DGL vs Gamification

At first I had trouble with the difference between digital based learning (DGL) and gamification in regard to education. However, after doing some reading and thinking about how my own school incorporates technology into learning, the differences between the two education program types became clear. The examples I will be using are Istation, a DGL program, and Reflex Math, a program I would categorize under “Gamification”. Istation is a program that we use K-5 to assess students’ reading and math skills. The program saves educators a lot of time by having students take multiple assessments digitally and collecting data. The program is research-based and proven effective. According to research, “istation Reading Curriculum manages student data and provides teachers with timely access to continuously revised data through skill and progress reports on individuals and groups of students”(istation Reading Curriculum Supplemental Reading and Intervention Program, 2004). This type of program is different from a game in that, while the program changes and adapts according to the students’ needs, the students are not in control of the content – they merely interact with what is presented to them. The students complete assessments through Istation and practice skills that are presented. The next program, Reflex Math, is what I would classify under “Gamification.” Measles & Abu-Dawood (2015) define gamification as something that “integrates game elements into educational content to promote motivation and engagement” (p. 809). Educational games have been used in the classroom to make learning more enjoyable to students who are used to the stimulation of video games. When students interact with Reflex Math, they have control over many of the elements, such as the appearance (they can change their avatar), the games they play, and how they spend virtual currency that they earn while playing the program. The authors of the article Gamification: Game –Based Methods and Strategies to Increase Engagement and Motivation within an eLearning Environment (2015) note that, “Gamification is not an easy to create because it requires deep thinking about the whole learning experience rather than focusing on the elements solely” and that “Well designed gamified content can be engaging and enhanced motivation because they tap into the cognitive, the emotional, and the social areas of the players” (O’Donovan, Gain, & Marais, 2013; Kapp, 2012, as cited by Measles & Abu-Dawood, 2015). Students have fun interacting with Reflex Math, which is something that separates it from Istation learning; while students may be engaged by animations produced by Istation, it is not a game they are playing. Much like practicing spelling words may be enjoyable for some, or completing a “mad minute” with math facts, it is different from a game where the student is in control. In my opinion, there are distinct differences between DGL and Gamification. While engaging students in different ways, I believe that both are equally important tools to use in the classroom for increasing and monitoring student learning. Measles, S. & Abu-Dawood, S. (2015). Gamification: Game –Based Methods and Strategies to Increase Engagement and Motivation within an eLearning Environment. In D. Rutledge & D. Slykhuis (Eds.), Proceedings of SITE 2015--Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference (pp. 809-814). Las Vegas, NV, United States: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved November 10, 2017 from https://www-learntechlib-org.ruby.uhv.edu/p/150094/.https://www.istation.com/Content/downloads/whitepapers/ISResearch.pdfx

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Kahoot

When I saw this tool listed as one of the social media tools to explore I had to use it as the focus of my post.  I went to a training a few years ago where Kahoot was featured as a tool to get students excited about learning, while at the same time receiving a pre-assessment of whatever content is being focused on. I currently use a similar app called "Quizizz" in my classroom that serves to help students review before a test or to simply reinforce concepts.  I remember now, after seeing the name again, how fun Kahoot was when I participated in a demonstration at a training.  The way information is presented to the learner keeps you engaged and, while it is comparable to Quizizz, the organization of materials seems to make the learning more engaging.  I believe it will be beneficial for my students if I rotate between Quizizz and Kahoot to keep the presentation of information fresh and engaging.  

Click the image above to visit Kahoot and view the "What is Kahoot!?" video. 

GoNoodle

I recently began reading and contributing to GoNoodle.com's blog page and came across an article titled 200+ GoNoodle Lesson Hooks.  For those that are not familiar with GoNoodle, this is an interactive site that delivers "brain breaks" for students.  The site features lots of free to use content and some paid content, and gives teachers and students a tool to wake up, help with focus, or relax; whatever their current need. 

The article discusses how the engaging brain breaks can be used not only to keep students engaged, but also to introduce lessons.  I have noticed while using GoNoodle such activities as "Body Spell" and other academically-based videos.  The author of the post breaks down these videos into categories so that one can see which video would work best for what lesson, whether it be an introduction to the water cycle, or a review for a spelling test.  On the website, it is hard to know what specific video would work well with the current lesson, and I like how this post eliminates guesswork.  I will definitely use this post as a tool for choosing my brain breaks!

http://blog.gonoodle.com/2017/10/200-gonoodle-lesson-hooks/

Cognitive Learning Theory

Chapter four of our readings discusses the cognitive school of thought, which consists of two important ideas that help us "understand how people learn and remember: information processing and meaningful learning" (p. 86).  Cognitivists try to understand how learning happens and how information goes from short term memory to long term memory.   So how does the cognitivist theory relate to technology integration?  

  I enjoyed reading about how to get learners to pay attention and focus on content.  In my classroom, while we complete quite a bit of group work, I do have a direct teach piece where students are asked to listen and follow along.  I am constantly finding ways to engage my students throughout the day to avoid them "checking out".  

According to Coombs & Bhattacharya (2017), "A smart learning environment is dynamic, active and adaptive to the learners needs whilst relative to the process of achieving the desired learning outcomes associated with an overt curriculum task" (p. 308).  I try to provide my students with a learning environment that is ever changing, never boring, but also highly structured. I utilize a powerpoint during my lesson and alternate between it and projecting my information using a document camera.  I believe this combination of technology helps keep my information from becoming static and risking "check-out" from my students.  I also make sure to have students discuss critical thinking questions to break up the lesson as well. 

One way that I break up the school day is through Brain Breaks using the website GoNoodle.  Averaging about 2-3 minutes in length, I have the students stand up, participate with the short video, and then sit back down to continue working.  I believe this helps them regain their focus so that they can continue to learn.   

I also make sure to schedule activities that require much mental effort in the morning.  When students first come to me they have math and language arts. After lunch comes intervention then social studies and science.  This schedule tends to work out well since my students' favorite subject is science.  I am sure to integrate technology such as my Mimio to give my students a different, novel approach to learning.  

The text also mentions "To forestall forgetting new information, we must manipulate it or, as cognitive scientists say, engage in active 'rehearsals' with it" and "reviewing information fixes it more firmly" (p. 89).  I have students complete time math fluency sheets daily to improve their math facts.  I also have students participate in Reflex Math, a drill and practice program for learning mathfacts and improving fluency.  According to Coombs & Bhattacharya (2017), "digital tools that assist such higher-order internalized critical thinking and learning can also be described as a learning and knowledge technology, or, learning technologies that assist in the production of new knowledge" (p. 306).  The program is solving and has students engaging in problem solving as they navigate through different games.  By exposing students to this information daily, information is more likely to enter their short term memory and hopefully go into long term memory.  

References

Coombs, S. & Bhattacharya, M. (2017). Smart Learning requires Smart Thinking: The 

Evolution of Sustainable Learning Environments. In J. Dron & S. Mishra (Eds.), Proceedings of E-Learn: World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education (pp. 303-313). Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved November 8, 2017 from https://www-learntechlib-org.ruby.uhv.edu/p/181201/.

Venti and Refill

The chapter “Venti” in the Socially Networked Classroom covers the use of social media in the classrooms, as well as touching upon hybrid classrooms being used in a progressive-thinking high school.  I have heard of the “flipped classroom” concept, where students learn and view a lecture from home and come to school to participate in a “workshop” style setting where the teacher is there for support but is not lecturing. 

What really resonated with me in this chapter was the creative process teachers were taking when it came to project based learning.  A teacher named Liz believed “strongly in the use of role playing” and had students using “blogs and wikis” which allowed for a “multimodal platform for that kind of roleplaying” (p. 101). Being in a public fifth grade classroom, it is hard to keep students’ attention and keep them engaged in learning.  At this moment I am doing a lot more direct teach than I would like (I have a particularly unfocused and low performing group), but I would eventually like to switch to project-based learning where students are taking charge and I am simply a guide for their learning.  I am thinking about slowly introducing this kind of learning in the form of “stations” into my science and social studies lessons, where I will have some of my students at their seat working while the rest are on Kindles and computers completing a virtual activity.  This chapter really got me thinking about how I need to begin rethinking my classroom instruction. 

The chapter “Refill” is the concluding chapter in the Socially Networked Classroom. I have really enjoyed this book with its practicality and readability.  The chapter concludes with a thought about Web 2.0 and its implications in the classroom.  It speaks of how there is a concern that technology integration can be “too much fun” and take away from the educational aspect of learning (p. 118).  However, technology integration can simply be recording students’ poetry instead of having them write it, having learning and technology mesh together in a natural way.

One big takeaway from the chapter was the issue of time – is there enough time in our day to implement and integrate new media into our classroom schedule?  The chapter speaks of questions educators ask about technology integration, such as the time it takes to teach tutorials and make sure the students know how to use the tools.  It suggests, instead, that teachers spend less time teaching students the tools and give the students chances to give each other tutorials. The chapter closes with a pondering about whether some teachers are ready to adapt new literacies into their curriculum, or if they prefer to fall back on the “filing cabinets” taking up space in their room.  Comfort is not always a good thing, and the text teaches how important it is to take risks, to step out of our comfort zones, and to make learning an exploration for both students and teachers alike.

Constructivist Theory

The constructivist theory is defined by the University of Sydney as a learning theory that "suggests that humans construct knowledge and meaning from their experiences."  One can also view the constructivist approach as the opposite of objectivism, where students are passive learners of materials.  How does this learning theory translate to technology integration in the classroom?  

When I think of constructivist being used in a technology integrated classroom, I cannot help but think of social media.  Shea (2007), as cited by Beth Perry and Margaret Edwards in their book Emergence and Innovation in Digital Learning, mentions how the shift from objectivism to constructivism in the classroom, "help[s] to develop virtual communities" that foster "student-centered, learner-directed, interactive, participative pedagogical methods are congruent with the establishment of community in the online class, with social interaction and ultimately with learning" (p. 190).  Blogs are an example of a teaching tool that correlates well with the constructivist theory.  With blogging, students are in charge of their learning and are responding to others based on past knowledge, as well as learning new information from their peers through social interaction.  

Constructivism is also about self-exploration when it comes to a student's education.  According to Bruner, students should be encouraged to discover principles for themselves rather than given to them by their instructor (http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/constructivist.html).  Bruner also mentions the importance of spiraling content so that students continue to learn off of past knowledge. It is important for the teacher to teach content that contains information that students have been previously exposed to as to be able to build upon previously learned knowledge.  With our social studies curriculum, the students are given new material that is based off material learned in previous lessons.  Students receive a newspaper each week for social studies that takes old ideas and vocabulary and expands on them so that students' understanding can continue to grow with each lesson.

What I took away from our readings is that the constructivist theory is about turning our students into critical thinkers and reminds me of the Blooms Questioning Model.  "Foundational" questions, or questions with only one answer or one that can be recalled with a one-answer response from memory, are at the bottom and are more objective in nature.  Higher order thinking questions, located on the top of the Blooms questioning model, ask students to create, justify, or even teach material.  Just by comparing the level of questions on Blooms can one see glaring differences between the constructivist theory and other more teacher-centered theories in education. 

http://sydney.edu.au/education_social_work/learning_teaching/ict/theory/constructivism.shtml

Veletsianos, G. (2016)	Emergence and Innovation in Digital Learning: Foundations and ApplicationsIssues in Distance Education. Athabasca University Press

Tall and Grande

“Tall”

 This particular chapter stood out to me because of some changes going on at our school.  This week, Youtube.com became unblocked so that students could now access it from school computers.  At the same time, we are currently looking into a possible security breach in our email system, so I am currently seeing both a tightening, but at the same time a loosening, of filtering and blocking that is described in this chapter. I liked the idea of “Zoey’s Room” being utilized to give students a safe place to chat about subjects related to STEM.  The chapter describes how important for “Zoey’s Room” to be “safe for participants, even using a third party vendor to verify any registrant’s identification” (p. 50).
 I also liked how the chapter focused on a rubric for blogging assignments.  It was discussed earlier in the course the lack of rubrics available for critiquing websites and other virtual communities, and with the rise of blog usage in the classroom, it is ever more important to use a rubric.  According to the chapter, “the quality of the discussions is better when the blogging system is in place” (p. 57).  Having set criteria and expectations leads to more purposeful posts.
 

“Grande”

 This chapter goes from focusing on the more restricted use of the internet to a more loosened grip on students’ and their use of the internet and blogs.  However, instead of turning students loose into the world of free blogging, it is important for educators to set “guidelines” for blogging that go beyond “netiquette” and into more of the reality that is being part of a blog of international bloggers (p. 72-73).  The chapter also speaks of the importance of students becoming “discerning internet readers” and becoming more tactical in how they share their information with others so that it may be accessed and added to (p. 79).