Get Your Students Hired
As I was reading all of this I realized that most of the learning experiences I actually remember vividly were all elaborate simulations conducted by my teachers (in person). Even at the time I was impressed by how much planning and time they had put into these activities. It make me want to create these kind of experiences for my students - especially in an online environment.
Games can be used as a supplemental tool but should not be relied upon as the sole approach. The benefits are many but so are the disadvantages. Games and simulations should only be used when they can enhance a students deeper understanding of content.
I agree with a few of the other posters here. The material has been good, but wish there was a few more resources that supported the module.
I agree gaming takes a lot of time from instruction but my students postively respond to it and I can monitor them very easily. I'd love for them to do it at home but internet connectivity is not reliable in rural Alaska so we must use school time. The programs we have them on are quite good and allow me to measure their sucess and failures quite nicely. Also, the studens respond very positivley to the gaming as they don't have an adult breathing down their neck or someone just talking to them. It does take the human element out of some of my instruction.
I researched gaming integration in the early 2000's and they were pretty primitive at that time. My admin would not have supported them at that point. However, I am excited by the possibilities in science regarding complex, multistep processes as exist in physiology as well as photosynthesis and respiration. It could be amazing.
After doing some "in classroom" and "online" games, I found some games. One of those games is by Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven.
The games is; Mad Gab. "These puzzles are a group of words, that at first glance and first saying don't make sense, but when you say them slowly and listen to what you hear, you can figure out what the phrase is. For example, Common Firm Their Rain becomes Come In From The Rain. When we played over Zoom, I had students turn off their mics and cameras, so other students couldn't hear or see what they were saying. Students made their guesses in the chat. This site has tons of lists of Mad Gab phrases."
One other game that I like is by Molly Ledford, The Littlest Teacher. This game is; PowerPoint Games. "With this easy to use free editable PowerPoint template, you can add your questions and answers to this interactive review game and play with your students on Zoom, Google Meet, or your online meeting platform of choice! (Instructions for editing and use with Zoom are included.) Review content, play trivia, and more with this easy PowerPoint game. You can keep a running scoreboard on the screen, and make the game as short or long as you want."
I've always been a fan of PPT. It's fun and challenging to see all the different things you can do and create in PPT.
When deciding to use games and/or simulations in elearning, be sure to properly plan and provide enough time to create the best learning opportunities. Keep the learner in mind and choose the appropriate tools and wording. Do not just add bells and whistles to be fancy, make sure they have a purpose that will enchance learning.
I have learned that I probably need to enter the 21st century and use games and simulations to enhance my students' experiences. In addition, I can think of applications and concepts that students often struggle with that can be simplified and reinforced through the use of games. I'm looking forward to learning just how to do this!
The term game can be very intimidating - especially when time is an issue for both the online class and my instruction preparation time. I plan to finish this training in hopes that answers to specific "How To" will be discussed.
Games can be used to connect specific content and skills with a friendly environment where the learner is able to play, probe, make mistakes and learn.
This is a great discussion and topic to engage learners in an online environment, especially one that is asynchronous. We are using a simulation in one of our introductory business courses that requires students to build a bicycle company from the ground up. Students can select what part of the market they want to address, how to design and market their product, etc. This also seems to be a good method for cybersecurity students by pitting red and blue teams attacking and defending against cyberattacks.
While games may make content more interesting does the outcome (retention of content) improve. Inputting and making the games are very time consuming as stated.
In my coding classes I'd like to use simulations that will allow my students to create solutions for problems. However, these simulations must be planned specifically for my student population.
I like games. The problem is to find a well designed game that addresses the objectives accurately and at an affordable price.
I have learned many chaaracterisitcs of gaming and simulations, their similarities and differences. I've learned it is probably better to call it an immersive environment to get it authorized and take advantage of the practice opportunity, increased engagement, and therefore increased retention that games provide. However, in my own practice, I seldom use them because of the time constraints of developing them. For instance, a siimple branching scenario game requires extensive wireframing of responses, feedback and navigation before even going to a developer, who programs extensively. Setting up the environment can be very media-intensive. I find it most helpful to use elements of gaming or simulation in brief interactions.
I would love to use more gaming in my classroom, but it i hard to find the resources that line up with my cirriculum. I spend more time looking for the right resource then I do teaching and re-inforcing the concepts. The "time" factor is real!
I try to use gaming often but find that using the same type over and over probably is boring for the students. I'd like to have more options available and be creative in their use. I understand better that using a simulation or game reinforces the learning, does not replace the learning.