Meaning is the most relevant concept in the 21st century.
"I believe the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness. That is clear. Whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in this religion or that religion, we are all seeking something better in life. So I think the very motion of our life is towards happiness." - The Dalai Lama
People who go to church regularly tend to live longer than those who don't.
Students have to believe in themselves in order for them to be happy.
Look at yourself at 90 years old, have you lived a fulfilling life?
Angelina Etter, Diane Ireland, Brooke Jennings, and Elizabeth Hill
Thursday, February 25, 2010
A Whole New Mind
Play - "Games are the most elevated form of investigation." Albert Einstein
21 century people spend more money on video games than they do on movies.
"A growing stack of research is showing that playing video games can sharpen many of the skills that are vital in the Conceptual Age." The book commented that even doctors could benefit from the GameCube.
In India a doctor created the laughter club used to create a sense of joyfulness. A doctor noticed that the patients got better faster when they laughed.
Laughter provides something that the left-brain can not. From laughter students are lead to greater creativity, productivity, and collaboration.
What games do your students play with or without technology?
It is important for us to find our inner child.
Angelina Etter, Diane Ireland, Brooke Jennings, and Elizabeth Hill
21 century people spend more money on video games than they do on movies.
"A growing stack of research is showing that playing video games can sharpen many of the skills that are vital in the Conceptual Age." The book commented that even doctors could benefit from the GameCube.
In India a doctor created the laughter club used to create a sense of joyfulness. A doctor noticed that the patients got better faster when they laughed.
Laughter provides something that the left-brain can not. From laughter students are lead to greater creativity, productivity, and collaboration.
What games do your students play with or without technology?
It is important for us to find our inner child.
Angelina Etter, Diane Ireland, Brooke Jennings, and Elizabeth Hill
A Whole New Mind
Elizabeth Hill, Angelina Etter, Brooke Jennings, Diane Ireland
Design Our school system with the STEM initiative has “designed” a STEM school with STEM philosophies in mind. The school would enable different types of learning and teaching in a non- traditional atmosphere. The classrooms would be a laid-back atmosphere instead of traditional rows of seats. There would be couches and chairs and the rooms would be convertible in order to enhance cross curricula collaboration among students and the faculty. Let your students create.... Story- “We are our stories.”Technologies tools to enhance narratives:Photo story2 SimpleStory BirdBlogCenter for Digital Story Telling Symphony- “Seeing the Big Picture”Problem SolvingBrainstorm
Art in Education
Music in Education Empathy - "The ability to image yourself in someone else’s position intuit what that person is feeling."
Leadership
Emotion
Spontaneously
Character Education
Guidance Counselor support
Creating cards for Veteran’s Day
Raising Money
Volunteering
Technology and computers cannot detect empathy. "But it’s hard to deliver Empathy-touch, presence, and comfort-via fiber-optic cable."
Empathy is a very important part of healing especially for the sick.
How could you be a true teacher with no empathy?
Design Our school system with the STEM initiative has “designed” a STEM school with STEM philosophies in mind. The school would enable different types of learning and teaching in a non- traditional atmosphere. The classrooms would be a laid-back atmosphere instead of traditional rows of seats. There would be couches and chairs and the rooms would be convertible in order to enhance cross curricula collaboration among students and the faculty. Let your students create.... Story- “We are our stories.”Technologies tools to enhance narratives:Photo story2 SimpleStory BirdBlogCenter for Digital Story Telling Symphony- “Seeing the Big Picture”Problem SolvingBrainstorm
Art in Education
Music in Education Empathy - "The ability to image yourself in someone else’s position intuit what that person is feeling."
Leadership
Emotion
Spontaneously
Character Education
Guidance Counselor support
Creating cards for Veteran’s Day
Raising Money
Volunteering
Technology and computers cannot detect empathy. "But it’s hard to deliver Empathy-touch, presence, and comfort-via fiber-optic cable."
Empathy is a very important part of healing especially for the sick.
How could you be a true teacher with no empathy?
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
NEW MIND
Whole New Mind opened up our minds to realize how important it is for our students to play, create, problem solve in other words utilize more of the creative right side of the brain. In order to compete with work that is going overseas and computers. Pink discusses the importance of working on the six aptitudes of being proficient in right brained thinking.Those aptitudes are: design, story, symphony, empathy, play and meaning. We thought how as teachers can we implement these aptitudes and what do they exactly mean in the right brained spectrum.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
What Would Google Do?
New Publicness: This chapter enlightened us about making yourself or your company searchable by google. If you do not make this possible then you are making it difficult for consumers to find you. The author called this Googlejuice!
We spent a lot of time discussing the fact that web pages must be simple and easy to navigate. If we, as users, were not able to quickly (about 30 seconds) find what we wanted on your site then we would move on. This means that companies must focus on CUSTOMER SERVICE in this aspect. It is the new wave of marketing!
We spent a lot of time discussing the fact that web pages must be simple and easy to navigate. If we, as users, were not able to quickly (about 30 seconds) find what we wanted on your site then we would move on. This means that companies must focus on CUSTOMER SERVICE in this aspect. It is the new wave of marketing!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
VIDEO GAME Chapter 2
The first thing we had to figure out is what semiotic and semiotic domain meant. Semiotic simply means "signs." Semiotic domain means something like "an area or set of activities where people think, act, and value in certain ways." For example, you don't think, act, and value the same ways when playing video games as you do when bird watching.
So, what can we learn as educators from watching kids play video games?
1. It's active learning.
2. They learn to experience the world in a new way.
3. They get the potential to learn and collaborate with others.
4. They develop resources like "cheat codes" and watch videos for future learning and problem solving.
5. Encourages using texts, video, and images to solve problems and reflect on the design of the game and design of both real and imagined social relationships in the real world.
Active learning involves three things:
1. experiencing the world in new ways
2. forming new affiliations
3. preparation for future learning
It's not always about the content...it's about the problem solving skills students gain. Why do so many people feel that no "intellectual content" equals no learning? No one would want to learn about basketball using a textbook with never having played or watched the game. "But we do this sort of thing all the time in school with the areas of math and science." Hmmmm...how true. (hanging head in shame...)
Need we say more...stay tuned for more "shame."
Posted by Heather, John, and Kelly
So, what can we learn as educators from watching kids play video games?
1. It's active learning.
2. They learn to experience the world in a new way.
3. They get the potential to learn and collaborate with others.
4. They develop resources like "cheat codes" and watch videos for future learning and problem solving.
5. Encourages using texts, video, and images to solve problems and reflect on the design of the game and design of both real and imagined social relationships in the real world.
Active learning involves three things:
1. experiencing the world in new ways
2. forming new affiliations
3. preparation for future learning
It's not always about the content...it's about the problem solving skills students gain. Why do so many people feel that no "intellectual content" equals no learning? No one would want to learn about basketball using a textbook with never having played or watched the game. "But we do this sort of thing all the time in school with the areas of math and science." Hmmmm...how true. (hanging head in shame...)
Need we say more...stay tuned for more "shame."
Posted by Heather, John, and Kelly
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Gadget--Regina, Yvette, Kevin, Denise, Donna
You Are Not a Gadget by Jaron Lanier—Chapter 1
I guess the author is spending the first 18 pages of this book pointing out that some programs, operating systems, and organization techniques (like MIDI, UNIX, and the file) have far-reaching effects on how things are done in the future that the original creators don’t foresee when they create them. Once systems are in place on computers, it becomes a monumental task to try to do things differently. I guess if I ever create something like this, I’ll try to consider what the ramifications are for 20 years and 100 years down the road…(KDH)
(DD)Ok –wow. If you can wait to page 21 you might get something out of this book. At least so far, this author makes pages of nebulous points that don’t go anywhere. It is a lot of hard work with very limited satisfaction to arrive at this author’s premise. What the hell is he talking about was my common thought throughout the first many pages. (RL)This has been a very difficult book for me to read and understand. Much is way over my head…(YS)Obviously an intelligent man, but appears to me to have had thoughts at random times during the day and night and put them into print.
I find it interesting that he spends so much time (and this is considering much of the book beyond the first two chapters) emphasizing that personhood is a unique quality to be reverenced and celebrated; yet, his worldview is founded on persons becoming who we are now through a process of billions of years of random mutations and other random evolutionary processes (and his version seems NOT to include a personal God or really any god at all). This seems like a paradox to me. Without some higher being (in my own view, the Christian God) responsible for the existence of humans in the first place, personhood seems like a concept that is extremely hard to define and somewhat irrelevant considering the blurred lines of both past and future in his particular philosophy of life. And yet he argues strongly for just this concept of personhood. I fully agree with his notion that people are unique, and we should not lower our standards to be happy with machines and technology that reduce us to a lower level, but I fail to see the cohesiveness of his passionate argument for personhood with his underlying presuppositions (KDH).
My favorite glimmer of hope came on page 19 when he refers to us as a “culture of reaction without action.” (19)
He seems to be criticizing the Web 2.0 world of anonymity. (He also briefly questions the future of copyright and privacy.) And he cautions that we should all struggle against being caught up in someone else’s recent careless thoughts. (22) (YS) I believe he is cautioning us against going with the crowd. When we look over the big picture, technology is only as “smart” as we (as a society) have made it. I think he embraces our individuality and the contributions that individuals can make.
His list on p 21 is the best part of the book so far. In part—
Don’t post anonymously unless you really might be in danger.
If you put effort into wikipedia articles, put even more effort into using your personal voice and expression outside of the wiki to help attract people who don’t yet realize that they are interested in the topics you contributed to. (RL) Is he suggesting blogging???
Create a website that expresses something about who you are that won’t fit into the template available to you on a social networking site.
(RL)I do like the idea of putting time in the creation of a video – not losing the concept of quality.
I also like the point about twittering simple external events – he says find a way to describe your feelings and thoughts – not just – “I’ve gone shopping” twitter.
(YS) Again, I think he is placing emphasis on our being individuals. He addresses our “personhood”.
I think he is criticizing a world in which we lose thoughtful scholarship and individuality in place of mob mentality. I don’t know if I agree yet. Have the masses EVER participated in thoughtful scholarship???? At least if one chooses to participate in Wikipedia, he has to worry about whether or not he knows anything. A lot of power in the hands of the people exists because of the web. That has never been true before.
Furthermore, technology has shaped and changed human experience, and tiny correct-at-the-time decisions by the people designing software have become huge influences on our existence as a result of “lock-in.”
His rant about Web 2.0 and his analogy to Maoists and Freudians is bizarre to say the least. His point I think???? is that the rushing headlong into a cultural revolution without careful consideration is dangerous. The current cultural revolution to which he is referring is the technology revolution
Final thoughts--
-- anonymity is dangerous
--lock-in makes us forget the lost freedoms we had. . .?????
--in the old days of the web —“People did something cooperatively, solely because it was a good idea, and it was beautiful.” (rather than because of the “classical motivators of people.) Chapter 1:
(DA) After spending entirely too much time on Chapter 1, here’s what I walked away with….
Lanier seems to be warning us that software often gets frozen in place and we find ourselves in a locked in state. I think what he is stating is that if we use existing software we will be restricted by the limitations of the software itself. He uses the example of MIDI software that was casually created by a musician to supplement the sound of a single keyboard. The software itself is limited in its ability and works much like a keyboard. It can go up or down but can’t musically create the notes in-between the two notes like string and brass instruments or even one’s voice. But this software only one of its kind has become the standard. He describes that once something has become a standard it’s close to impossible to change it. It becomes entrenched into part of the “defining unchangeable rules of our lives”. This is where it appears the software standards restrict any further human creativity that allows for improvement and growth.
Chapter 2:
Pg 27-28 He does have a point about some aspects of computer is “evolving into a life-form that can understand people better than people can understand themselves” – his example was Microsoft Word indenting, etc on its own. (RL)I don’t know how many times I have copied documents for my students only after which realizing that the numbering was wrong.(YS) This is scary when you really think about it. Think about the helpful tips in word….”were you trying to…” as if it’s reading your mind. Turn that thing off! I’m sure that programmers working on the software decided…wouldn’t it be neat if this happened and that happened….but it causes us to almost “rely” on the hints and tips too much sometimes.
I hate those auto-formatting functions as well (KDH)
So what the hell is a Luddite?--apparently it is a turn of the century term for someone who opposes technology. Interesting. This is my kind of guy-- aqlal about challenging the status-quo, but so far, he is hard to read--not a cool feature!
The original Luddite was Ned Lud, an embecile who broke two improved stocking frames at a factory. From 1811 to 1816 a body of English workmen endeavored to prevent the introduction of labor-saving machinery by burning factories and destroying machines and became known as Luddites(Websters Dictionary). The term seems to have come to mean exactly as you say, someone who opposes technology (KDH).
Pg 35 – Is it useful to portray computers themselves as intelligent or humanlike in any way? Does this presentation serve to clarify or to obscure the role of computers in our lives? Pg 36 – When people are told that a computer is intelligent, they become prone to changing themselves…blaming themselves when a digital gadget or online service is hard to use. (RL) I have been known to do this – I always assume I don’t have enough knowledge or experience with software/gadgets when things don’t work properly. I don’t know how many times I have asked my boys for help with new tech toys. The first time in AET Zone – I was frustrated and Blake easily made it do what he wanted. I don’t think I ever thought it was the designer’s fault – always mine.
(YS) I’ve been here before, too, blaming myself or lack of knowledge in regard to technology. I’ve even been told “OE”-operator error. Shame we aren’t born knowing all we need to know. “No Operator Left Behind” would be more suitable in our current times. (DA) But we must all remember without human input there is no information that can be added to the information systems of the world. I guess I'll just never forget those hours punching cards that allowed the running of a program on a computer and realizing that it was only going to be able to run successfully if there was no human error. The computer could not create the data nor could it fix the data without human intervention. I do feel that I have a lot more to learn about how to identify a reliable source out in the vast world of information. We give the computer the credit for being more intelligent but it seems that it is the vast combination of knowledge coming from humans from all parts of the world that create this intelligence. The computer is merely the vehicle we use to store and connect all the information.
This is somewhat off-topic here, but I am constantly amazed at how easily people are influenced by Facebook culture. I still don’t have my own Facebook account, but as I look at my wife’s account, I don’t recognize 80% of her “friends,” because they have changed their profile picture to a celebrity who they supposedly look like. Two weeks ago was “retro profile pic” week, and everyone looked like a little kid or a teenager I didn’t recognize. Everyone seems to just go along with these ideas without questioning whose idea it was in the first place … and these are just a couple of examples on Facebook. The author points out that people blame themselves for not understanding computers and software. In this case, they seem too easily influenced by the people who create the software and the people who make all these odd suggestions (KDH).
Chapter 3-Inner Trolls…Isn’t this real life? Think about a crowd of people. In every crowd there’s a leader that evolves. There’s also a “loner”. Isn’t it the same on the internet? I think that the internet makes it easier to “bash” someone due to anonymity. Sadly, for some, it’s a thrill to have fun at the expense of another who’s just a pseudonym on a site. Maybe we should question whether our lives have turned into a database. (DA) I'm hoping that the internet is helping introverted people find a voice. I hope for my students that this will help them learn to speak up in class and in other real life discussions. I also hope that online social communities will evolve into communities that will not allow people to be inappropriate. I feel that as the audiences grow so will the intolerance for inappropriate behavior. The author talked about quality over quantity. I hope that eventually communities will also demand appropriate grammar and spelling as well...maybe I'm dreaming!
I was glad to hear that he is not anti-Internet (p. 71). I think I'll post more about this chapter some other time. I'm getting really tired...(KDH)
I guess the author is spending the first 18 pages of this book pointing out that some programs, operating systems, and organization techniques (like MIDI, UNIX, and the file) have far-reaching effects on how things are done in the future that the original creators don’t foresee when they create them. Once systems are in place on computers, it becomes a monumental task to try to do things differently. I guess if I ever create something like this, I’ll try to consider what the ramifications are for 20 years and 100 years down the road…(KDH)
(DD)Ok –wow. If you can wait to page 21 you might get something out of this book. At least so far, this author makes pages of nebulous points that don’t go anywhere. It is a lot of hard work with very limited satisfaction to arrive at this author’s premise. What the hell is he talking about was my common thought throughout the first many pages. (RL)This has been a very difficult book for me to read and understand. Much is way over my head…(YS)Obviously an intelligent man, but appears to me to have had thoughts at random times during the day and night and put them into print.
I find it interesting that he spends so much time (and this is considering much of the book beyond the first two chapters) emphasizing that personhood is a unique quality to be reverenced and celebrated; yet, his worldview is founded on persons becoming who we are now through a process of billions of years of random mutations and other random evolutionary processes (and his version seems NOT to include a personal God or really any god at all). This seems like a paradox to me. Without some higher being (in my own view, the Christian God) responsible for the existence of humans in the first place, personhood seems like a concept that is extremely hard to define and somewhat irrelevant considering the blurred lines of both past and future in his particular philosophy of life. And yet he argues strongly for just this concept of personhood. I fully agree with his notion that people are unique, and we should not lower our standards to be happy with machines and technology that reduce us to a lower level, but I fail to see the cohesiveness of his passionate argument for personhood with his underlying presuppositions (KDH).
My favorite glimmer of hope came on page 19 when he refers to us as a “culture of reaction without action.” (19)
He seems to be criticizing the Web 2.0 world of anonymity. (He also briefly questions the future of copyright and privacy.) And he cautions that we should all struggle against being caught up in someone else’s recent careless thoughts. (22) (YS) I believe he is cautioning us against going with the crowd. When we look over the big picture, technology is only as “smart” as we (as a society) have made it. I think he embraces our individuality and the contributions that individuals can make.
His list on p 21 is the best part of the book so far. In part—
Don’t post anonymously unless you really might be in danger.
If you put effort into wikipedia articles, put even more effort into using your personal voice and expression outside of the wiki to help attract people who don’t yet realize that they are interested in the topics you contributed to. (RL) Is he suggesting blogging???
Create a website that expresses something about who you are that won’t fit into the template available to you on a social networking site.
(RL)I do like the idea of putting time in the creation of a video – not losing the concept of quality.
I also like the point about twittering simple external events – he says find a way to describe your feelings and thoughts – not just – “I’ve gone shopping” twitter.
(YS) Again, I think he is placing emphasis on our being individuals. He addresses our “personhood”.
I think he is criticizing a world in which we lose thoughtful scholarship and individuality in place of mob mentality. I don’t know if I agree yet. Have the masses EVER participated in thoughtful scholarship???? At least if one chooses to participate in Wikipedia, he has to worry about whether or not he knows anything. A lot of power in the hands of the people exists because of the web. That has never been true before.
Furthermore, technology has shaped and changed human experience, and tiny correct-at-the-time decisions by the people designing software have become huge influences on our existence as a result of “lock-in.”
His rant about Web 2.0 and his analogy to Maoists and Freudians is bizarre to say the least. His point I think???? is that the rushing headlong into a cultural revolution without careful consideration is dangerous. The current cultural revolution to which he is referring is the technology revolution
Final thoughts--
-- anonymity is dangerous
--lock-in makes us forget the lost freedoms we had. . .?????
--in the old days of the web —“People did something cooperatively, solely because it was a good idea, and it was beautiful.” (rather than because of the “classical motivators of people.) Chapter 1:
(DA) After spending entirely too much time on Chapter 1, here’s what I walked away with….
Lanier seems to be warning us that software often gets frozen in place and we find ourselves in a locked in state. I think what he is stating is that if we use existing software we will be restricted by the limitations of the software itself. He uses the example of MIDI software that was casually created by a musician to supplement the sound of a single keyboard. The software itself is limited in its ability and works much like a keyboard. It can go up or down but can’t musically create the notes in-between the two notes like string and brass instruments or even one’s voice. But this software only one of its kind has become the standard. He describes that once something has become a standard it’s close to impossible to change it. It becomes entrenched into part of the “defining unchangeable rules of our lives”. This is where it appears the software standards restrict any further human creativity that allows for improvement and growth.
Chapter 2:
Pg 27-28 He does have a point about some aspects of computer is “evolving into a life-form that can understand people better than people can understand themselves” – his example was Microsoft Word indenting, etc on its own. (RL)I don’t know how many times I have copied documents for my students only after which realizing that the numbering was wrong.(YS) This is scary when you really think about it. Think about the helpful tips in word….”were you trying to…” as if it’s reading your mind. Turn that thing off! I’m sure that programmers working on the software decided…wouldn’t it be neat if this happened and that happened….but it causes us to almost “rely” on the hints and tips too much sometimes.
I hate those auto-formatting functions as well (KDH)
So what the hell is a Luddite?--apparently it is a turn of the century term for someone who opposes technology. Interesting. This is my kind of guy-- aqlal about challenging the status-quo, but so far, he is hard to read--not a cool feature!
The original Luddite was Ned Lud, an embecile who broke two improved stocking frames at a factory. From 1811 to 1816 a body of English workmen endeavored to prevent the introduction of labor-saving machinery by burning factories and destroying machines and became known as Luddites(Websters Dictionary). The term seems to have come to mean exactly as you say, someone who opposes technology (KDH).
Pg 35 – Is it useful to portray computers themselves as intelligent or humanlike in any way? Does this presentation serve to clarify or to obscure the role of computers in our lives? Pg 36 – When people are told that a computer is intelligent, they become prone to changing themselves…blaming themselves when a digital gadget or online service is hard to use. (RL) I have been known to do this – I always assume I don’t have enough knowledge or experience with software/gadgets when things don’t work properly. I don’t know how many times I have asked my boys for help with new tech toys. The first time in AET Zone – I was frustrated and Blake easily made it do what he wanted. I don’t think I ever thought it was the designer’s fault – always mine.
(YS) I’ve been here before, too, blaming myself or lack of knowledge in regard to technology. I’ve even been told “OE”-operator error. Shame we aren’t born knowing all we need to know. “No Operator Left Behind” would be more suitable in our current times. (DA) But we must all remember without human input there is no information that can be added to the information systems of the world. I guess I'll just never forget those hours punching cards that allowed the running of a program on a computer and realizing that it was only going to be able to run successfully if there was no human error. The computer could not create the data nor could it fix the data without human intervention. I do feel that I have a lot more to learn about how to identify a reliable source out in the vast world of information. We give the computer the credit for being more intelligent but it seems that it is the vast combination of knowledge coming from humans from all parts of the world that create this intelligence. The computer is merely the vehicle we use to store and connect all the information.
This is somewhat off-topic here, but I am constantly amazed at how easily people are influenced by Facebook culture. I still don’t have my own Facebook account, but as I look at my wife’s account, I don’t recognize 80% of her “friends,” because they have changed their profile picture to a celebrity who they supposedly look like. Two weeks ago was “retro profile pic” week, and everyone looked like a little kid or a teenager I didn’t recognize. Everyone seems to just go along with these ideas without questioning whose idea it was in the first place … and these are just a couple of examples on Facebook. The author points out that people blame themselves for not understanding computers and software. In this case, they seem too easily influenced by the people who create the software and the people who make all these odd suggestions (KDH).
Chapter 3-Inner Trolls…Isn’t this real life? Think about a crowd of people. In every crowd there’s a leader that evolves. There’s also a “loner”. Isn’t it the same on the internet? I think that the internet makes it easier to “bash” someone due to anonymity. Sadly, for some, it’s a thrill to have fun at the expense of another who’s just a pseudonym on a site. Maybe we should question whether our lives have turned into a database. (DA) I'm hoping that the internet is helping introverted people find a voice. I hope for my students that this will help them learn to speak up in class and in other real life discussions. I also hope that online social communities will evolve into communities that will not allow people to be inappropriate. I feel that as the audiences grow so will the intolerance for inappropriate behavior. The author talked about quality over quantity. I hope that eventually communities will also demand appropriate grammar and spelling as well...maybe I'm dreaming!
I was glad to hear that he is not anti-Internet (p. 71). I think I'll post more about this chapter some other time. I'm getting really tired...(KDH)
VIDEO GAME: Introduction and Webinar
We are reading What Video Games Have To Teach Us About Learning And Literacy. The three of us got the opportunity to attend a webinar by the author, James Paul Gee.
The author looked at all types of games including violent and SIMS games. He made a point that it's not about the content of the game, but knowing how to play the game comes first. Students learn how to solve problems and content comes from actually solving the problems and/or playing the games.
The following are several quotes and comments that he made that we felt were spot on:
"Front the problem solving and make the people use the facts to solve the problems." He made this same comment several times. As an example, in World of Warcraft, students get hooked on the game then they want to understand and design.
"Games make you reflective as long as you have the community around you to make you reflect." Having this group of people to collaborate and reflect with causes everyone involved to problem solve together. For example, the Army trains many of its soldiers through games and a large part of the learning takes plac eafter the game when the soldiers are discussing the strategies they used in the game. Ask a seven year old about his gaming when he finishes and you will be listening for 30 minutes! Kids are excited about what they are learning during gaming and will talk about that for hours.
"Humans learn best when they care. The problems must be problems that they want to solve. "(Learning Communities - produce not just consume)
21st century teachers will need to design learning experiences!!!
Several examples that he gave of gaming "in real life":
Surgeons now are looking at screens instead of the patient when conducting their surgeries. As one participatant commented, "Would you want a non-gamer doing your brain surgery?"
A woman who failed geometry in high school became one of the best designers in Second Life because she "learned" geometry while using Second Life.
When a participant asked him what was wrong with education and pointed to these 3 things: skill and drill, teaching to the test, and the tests themselves.
Here is a link to the recording of the webinar session if you are interested in listening to the comments made during the hour long session.
http://www.learncentral.org/node/53213
Heather, Kelly and John
The author looked at all types of games including violent and SIMS games. He made a point that it's not about the content of the game, but knowing how to play the game comes first. Students learn how to solve problems and content comes from actually solving the problems and/or playing the games.
The following are several quotes and comments that he made that we felt were spot on:
"Front the problem solving and make the people use the facts to solve the problems." He made this same comment several times. As an example, in World of Warcraft, students get hooked on the game then they want to understand and design.
"Games make you reflective as long as you have the community around you to make you reflect." Having this group of people to collaborate and reflect with causes everyone involved to problem solve together. For example, the Army trains many of its soldiers through games and a large part of the learning takes plac eafter the game when the soldiers are discussing the strategies they used in the game. Ask a seven year old about his gaming when he finishes and you will be listening for 30 minutes! Kids are excited about what they are learning during gaming and will talk about that for hours.
"Humans learn best when they care. The problems must be problems that they want to solve. "(Learning Communities - produce not just consume)
21st century teachers will need to design learning experiences!!!
Several examples that he gave of gaming "in real life":
Surgeons now are looking at screens instead of the patient when conducting their surgeries. As one participatant commented, "Would you want a non-gamer doing your brain surgery?"
A woman who failed geometry in high school became one of the best designers in Second Life because she "learned" geometry while using Second Life.
When a participant asked him what was wrong with education and pointed to these 3 things: skill and drill, teaching to the test, and the tests themselves.
Here is a link to the recording of the webinar session if you are interested in listening to the comments made during the hour long session.
http://www.learncentral.org/node/53213
Heather, Kelly and John
What Would Google Do?-First Reflection
Laura, Angela, and Staci
In order to survive in a changing world, we need to change the way we think. This book is modeled after Google, who successfully did just that. The first step in changing their thinking was giving the control to the people. Another step is to utilize the blogs and message boards to find out what people need and want. Use this information to grow in a way that listens to customers and find out what they need. In education, we need to listen to students, teachers, and the community to find out what students want to learn and how they want to learn that information. Our hope is that the STEM initiative will do just this in education.
In order to survive in a changing world, we need to change the way we think. This book is modeled after Google, who successfully did just that. The first step in changing their thinking was giving the control to the people. Another step is to utilize the blogs and message boards to find out what people need and want. Use this information to grow in a way that listens to customers and find out what they need. In education, we need to listen to students, teachers, and the community to find out what students want to learn and how they want to learn that information. Our hope is that the STEM initiative will do just this in education.
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