Reflection - EDUC-6715

As this course started I was very cautious after reading about gaming and MUVEs in the classroom in one of our first discussions. I thought that all digital games were the same and that I would never be able to use something like that in my classroom. I still have not come to a conclusion on student creating a virtual world and then playing around in it due to the time constraints. I especially felt this way after reading the article Barriers to Student Learning in Second Life when the outcomes and attitudes they listed of student working on this project as bored and time consuming (Sanchez, 2009). However I did find good applications of some digital games in my week 6 & 7 lesson plan.

The digital game that I chose to use for my Algebra 1 class was Dimenxian by DimensionU. I felt that I was not able to fully understand the usefulness until I was able to actually play a game that related to a class that I taught. The assignment that I developed is one that I feel I can actually use next year in my Algebra 1 class. This course has changed my way of thinking about new technology. Before if I couldn’t think of a use for it I shoved it to the side, now I feel like I owe the technology a try before I dismiss it in my classroom. I will from now on do as much research as it takes and try the technology out as if I had to implement it, before I make a decision on it.

This summer I plan to do more research on gaming as I had a breakthrough (change in heart) on gaming in the classroom. As we (another teacher and I) rework the Algebra 1 curriculum this summer I plan to show all of the different technology applications that we can use in the new curriculum. I would also like to incorporate the more of the NETS into classroom activities.

Next fall as we get back into the swing of school I plan to volunteer for leading some professional development meetings on different forms of technology and haw to use them and incorporated them into the curriculum. I see that technology has offered many solutions to activities that cannot be done in the classroom anymore. For instance, virtual field trips, tangible flags, digital video games, allow teacher the ability to have student experience the World without leaving the classroom.

Sanchez, J. (2009). Barriers to student learning in second life. Library Technology Reports, 45(2), 29–34.

http://www.dimensionu.com/math/