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.

Embedded Audio Project

Learning Blog Sound Project - Emily Nance

My embedded audio uses a few effects from GarageBand. For the vocal narration part, I used the “deeper vocals” effect. I sound like the people you hear on TV asking for ransom money but I thought it was a unique effect. I also used the drum kit, guitar, and piano effects to create my song. I was surprised by how easy it was to create that song! GarageBand is very user-friendly because it lets you mix-down according to a combination of the categories and then just drag and drop the clips into the timeline. There are countless effects available for use and numerous possibilities for users to create their own special projects for any event or audience.

I will use sound in my chosen field through the use of sound bites and voicers. Most of the time, journalists have to mix ambient (natural) sound, sound bites from interviews, and sound from the studio. Learning how to edit sound efficiently will be an invaluable tool to possess in my field. Also, journalism is based on an aural style that focuses on writing for how it is heard and not read. Based on this style of writing, sound is the most important quality in the news industry.

Digital Storytelling and Introduction to Sound

Here is a quick video I made to experiment with digital storytelling:

http://animoto.com/play/5dlfhr2vM1rYpzSTF4Nz6A


This week was fun for me because I got to use a few programs I have been interested in trying. I have never used iMovie before so it was interesting to experiment with it and learn a few tricks. I have used garageband a few times in the past but I had never explored the podcast feature. I love how all Mac programs allow for easy convergence between programs like iMovie, iTunes, iPhoto, etc, I guess that is why they say "Once you go Mac, you never go back."

This week was also interesting because we learned about digital technology and how it's used. For example, we were taught the difference between analog (electronic, chemically induced, magnetic, or vibration sensitive) and digital (the conversion of the original source into numeric data). The best way to describe the difference in these two processes is to relate it to photography. In traditional (analog) photography, there is a light sensitive, chemical process. In digital photography, light is captured onto CCDs and is then turned into numerical data. Digital is the best way to go because processing costs are virtually eliminated (still have to pay for print-outs), allows viewers to print high quantities of pictures at a lower cost, and allows for immediate viewing and manipulation.

This week's content will definitely be used in my major. In addition to learning about analog and digital, we learned about pixelation and compression. Both pixelation and compression will be important concepts for me to understand in journalism. I will have to understand the effect of pixelation on my graphics and the effects of compression on videos I may try to upload to my station's website. I will also have to understand the various encoding methods like uncompressed (flexible file formats that store a combination of bitrates), lossless (encodes silence and sound which requires more processing time that uncompressed but is also more efficient in space usage), and lossy (makes process easier by using compression). I will definitely use the lessons we learned about audio, digital and analog.

We are currently in a digital age but Polaroid is breaking that trend. Polaroid filed for bankruptcy in 2008 and many people were saddened to hear that those old cameras and their magic film would be disappearing. Fortunately, a new company has purchased Polaroid and will open a photographic paper factory in Holland so that the "quaint devices from the analog era" can thrive once again. Here's the link to the Business Week article:

http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/blog/eyeonasia/archives/2009/10/analog_in_a_dig.html

Week 6: Visual Literacy and Introduction to Digital Storytelling

This week's assignments focused on the importance of visual literacy, digital storytelling, and how to create this type of content.

While we have studied visual literacy before, I liked how the On-line Visual Literacy Project from Pamona College introduced visual literacy by saying, "Visual Literacy is the skills and learning needed to view visual and audio visual material skeptically, critically, and knowledgeably." They also mention that the alphabet is the basis for verbal literature because you must master the understanding of letters, words, spelling, grammar, and syntax. In contrast, visual literacy is the ability to interpret visual material, messages, objects, and experiences by using lines, dots, shapes, direction, value, hue, saturation, texture, scale, dimension, and motion.

Digital storytelling was introduced as "using computer-based tools to tell stories." These projects are a mixture of computer-based images, text, recorded audio narration, video clips, and/or music. Daniel Meadows described digital storytelling as, "short multimedia tales told from the heart."

I have iMovie on my Mac but have never used it so the tutorial was interesting to me. I am excited to use this program and experiment with the music, transitions, titles, themes, and the convergence it allows with other programs.

My journalism career is based on the central idea of digital storytelling. Journalists must use visuals, audio, narration, and text to bring the story to life in front of the viewing audience. I will use visual literacy and digital storytelling on an everyday basis. I would like to learn how to use iMovie because it would be a quick and easy tool for me to use while I practice the video editing skills necessary for my major. I am also anxious to learn how to better create projects that incorporate digital storytelling and the best ways to cohesively piece different clips, music, and narration together.

For more information on digital storytelling, check out the blog on the link listed below. The video allows viewers to see a practical explanation of digital storytelling and why it is effective. The blog offers step-by-step directions on how to create and produce a digital storytelling project. Anna Batchelder, who currently writes an ongoing blog called “Literacy is Priceless”, wrote the featured blog. The video can be found on Youtube but it does not directly state who produced the video. However, special thanks are given to the Common Craft Show.

http://literacyispriceless.wordpress.com/2009/09/26/digital-storytelling-in-a-nutshell/

Visual Literacy Blog WEEK TWO

This week's assignment was an interesting approach to visual literacy. The videos we were assigned to watch allowed us to see the importance of visuals in our lives, but more importantly, how we interpret those visuals and use them in our everyday lives.

The first video attempted to answer the "What if we weren't visually literate" question. Without street signs, parking notices, signage for commercial businesses and restaurants, sports paraphernalia, and bathrooms, our lives would come to a halt. These signs are integral to our routines because they allow us to associate a visual cue with a location, direction, or brand.

I enjoyed the Dove advertisement. In today's society, citizens are bombarded with images of “perfect” models. Watching that "Evolution" video made me realize how much work goes in to creating an advertisement by turning an average looking girl into a perfect model or cover girl.

The third video showed the evolution in several people and showed how technicians using Photoshop change things like background, luminosity, and hair color and polish blemishes and make-up. I liked that this video showed multiple changes from different ethnic groups and ages.

The article was short but well written. I think it is important to share their definition of visual literacy, "Visual literacy is defined as the ability to understand communications composed of visual images as well as being able to use visual imagery to communicate to others. Students become visually literate by the practice of visual encoding (expressing their thoughts and ideas in visual form) and visual decoding (translating and understanding the meaning of visual imagery)" (Oakland Museum of California). I like that they used the definitions of visual encoding and visual decoding because visual literacy is a one-two-punch kind of topic.

In my job a news reporter, I hope to be a role model for my viewers. I have to be able to portray a sense of self-confidence and belief in my abilities. I need to feel comfortable in my own skin and be able to encourage viewers to be happy with who they are. So many magazines force women to believe that they have to be a perfect size zero to be happy and well liked, and that couldn't be farther from the truth. The media decides what is newsworthy and how to cover it. With that being said, ads like the Dove "Evolution" and the Photoshop "Makeover", reporters have a platform to encourage women to talk about what it really means to be beautiful because

Link to Article:
http://www.popeater.com/2009/08/07/kelly-clarkson-slim-photoshopped-self-magazine-2009-cover/

While popeater.com may not be the most reliable news source, this article does bring about an interesting point. Kelly Clarkson is a talented singer that won over the hearts of millions of Americans on American Idol. The magazine cover shows the star looking happy and healthy. Oddly enough though, Self magazine is being accused of altering the photo to make Kelly look more appealing to readers. While this is certainly not the first or last altered photo on a magazine cover, it is important for Americans (especially teen girls) to keep in mind the great lengths companies go to create a product.

Learning Entry Blog WEEK ONE

Designing and Understanding Instructional Media

I. Presentation on Designing Instructional Media

A. What are the 4 key guidelines for designing instructional media?

1. Contrast

a. Difference between

luminance foreground and

background

b. Use a light text on a dark background or a dark text on a light background

c. Research says that yellow text on a blue background is effective for learning

2. Repetition

a. We want users to use their cognitive resources to understand the information we provide, not to figure out the content of the slide

b. Use the same font type, type of bullets, consistent use of borders; make a pattern for laying out the information and stick with it

3. Alignment

a. Don’t make readers

confused

b. Remember that we are taught to read left and right and top to bottom

4. Proximity

a. Put related concepts closer together on the slide but make sure the slide does not become busy

B. What should you consider when designing online materials?

1. Always keep the learner in mind. Make sure they are using their cognitive resources to understand the information provided, not how it is being presented.

C. What strategies can be used to design effective instructional media?

1. Use lots of white space

2. Keep the number of words on each page low

3. Use keywords or phrases and shorten the length of the information presented

4. Don’t use several or fancy fonts

5. When possible, uses boxes to organize the content of the slide

6. 28-point font is best for projection

a. 24-point font is the absolute lowest for projections

7. Don’t use confusing graphics or backgrounds

II. Web Resources, Multimedia, Hypermedia

A. Hypermedia

1. From presentation, “A program or product that contains media that are connected by links and media and allow a person to navigate through a document, resource, or system in a non-linear fashion.”

2. Leads to motivation and proactive learning

3. Learners are able to organize their thoughts in new ways, which lead to improved writing and processing skills

4. Examples—commercial multimedia/hypermedia and interactive videodisc packages

B. Multimedia

1. From presentation, “ A program or product that can contain still pictures, moving pictures, sound, animation, text, motion pictures, video and it is considered multimedia as long as any two are combined.”

a. Flexibility because users are able to choose the two resources that make it multimedia

b. Critical and Creative Thinking skills are developed because there are a wide variety of options available to users

c. Examples: Presentation software editing tools and video production and editing systems

C. Limitations

1. Lack of Training

a. Training needed in software skills and integration techniques

2. Projections Needs

a. Need for LCD projectors

3. Memory

a. need for large amounts of storage

4. Integration Issues

a. lack of time during school day

III. Information Literacy

A. Domain

1. Found after the http:// and www and extends to the first forward slash

B. Extension

1. Type of establishment

a. .com, .edu

C. Publisher

1. Easywhois.com

D. History

1. www.archive.org

E. External Links

1. Altavista.com

IV. Relating to Major

A. Most of the information we covered this week does not directly relate to my major. As a journalist, I will rarely give formal speeches that require the use of a projector and all of the information we learned about contrast, alignment, repetition, and proximity as well as the other design techniques. I will use these techniques in college but I will most likely not use them after I graduate. The one portion of this week’s learning that does relate to my major is information literacy. When gathering information for stories, I will need to validate the sources I am using. By identifying the domain, extension, publisher, history, and external links, I will be able to verify the credibility of my sources.

V. I chose this Youtube video from the University of California Irvine Science Library because it takes a look at how to evaluate web content in a compare/contrast way. Since the only thing I identified with this week is verifying web content, I thought it would be fitting to choose a clip on this subject. The clip stresses the importance of trustworthy content and how to check on the domain, extension, publisher, history, and external links.

Creative Commons

Creative Commons is a non-profit organization that seeks to expand the creative works legally available to others. Under these licensing agreements, people can use, remix, and share the work of others as long as it attributed to the author and/or does not infringe on any of their reserved rights. The agreements are most often used in an online setting and their conditions are created by the users. There are four main types:

Attribution: Works must be properly attributed but it does allow others to copy and distribute your work

Share Alike: Requires an identical or similar license, but does allow derivative works

Noncommercial: Others are allowed to copy and distribute your work as long as it is for a noncommercial purpose

No Derivative Works: Only verbatim copies (with no derivatives) of work are allowed

To understand the process of Creative Commons better, check out this youtube video from the folks at Creative Commons: