ICT - Session 6

Web resource - A few takeaways

How to choose and use appropriate computer games in the classroom?

http://schools.becta.org.uk/index.php?section=tl&rid=1859

Computer games have potential educational value for teaching and learning and cannot be ignored as our students are digital natives. It is a powerful tool when incorporated with teaching pedagogies as it covers a range of styles, themes and content. Basically, issues that teachers need to consider are firstly if the computer game content is suitable for the learning objectives of the curriculum subject. Secondly, the length of time taken to learn to use the controls should not adversely impact the time needed to complete the learning objectives. Thirdly, how beneficial is the game and does it provide access to different scenarios, levels and missions which could be useful to the topic being taught.

Demo Project : Face Book (FB)

It’s a free-access social networking website whereby it emphasizes on expanding online network of people with the same interest or with an interest to discover the interests of others. People use FB to keep in touch with friends and learn more about the people they meet. As it is the most popular interactive platform used by our Singapore students, lessons geared towards it will certainly be a hit with them. Students put up as much information about themselves on their profile page and personalized their FB. Teachers can use it effectively by asking students to do descriptive writing exercise when students interpret and make inferences of their classmates’ profiles. The teacher can look at the postings and provide her feedback.

Demo Project : Comic Life

Comic Life can be created by putting together our pictures, photos, captions, lettering text and speech balloons. As the name implies Comic Life is a fun way that students will enjoy and relate to. It helps break down and simplify difficult ideas and transforms boring subjects to interesting ones. This will be very useful for Literature lessons as in character and plot analysis. It can also get students’ involvement in lessons in away that the traditional teaching simply can’t.

Gaming: Dafur is Dying

The game is educational in the sense that it impresses on us how tough life is for others and not take things for granted. Just to get a bucket of water in a war torn place was such a harrowing experience for the people. Lessons on what other people go through in other parts of the world is embedded in the game. One need not go to Dafur to learn this. Playing this game needs one to stay alert, quick with controlling the buttons. This certainly needs practice and planning the route to the well to get water needs some coordination. The disadvantage of the game is that once we master it, it is easy to get hooked on it.

Gaming: Trauma Centre

This game reminds me of the TV series Emergency Room (ER). The clock is ticking and two surgeons need to coordinate and work as a team to “assemble” and align the shattered bones and stitch back the “patient” within a pre-set timeframe. Otherwise our patient is going to die or wake up screaming or both! Wow, traumatic for the “surgeons”. But, it’s a really learning experience. Let’s suppose a 12 year old gamer plays this game. He or she will certainly learn all about the surgical procedures, operating safety measures, surgical instruments, become more dexterous, learn about the fragility of life, value of time and teamwork.

Gaming is an in-thing with students and as it is effective we need to find ways to deliver our lessons through games. This will make lessons more engaging and stretch students’ attention span.