iPads Have Arrived, Step 1

This week I am double dipping a bit! :) My two classes are starting to bleed into each other, I cannot help it. So I decided to post my discussion board post in my blog, because I realized it is the first step into integrating games into my classroom through the iPads, which have finally arrived! Hooray!
So here is the post:
This weeks reading was great fun, and sent me in many directions to explore many different possibilities, such as “Reader has a pretty cool option that lets you create your own bloggy page of items that you find most interesting so other people on the Web can read those items too” (Richardson 2010, p.76).

But what I think I like most about this week’s reading is the thinking behind using wikis and blogs. For example, Richardson (2010 p. 62) states, “Personally the ability to easily amass and publish a wide-ranging, tailor made resource like this is why I have a feeling that textbook manufacturers don’t like the ideas of wikis one bit. Sure, they can always say that you can’t trust a source that’s not professionally edited, but in the era of the Read/Write Web, we are all editors, and we must all become skilled at doing that work.” This fits so tightly with Berger and Wiggin’s and Mctighe’s work. We want our students to feel that they are part of the smaller and larger learning community, and their learning and discoveries have value, just as they may utilize and value others.

And I love that Richardson (2010, p.56) reference Halavais (2004) work to ease concerns about vandals, “There are vastly more editors who want to make it right than those who want to make it wrong. When mistakes occur or vandals strike, the collaborative effort of the group set it straight, usually very quickly. University of Buffalo professor Alex Halavais tested this by creating 13 errors on various posts on Wikipedia, all of which were fixed within a couple of hours (Halavais,
2004).”

Furthermore, Richardson (2010, p.72) points out, “Given the fact that the amount of information going online shows no sign of slowing, if they are unable to consistently collect potentially relevant information for their lives and careers and quickly discern what of that information is most useful, they will be at a disadvantage.” Being able to review other blogs and discern information that is relevant or accurate is critical. “This is a part of digital reading literacy that our students will have to master, a vetting process that they (and we) should be going through whenever we land on a new site on the Web” (Richardson 2010, p.73). So Richardson (2010, p.73) provides these fantastic questions to help students further evaluate quality content:

• Are there advertisements?
• Is the author’s full name used?  
• What are the authors’ (and the blogs’) credentials, both traditional and
  nontraditional?
• How often is the site updated?
• What is the quality of the writing? Is it measured or overly opinionated, easy to read,
  relevant, and so on?

So, since I have already set up and utilized many blogs and wikis, I spent my time this week exploring the possible ideas and resources provided in Richardson’s book. In particular my favorite so far was the use of wikis in your classroom having “your students create or edit entries to books that have already been started elsewhere” (Richardson 2010, p.62).  I came across Regents Earth Science Wikibooks, which would be a great place to start to culminate content that they learn through out the year in Earth Science, each week they can add their learning to the wiki. The wiki currently is all on 1 page, and Richardson (2010, p.64) provided the example of the physics wiki, which “Each unit has several subchapters where students enter whatever information and resources they feel will help them in their preparation.” The Earth Science wiki can be arranged in such a manner as well.

But, as I began to put these ideas together for my Earth Science class, I began to realize that I would need a culminating location to put these resources that my students could use and quickly access. A blog would be the perfect medium. Furthermore I began to realize that this blog I created would need to be accessible and usable via the class set of iPads. I searched for possible solutions and then came across one that had been recommended several times, Tumblr. I quickly set up an account and within minutes had setup a Tumblr blog for my Physical Education class to use this week and then started to put one together for my Earth Science Class. Within minutes I had setup the resources I want for my classes to use on their iPads for the week. Furthermore, I can put a desktop link on the ipad screen so it looks like an app, and the students can quickly go into the Tagged Sections of the posts and see the specific posts and links I want! AWESOME!

And of course, the icing to the cake this week was re-installing Flipboard, because I finally realize the power of the visual RSS feed for myself from Messieh (2010), ““Flipboard takes a very different approach to following your favorite blogs and sites. There is no syncing option, instead you have to manually add feeds, but the layout more than makes up for that. Reading stories on Flipboard is very much like flipping through a magazine.”

So, what are my end thoughts for this week’s learning? Richardson (2010, p.82) states, “The real job now is to make Reader or Pageflakes (or whatever other aggregator you choose to use) as part of your daily practice” and “Remember: Resistance is futile” (Richardson 2010, p.82).

 But there is always more, and so next week I will explore Flipsnack and ipads.

Richardson,
W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podscasts, and other powerful web tools for
classrooms. (3 ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin.Retrieved from
http://books.google.com/books?id=CArG5bfUy-sC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Will
Richardson

Regents Earth Science (High School) (2011, October 14). In Wikibooks, Open Books for an Open World. Retrieved 17:50, October 29, 2011, from http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Regents_Earth_Science_(High_School)

 Freitas, D. (2011, 09 09). How to
share your rss feeds right from your google plus stream [Web log message].
Retrieved from http://www.googleplustoday.net/home/2011/9/9/how-to-share-your-rss-feeds-right-from-your-google-plus-stre.html

 Messieh, N. (2010, Dec 18) 6 of The
Best Free Rss Readers for the iPad {Weblog message]. Retreived from http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/6-free-rss-readers-ipad/

Th Tipping Point

It truly is the tipping point in more than one ways.
As we transition from quarter to quarter in our school, I am laying out the second half of our quarter for Earth Science. I have been struggling with understanding how best to incorporate game design into the content, as well as integrate Backwards Design and make the learning authentic in nature, while also connecting the content to the CTE Career Clusters at the school (Arts & Audio/ Video Communication, Information Technology, Architecture and Construction, Health Science and Automotives).
Tall order, you say?
Well, I think I have also forgotten to mention the integration of iPads into the mix.
In essence, this is really looking at the components of being a quality teacher. And rather then looking at the components this morning, I took the time to consider the authenticity of the learning that was required. What would make the learning beneficial to the student population. After several months of contemplation, research and implementation on a small scale of varying ideas, I have come to several conclusions.
1. Regardless of technology, content, design processes, the first stop should be authenticity and goals of learning.
2. The next stop should be Backwards Design to reach the authentic learning goal.
3. And finally, the third stop should be the utilization of the proper tool.

Which is the tipping point. Examining first semesters standards for the district (which focuses on Scientific Inquiry, Earth Systems, Atmosphere, and Oceanography), I have decided that the best overall project to really learn about all of these basic concepts is Climate Change.

As mentioned in previous posts, I have been working on a project with students to investigate a Planet that has similar issues to ours. In so doing, students have been asked to support their argument of what is causing the problem on the planet with data that they have been provided.

Now we are ready for the next step, the backwards design of the unit that will cross them from the planet to our's to support their argument with similar data from Planet Earth. We will look to connect with scientists and researchers at UAF currently studying climate change and learn how they take measurements to study the climate. Why their measurements are accurate and how they are making predictions for the future. These groups include:

• Arctic Modeling Research Group
• Arctic Climate Research Center
• Center for Global Change 
• Cold Climate Housing Research Center

So what will be our end projects:

•  Planet Z: Students investigate issues on another planet and determine what the cause of the issues are based on supporting data.

o   Modeling and predicting the future: Game Play (Fate of the World)

o   Could local changes be a case for larger scale changes? (Fairbanks Air Quality)

o   Cold Weather Housing Field Trip (http://www.cchrc.org/)

o   Presentation of Data supporting issue (Posters) and models to Mr Z. followed by weekly or biweekly blog/ Facebook entry.

• Professional Proof: Students create a professional data/ informational poster to share the facts about Climate Change by examining data for their own area in Fairbanks. This is then displayed in the school and presented to researchers and partner classes via videoconference.

o   The science behind climate change, you decide.  (Pre-survey and post-survey in school for effect of information shared in the school environment)

Now here is where the tipping point has occurred in more than one way. If you recall my whole Independent Study was to examine the integration of game and game design into this whole process. I believe that I have located a game simulation to integrate into this authentic learning:
Fate of the World: Tipping Point

This game can be integrated throughout our learning and projects, to help reach the end learning goal. I am also very interested in the concept of integrating the content through 3dGamelab to provide a reward system for being group leaders or head research scientist for each group to provide basic science demos to support learning for the authentic research.

Finally, the end culmination of this project? Utilization of the learning to create iPad Games that simulate energy efficient building designs in a game format, and or the basic of climate change, solution provision in a game format that kids can play to understand the impact of climate change.

Making time and the Technology Connection

My students have just completed a big piece of one of the more major projects, the understanding of Earth's systems, their interconnection with the understanding of conservation of matter and the cycling of Energy through the system.
Students were able to examine the issues happening on an imaginary planet (Planet Z).
Based on data provided to them, they were asked to evaluate the data and determine what issues were causing the following problems on Planet Z:

•  Changes in average temperatures
• Increased variability and intensity in weather
• Shifting resource patterns (some places grow Wigit Trees, some do not)
• Increased water levels in their Oceanica (like our Oceans)
• Change in their Oceanica currents
• Lengthening of growing season for Wigitells
• Changes in the Carbon Cycle, changes in their water cycle

Students created posters showing how their theory of what was happening on Planet Z was supported by their learning and data that they had available to them sent from Planet Z. After the third revision of the poster, they had some great evidence supporting their arguments and their understanding of systems and the carbon cycle were more coherent.
But here in lies the issue. We are ready to move to the next piece. Their presentations and arguments should be made available to a public audience for further revision. One of the best ways to do this is via the Internet community. This way I can bring in scientists and community planners that can examine their supporting arguments. This suggests a Blog.
BUT, this is why I am posting this seemingly random post that looks like it is not connected to gaming and game design. Why did I not start with this? BECAUSE, I have the same issues that every other teacher in every other school has! Access to technology on a regular basis to be able to use the technology when needed. My students move at their own pace. In order for us to use the computers in the computer lab, I must schedule them, well in advance so they are available for use. This means that I must stay with in a regimented schedule to use the computers. BUT, recall my students move at their own pace. They may not be ready to use the tool if we are still back putting the pieces together. Or they may be ready to use the tool, and they are not be available that moment.
Hence the reason for this blog. The more I work in the game design into the authentic learning tasks, the more I begin to wonder, HOW? How do I integrate a tool that is only sometimes, maybe available?
Luckily, I suspected this might be an issue, so I worked closely with the Roxy Mourant and the Alaska Digital Sandbox to provide a class set of iPads for our classroom. But had I not done this, I would not likely be able to integrate this into my classroom very seamlessly.  Understanding the benefits of gaming and technology in the classroom requires the use of the technology. Even Sugatra Mitra's project "Hole in the Wall" allows for continuous access to technology in which students teach themselves in a student centered classroom. So, what am I missing? 

Classroom Game Played by Policy Makers

I think this is a great place for us to start playing!
NPR's "Climate Connections" produced a series of broadcasts about Climate Change and one broadcast in the series involved the playing of a theory/ thought concept game called "Stabilization Wedges." The premise of the game being, "Your job is to save the world — by keeping carbon emissions flat over the next 50 years."
The game uses wedge shaped pieces that players must choose from or not choose from to implement today's technologies to reduce the CO2 emissions. "You have to get rid of these wedges. And to do that, you have options. To be precise, you have 15 of today's technologies, such as fuel efficient cars or nuclear power."
This game was created by Princeton professors, "to convince people that we already have the tools to solve the climate problem (at least for the next 50 years)."

So this is a great place to begin game playing in my classroom. I can also integrate with the computer sci class to create the game in a digital format that could be played by many others, and the score kept and discussions started.

Time to get to Work! Stage 3: Application of Game Design

After much research, it is time to get down to work and apply, test my learning so I can come back to the drawing board and figure out what about gaming that is most effective and how best to apply that. So my initial thoughts on beginning to apply the concepts of gaming in the classroom will be to have my Earth Science students play a game to learn a concept. Then evaluate their learning in relation to the activity and their perception or "fun" factor in relation to the game. My issue with this method, ie the reason that I have not done this yet, is that I do not find this to be effective necessarily to reaching an enduring understanding of learning. It becomes an activity of random nature unless I can help students become cognizant of their learning and the use of the game as a learning tool. However, many of my students have shared with me the unusual process and nature of the class already, and that this style of learning was new to them. This is really evident in the fact that they struggle with application and synthesis of concepts presented to them.
Regardless, at some point one needs to quit that yapping and start implementing to truly understand what will work and what will not work. Thus the Plan!
So again, I think the best bet at this point is to identify a game that has the following components as suggested by Anetta (2008):

• Contextualization of the game, ie it is real to life
• Cooperative and collaborative learning involved
• Ability for individualization such as avatars
• Debriefing components, or methods for engaging the learner to help them make connections to the deeper understanding
• Engaging simulation and storylines to help reach cognitive disequilibrium and resolution. 

Anetta, L.A. (2008). Video games in education: Why they should be used and how the are being used. Theory into Practice, 47, 229-249. DOI: 10.1080/00405840802153940

Some games for my current unit that fit this description are:

• http://www.globalwarminginteractive.com/
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/hottopics/climatechange/climate_challenge/index_1.shtml
•  http://www.logicity.co.uk/game/
• http://climateprediction.net/
• http://forio.com/simulation/climate-development/htm/motivation.htm
• http://kam.jrc.ec.europa.eu/vgas/

The Happening

Well, it has happened. As it always does when you get knee deep into the research. You find the super shiny golden article. The one that answers all of your questions and references the multitude of authors that you have been sifting through. The culmination of what you have been looking for. It is so dense that you decide to break the article up through several readings to get as much from it as you can. But, then what?
So what I thought I might do is break out the questions I had originally asked and then organize my thoughts and ideas from the articles under each question heading. And then break out my further research from there.

Question 1: Is gaming effective in education? Why or How? 
This article does a great job at reviewing historical research on components of effective learning in play and how these can be viewed in gaming. Here is what we know so far:

·       Engage players in productive play

·       Immerse the player in interactive simulations

·       Understand the logic behind rules

·       Learn by doing, experience situations first-hand, and role-play

“Educators and scientists repeatedly return to the conclusion that one advantage of educational games is that games tend to generate a much higher level of students’ positive emotional engagement, thus making the learning experience more motivating and appealing (Rieber et al., 1998), improv- ing participation and achievement (Jayakanthan, 2002). Games can motivate passive students to contribute more than they would in a traditional learning environment (Tanner & Jones, 2000). Video games motivate learning by challenging and providing curiosity, beauty, fantasy, fun, and social recognition. They reach learners who do not do well in conventional settings (Dede, 2004)” (Anetta 2008, p.233).

“In the 21st century, income and wealth will come from applying technology and new ideas to create new products and processes. Adding value to products and processes is the key to growing jobs and income in this new economic environment (Aubert & Reiffers, 2004)” (Anetta 2008, p. 231).

“Although most agree that games can be both engaging and instructive, there is little consensus regarding the essential characteristics of instructional games. Implicit in the research literature is the notion that if one pairs instructional content with certain game features, one can harness the power of games to engage users and achieve desired instructional goals” (Anetta, 2008, p.237)

Question 2:  What type of designs are used? 
As I read more of this article, I began to realize that perhaps this question should be reworded to what components of design are most effective or conducive to learning.

“Because of their rich storylines, video games easily lend themselves to established instructional practices such as problem-based learning” (Anetta, 2008 p. 234).

“Although massively multiplayer online (MMO) games are the most played computer games, large lecture classes lend themselves to be replaced by these worlds and delivered from a distance” (Anetta 2008, p. 237) .

·       Contextualization of the game

·       Kinds of cooperative and collaborative learning activities

·       Abilities to apply individualization through choosing of avatars, allowing for concepts of social presence in online environments to be built.

·       Quality and nature of debriefing

·       Engaging simulations provide an environment for the cycling of assimilation and accommodation, which is referred to as cognitive disequilibrium and resolution.

·       Learning through story

·       Design Grammars

“Garris et al. presented an input–process–output model of instructional games and learning that elaborates (a) the key features of games that are of interest from an instructional perspective; (b) the game cycle of user judgments, behavior, and feedback that is a hallmark of engagement in game play; and (c) the types of learning outcomes that can be achieved” (Anetta 2008, p. 237).

Question 3:  Why are these used over others? 
Simulations and problem-based simulations are typically found to be the most effective because they engage the learner to engage at a deeper level with the content, allowing for the building of neural connections and pathways and the clarification of misconceptions.

"Play systematically confronts the child with a learning situation that could only be located within his or her area of close development. That is, it would involve a task located slightly above the acquired skills (Vygotsky, 1967)" ((Anetta, 2008).

“Childhood is a period during which people learn to play and when they progress in mastering the structure of the surrounding world… Older children and adults will continue to use this structure to entertain themselves and to learn. This sends us back to the dual logic of play, entertainment/education from early childhood (Myers, 1999)” (Anetta 2008, p.232).

“it is critical to expose and challenge the Net Generation in environments that engage them and motivate them to explore, experiment, and construct their own knowledge” (Anetta 2008, p.229).

Question 4:  Is there documentation of their success? 

“Generally speaking, these educational games seem to be effective in enhancing motivation and increasing student interest in subject matter, yet the extent to which this translates into more effective learning is less clear. The lack of empirical data, due primarily to the scarcity of systematic investigations into the cognitive impact of serious games, forces us to turn to prior work investigating the impact of interactive computer simulations for hard evidence. (Anetta 2008, p. 231)

“The video games in education conversation can be couched in developmental psychology (play), learning theory (constructivist), and 21st century skills. The power of these teaching and learning tools is not readily apparent in the literature” ((Anetta, 2008 p. 233)).

Anetta (2008, p. 235)  did report, however, that they were showing some success in some of the programs they were reviewing, “The idea of community of practice and social presence are at the forefront of the research being conducted. Active learning through the immersion of games is showing positive impact on the Net generation participating in the project. As opposed to passively watching videos, students are actively learning content. Further, through an integrated database, teachers are able to ascertain real-time data from student decisions in the game they created.”

“The critical piece could be the students constructing games as the teacher takes on the role of pedagogical and content expert. It is well documented that people learn best by doing (e.g., the Constructivist paradigm) so why not allow students to construct games” (Anetta 2008, p.235).

I also realized on completion of this article that I really needed to ask a 5^th question. What kind of platforms or tools are most often used or easy for teachers to use to create this environment, as well as pre-defining what the environment should look like, ie should gaming be brought in as games to reach a larger unit or as the unit itself.

Anetta, L. A. (2008). Video games in education: why they should be used and how they are being used. Theory Into Practice,, 47, 229-249. DOI: 10.1080/00405840802153940