available: http://www.teachingtimes.com/articles/games-consoles-education.htm [Accessed: 7 March 2017]

 

Curtis, S. (2014) Digital Learning: How Technology Is Reshaping Teaching. [Online] Available: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/11051228/Digital-learning-how-technology-is-reshaping-teaching.html [Accessed: 7 March 2017]