Skip the Hopscotch!Skip the Hopscotch!

Tom WelchTom Welch

Delaware Ed Tech ConferenceDelaware Ed Tech Conference

April 10, ????April 10, ????

Know what that Hop Know what that Hop Scotch picture reminded Scotch picture reminded me of?me of?

1. Raise your hand if you are a 1. Raise your hand if you are a gamer.gamer.

What games?What games?

How often?How often?

OK, Let’s talk . . . OK, Let’s talk . . .

What are the negatives about on-What are the negatives about on-line computer gaming?line computer gaming?

Did you mention loss of . . . Did you mention loss of . . .

CONTROL!CONTROL!

Any positives?Any positives?

Some to be sure to Some to be sure to includeinclude

You don’t become proficient at You don’t become proficient at playing just by reading about itplaying just by reading about it

Or passing tests ABOUT itOr passing tests ABOUT it

You learn by DOINGYou learn by DOING

Failure IS an option! Failure IS an option! (Actually, it’s a requirement!)(Actually, it’s a requirement!)

– (my French class syllabus)(my French class syllabus) Time isn’t the most important Time isn’t the most important

thingthing

Let’s talk about MarcLet’s talk about Marc

““Kids want to be engaged”Kids want to be engaged”

““Kids love to learn when it isn’t Kids love to learn when it isn’t forced on them.”forced on them.”

““Our schools have turned Our schools have turned “learning” into such a boring thing “learning” into such a boring thing that most kids hate it. that most kids hate it.

“ “Good” students are often just the Good” students are often just the ones who’ve learned to work the ones who’ve learned to work the system.”system.”

[Students] “have short attention [Students] “have short attention spans for the old ways of spans for the old ways of learning!”learning!”

““The cookies on my daughter’s The cookies on my daughter’s computer know more about her computer know more about her than most of her teachers.”than most of her teachers.”

So how can games be used in a So how can games be used in a classroom environment?classroom environment?

OROR Better question . . .Better question . . .

How can they be used to help How can they be used to help cause learning?cause learning?

Is it too early to really look at Is it too early to really look at gaming?gaming?

1. The “perfect” game1. The “perfect” game– Standards-basedStandards-based– Content richContent rich– Course-boundCourse-bound

2. The mini-games2. The mini-games– Old pedagogyOld pedagogy– New contentNew content– e.g. Jeopardye.g. Jeopardy

3. The “extra”curricular game3. The “extra”curricular game– Flight SimulatorFlight Simulator

4. Extraction4. Extraction– SimsCitySimsCity– Ancient HistoryAncient History

How could computer games be How could computer games be used now?used now?

What would it take to improve What would it take to improve their use?their use?

So what’s a teacher to So what’s a teacher to do?do?

1. Start gaming!1. Start gaming!

2. Talk to your students2. Talk to your students

3. Read the books, papers, 3. Read the books, papers, researchresearch

LET your kids learn . . . LET your kids learn . . .

through gaming!through gaming!