Using Games in Teaching

Most people think video games are "mindless" and give children an excuse to be lazy. What many people overlook are the positive lessons children can learn through these games. I want to focus on Mark Prensky's article, "What Kids Learn That’s POSITIVE From Playing Video Games" because I think he offers an in-depth, easy to understand look at video games. He talks about five levels of learning in a video game:
Level One-How:
-Gamers learn how the game works and also get the opportunity to learn how to multi-task
-Kids learn real-world lessons like how to protect yourself or construct something and also
how to be in control of a situation
-Kids can improve their cognitive complexes like mental-spacial processing and non-verbal
IQ

Level Two: What
-Kids learn how to make decisions and learn what is right and wrong
-Learn to compare and make choices based on the pros and cons

Level Three: Why
-Kids have to create a gameplan and strategize
- Gamers must overcome obstacles and learn to deal with consequences
- Gamers must also set short term and long term goals and decide how to best accomplish
them

Level Four: Where
-Kids learn about their culture and environment and how to survive and thrive in it
-These video games reflect society. The author uses an interesting example of how parents
freak out about violent video games but that our society isn't exactly law-abiding. Also,
parents have to be accountable for what they are allowing their children to partake in.

Level Five: When/Whether
-Kids have to make value and morally-based decisions
- Children also have to learn to behave whether they win or lose and the implications of both

Video Games are not necessarily directly related to journalism but there are a few things that are relevant. Most cameras these days are robotic so having experience with video games would help me land a job because I would already have an understanding of spacial relations and the use of a controller to maneuver. Also, since parents tend to freak out about violent content, I am sure I will have to interview more than one irate parent throughout my career. I will need to know the facts and be familiar with the policies of the gaming industry to ensure I am providing my audiences with a balanced look at both sides of the issue.

I chose this political cartoon because it parodies the silliness surrounding the video gaming industry. Parents and educator alike have been voicing their concerns for years without realizing the education benefits previously mentioned. I think everyone needs to be educated on the issues and decide what is best for their family without causing a scene on national TV.

Distance Education

Distance learning is an education that focuses on the teaching methods and technology necessary for the education of students who are studying away from a physical, traditional educational environment. The prevalence of distance education programs is increasing with many educational institutions now offering distance education classes. Distance education can happen through regular mail, internet, TV or radio, CD-Rom or Educational files on a computer, and wireless learning through a mobile device. Distance learning can either be online through the use of online technologies to get rid of separation of time or different location, blended through technology and in-person meetings, or virtual where everything is done through the Internet.

Distance education allows students to work at their own pace and use materials and educational resources that may not be readily available in their areas. However, programs of this nature can be costly and cut down on personal connections with fellow students and instructors.

I do not think I will use Distance Education (D.E.) in the journalism field. If I choose to attend graduate school, I may consider doing it through D.E. because it would allow me to continue my education without having to give up my career. I can see the benefits that it has for working professionals or those people with a limited amount of free time but I do not think D.E. is something that is relevant to journalism. Most people in journalism (like reporters or journalists) only have a Bachelor's degree because a Master's degree or higher can sometimes make you over-qualified and less likely to be hired because of a higher pay rate. Most people go straight from undergraduate programs into the work force because the journalism industry as a whole does not see value in a higher level of graduate work.

This is a link to a study done by the State University of West Georgia that examines students' perception of distance learning, online learning, and traditional education methods.

The research shows that students think that online learning has an advantage to traditional methods. These advantages include saving them time, fitting in better with their schedules, and enabling students to take more courses. The students surveyed did not think they learned more in online classes and also disliked not being able to adequately participate in class discussions. They also preferred traditional courses to online learning courses even though they wanted more online learning courses.

The students had negative attitudes toward distance learning compared to online learning. Students did not think distance learning was as effective as traditional methods and they did not want to take more distance learning classes. However, students did like that distance education fit better into their schedules.

I chose this study because it shows the opinions and benefits of distance learning from a student's perspective. I think the findings are interesting because it shows that students are interested in the scheduling conveniencesof distance learning but not much else.

Learning Styles, Open Source Software, and Cloud Computing

This week we learned about open source software and continued our education of cloud computing. Open source software and cloud computing are both double edged swords. They are great for consumers because they present a similar program to commercial products that is more cost-effective. It is crazy to spend hundreds of dollars on a program like Microsoft Word or Photoshop when it is available for free download or through cloud computing. However, from a corporate standpoint, these types of software place a huge dent in the profit margin. It is unfortunate that corporations spend a lot of time, money, and resources for the development of software only to have it pirated by open source and cloud computing software developers. I am surprised the developers are able to get away with creating such similar programs without having to worry about copyright issues. In the short run, open source software is convenient for the consumer, but it only hurts to development of technology in the long run.

I also enjoyed taking the learning styles quiz. I knew I was an aural learner but I didn't expect to have such a lead against the other styles-I had 12 points for aural! Basically, this means that I learn best through asking question and vocal explanation. I don't do well with written direction or notes--I like lecture classes and verbal direction.

I will use open source software in my career. For my first job, I will most likely end up at a small station with limited equipment but I will undoubtedly have projects that require topnotch editing software. Final Cut Pro is an incredibly expensive suite to buy so I will use open source alternatives like Kino or Cinelerra. I liked the websites we were shows that offer open source software for free download. I'm sure I will use several of these programs in both my educational and professional careers.

In terms if learning styles, it is important that I understand the implications of my favored learning style and how the other learning styles work. I will have to work with multiple learning styles and personalities during my career as a journalist so I will need to understand how to relate and speak to those differing styles. I have done more research on my aural style of learning and got some tips on how to better my own learning process.

I loved the cartoon that is at the top of my blog entry. I think it personifies the Abstract-Sequential learner down to a tee. In case you were wondering, this type of learner is sure of themselves, have academic sources, extensive research, and are respected for their intellectual ability. They are also analytical thinkers that ask a lot of questions.

Tech Tools for Critical Thinking

This week, we learned about several tech tools for critical thinking. We learned about using Delicious for social bookmarking which allows users to bookmark their favorite sites and search for similar sites based off of others preferences and listed tags. My sister is a teacher and I sent some of the education-related sites from our account to her so that she could utilize them in her classroom. We also learned about sites that allow you to create concept maps. I used mywebspiration to create my concept map that included the following Folksonomies: LinkedIn, Youtube, podcasting, GoogleDocs, and Social Bokmarking/Delicious.

We also examined methods for learning and critical thinking:

Behaviorism: Internal processes are seen through behavior
1. Classical Conditioning: create relationship through association over trial
a. Advertising, Sales, and whistle on a sports field
2. Operant:Use of consequences to change form or occurrence of behavior
a. Uses reinforcement (positive or negative), punishment (which causes the behavior to happen less),
extinction (no consequences after an action so the behavior will happen less because of boredom)
3. Information Process Theory
a. Focuses on the internal processes of registering, processing, storing, and retrieving
information; the brain serves as a computer role
b. Retaining information can happen through rehearsal, organization, elaboration, imagery,
and schema
4. Constructivism
a. Humans gain and build knowledge through unique, meaningful activities that create
genuine opportunities for learning.
b. best done through hands-on/project based learning and exploration
c. Not always the best learning style

We also learned about varying learning styles and multiple intelligences. Learning and critical thinking rely on understand the purpose of education, know when and when not to question the process, create alternatives and overcome objectives, and know when to ask for and how to interpret information.

Everyone will use critical thinking skills and that is certainly the case for my journalism career. I will have to discern the best way to present information by deciding what is important and how to share it with others. I will have to understand my style of learning as well as the styles of learning of my colleagues and the majority of my audience. The news needs to be relevant and easy to understand and understanding the learning process will help me in spreading the word.

This is a link to a poll asking if teachers "should teachers always use the latest tech tools, or does that approach result in technology overkill?"
http://www.edutopia.org/poll-required-latest-technology-tools

It is obvious that most of the participants in the comment section are in the education profession. There are several good points made about if technology is always used in the classroom, does it downplay to importance and prevalance of critical thinking. I think technology enhances the educational process but I can see how some in the profession would see its detrimental effects. A positive, nurturing relationship with educators is a strong factor in the effectiveness of education but the introduction of technology into the classroom also helps with how students learn and relate to classroom content.

Folksonomies Concept Map

Here is the link to my Folksonomies Concept Map:

http://mywebspiration.com/view/241374a34987

Cloud Computing and Social Networking

This week, we learned about cloud computing and social networking. Cloud computing is the ability to use server-based applications as a service rather than being tied to a specific platform, machine, or device. Examples of this would be Google Docs and Delicious. Google Docs is an interesting program because it allows users to create spreadsheets, calendars, presentations, and documents and then share that information with other users. The group is able to edit and update materials and keep everything together instead of on different computers, etc. Delicious, and other social bookmarking sites, let people tag different sites and share them. This allows users to share their favorites and pick-up a few new favorites along the way. We also learned about social networking sites and how they are both helping and hindering effective communication. Social networking sites like Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace promote social interaction through a computer but seem to be taking away the "human" aspect of relationships. Long-term effects (whether detrimental or beneficial) are still to be determined and will have to monitored in the long run.

I will definitely use social networking and cloud computing in my field. I will use Google Docs to share ideas and schedules with my producers and co-workers. Delicious will be a great resource to discover what audiences are interested in. By paying attention to websites like Delicious, I will be able to find the latest viral video or helpful website and then share it with my viewers in the "kicker section" of a news cast. I will use social networking to find interesting videos or stories about people and to also keep in touch with viewers.

I found this article that outlines the positives associated with social networking. Since we talked about this subject in our class forum this week, I thought it was fitting to use this article from The Washington Times. This article highlights that parents have a huge responsibility to monitor content, limit the amount of time their kids are spending online and to also set ground rules for safe websurfing.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/28/social-networking-benefits-validated/

Podcasting

This week, we explored podcasting and the educational benefits that it offers. In an article from Learning and Leading with Technology, podcasting was defined as automated technology that allows listeners to subscribe and listen to digitally recorded audio shows. At Duke University, iPods were given to their entire freshmen class and their uses were broken down into five categories:
1. Course Content Dissemination
2. Classroom Recording
3. Field Recording
4. Study Support
5. File Storage and Transfer

Making a podcast is as easy as 1-2-3: Script, Record, Edit.

The benefits of using podcasting in education are endless. Students can access podcasts made by other people which helps further the understanding and supplementation of curriculum. Teachers or professors can create podcasts which allow students to listen to lectures, gain extra help from their teachers, and listen to test reviews and supplements. By downloading this extra information, students can take it anywhere. This extends the school day and makes learning relevant outside of the classroom. Teachers can also create podcasts focused on education-related content for other teachers. Student produced podcasts let students learn about in-depth research, how to communication and speak effectively, and how to grab their audience's attention through the use of sound and intriguing content.

While podcasting is beneficial, there are also a few problem areas. First up is the area of legality. The podcasting industry is unregulated so people must be careful about the type of content they are advertising to their friends, families, colleagues, students, and professors. Also, podcasters must receive permission to use certain content and could be held legally responsible for anything they say.

I will use podcasting in my journalism career by using them for interviews and to share my stories with my audiences. Interviews can be conducted by using an mp3 player, connecting a microphone to it, and using audio software to import, edit and share the audio. Also, podcasting and vodcasting (podcasting plus video) is revolutionizing how journalists share information. People do not want to have to be chained to their televisions at 5, 6, or 11 pm in order to get the latest headlines. They want to have that information at their fingertips for easy download. Many big news organizations are producing free podcast and/or vodcast downloads so that audience members can have up-to-date information at their fingertips.


The following video gives the audience step-by-step directions on how to use podcasting in your blogger account. A lot of media is becoming multifunctional in the sense that one program can have multiple uses. This shows the convergence of media because the written blog becomes an audio blog but is still housed under the same site. My best friend is currently studying abroad and she uses a podcast on her blog so that people can read about parts of her trips and then listen to her explain things that may be too confusing to read (like stories or conversations with the natives). Using the podcast and written material makes her blog more user-friendly.