WIKI comment on games

As we all know, games play a huge role in today’s society. Whether it is video or computer games, or even puzzles and card games; games can be used as an advantage to a child learning if they are used effectively. For example, if I allow my students’ in my classroom to play a card game during a math lesson, they are gaining new knowledge as well as learning to social interact with their peers. They are also learning about rules and the importance of playing fair. Allowing my students to play educational software on the computer is another way to involve children in games, but they have fun while doing it. They are involved in a “thinking process” which stimulates the brain and they have no idea. Games that are educational create a positive learning environment that every child should be exposed to at all times. Even puzzles are a type of game that is motivating and challenging for any aged person. However, video games have become a hindrance to children’s learning. The video games that children play at home are filled with violence and they have made children lazy and uninterested in learning new things. Instead of being active or reading a book, they are investing all of their time and energy into less stimulating activities such as video games. I also think these video games that parents are allowing their children to play non-stop are a huge factor in today’s violent society. When these children are exposed to such games, they begin to conform to this idea that violence is okay and part of our world. I think it is incredibly ridiculous the amount of hours that are invested in video games that aren’t educational when gaining knowledge and simply learning is far one of the most important aspect of our lives.

Technology in Social Studies

Chapter 12 discusses using technology in the social studies curriculum. After reading this chapter it gave me an insight of how to utilize the computer to construct lesson plans involving social studies. I use the computer in my classroom more as a reward, a center, math games on c.d. roms, and during Science lessons. I normally teach social studies orally. We use our books and workbooks and have discussions about our lesson. However, this chapter helped remind me you can use the internet to incorporate many social studies lessons even in 1st grade. You could have children look up different generations and how they differ today as well as studying the variety of cultures that make up our society. One of the teachers in my grade level sent home a project for her children to complete and come back to class and conduct an oral presentation of what they learned. This is a great way for children to utilize the computer as well as learn about people and their ways of living. You could also have pairs of students to work in groups at certain times during the day to locate information; especially in the upper grades where the kids do not require as much attention. Although, there are a variety of ways children could access technology to integrate social studies standards, we have to be careful not to get lazy with allowing the computer become the teacher. This chapter listed many strategies to integrate technology that I would have never known about.

Technology in Math and Science

Chapter 11 discusses using technology in Mathematics and Science instruction. I will be the first to admit that I do not integrate technology into my Math and Science instruction as I should. After reading this chapter, I retained some useful websites and information on how to incorporate it more into my plans. First of all, I usually associate technology with “computer”, but that is not even close to the only technology there is for children to learn. When learning to add and subtract I teach my children to use paper and pencil, their fingers, or manipulatives. However, I could teach them to use a calculator, but when the skill is as easy as adding and subtracting I feel as if I were teaching them to be lazy. If I taught higher grades where they learn more complex mathematical skills then I would definitely introduce and teach them how to use a calculator. They could also build on and learn social skills from one another by using calculators in groups or working on assignments together using the computer. I do allow my students to play on math websites and C.D. rom’s for a reward. As for using technology to teach Science, I struggle with that as well. Again, I teach Science with much more of a hands-on approach. We do experiments and observations and I inquire them a lot with data, questions, and reasonings. There are also some useful websites this chapter mentions that could aid in the discussions we have on some of our experiments. It is interesting to find out all the different ways to incorporate technology into our curriculum.