Blog Post #E- Chapter 7

I grew up playing video games. My grandfather owned a video game arcade so I have memories of playing Pac Man, Donkey Kong, and Super Mario Bros at four years old. My parents got me educational CD's for the computer, and I remember going on cartoon network to play a Powerpuff Girl video game. As I got older I upgraded from the original Nintendo to a Nintendo 64, and then to a Game Cube, I had a gameboy and loved playing video games. Not all my video games were just for fun though, I remember having a number of education video games, that I loved. I enjoyed learning and these games helped me in certain areas.

After reading Chapter 7: Exploring Problem Solving with Software, Apps, and Games, I am reminded of how as a future educator I want to strive for my students to become higher functioning learners. It was encouraging to read about a young girl who learned multiplication through a video game software geared towards math. This chapter encouraged me to search for and really think how many different ways I can incorporate fun and educational apps and programs into my future classrooms.

A great point was made, "Will the child program the computer, or will the computer program the child?" This again goes back to the point of making my students higher functioning learners. I don't want my students just to recite things back to me, I want them to grasp concepts and understand what they're learning and about their environments that they are surrounded by. I want my students to think for themselves.

There was also a part that caught my attention in the chapter and it was talking about the virtual world simulation games, and how there's no distinct winner or looser. They specifically talked about a game called "Second Life" which sounded familiar to me.
(The Office)
When I realized I recognized it from The Office I had to put it in my blog. At the time I thought that "Second Life" was a made up game, I had no idea it was a real entity. Although it's funny by watching it on The Office, it also reminds me that there are plenty of mindless games that my students can waste their time on. I know I personally have done just that. I also know that information sticks with students when they're having fun, and what better way to reach them then through apps and video games, which they are already so immersed in.

(Edward) 

The challenge that I took away, is that not every parent in on board for their children to spend so much time on the computer. Which I respect, but I know that it will be a struggle especially if I assign  specific homework that incorporates computer use. I realized that I have to do research on this topic as well, so I can put the parents minds at ease, and so that I have a foundation and knowledge to back up my teaching style and preference.  

RESOURCES

Edward, A. (2015, October 9). Video Games – Poster by alexisedward94. Retrieved October 9, 2015.

Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.
    
The Office : Second Life is the same. (2007, October 31). Retrieved October 9, 2015.