Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Digital Blog Post #E: Chapter 7

I enjoyed reading the section on the steps in solving problem, on page 159, because I took the course called Cornerstone Experience last semester and a lot of what the course was about was critical thinking and problem solving. I have always enjoy debates and things that were explained in more than one way. I think it is cool to learn about it in that class, as well as, this class. They both generally say the same thing, but to read it from a different aspect helps me understand more in depth. I created a ZooBurst pop-up book to illustrate the steps given in the textbook, as shown below:

 Like I said, I enjoy debates and I have previously heard quite a bit about the controversy involving video games. I agree that social skills are not enhanced through video games, but with many video games actually promote a person’s critical thinking and problem solving skills. Hand-eye coordination, along with many other advantages are given through playing video games. I also just recently watched a documentary on the history of video games and many people blame video game creators for adolescent violence, but one person on the film made a good point, he said that the games have ratings for a reason, and when parents don’t follow the guidelines, they purchase a video game not suitable for all ages.

 I remember playing strategic, critical thinking games on the computer, when I was little, like, Where in (Time, The World, etc.) Is Carmen San Diego?, along with some other games that helped with math and/or reading. I loved them, playing those made me enjoy school and learning so much more, which in turn is some of what guided me into going to school for elementary education. Anyway, back on track, reading about the games and apps for educational purposes brought back those memories of the games that I loved. I was intrigued to check some of them out for myself. I downloaded and installed on called Math Ninja, it was only a trial version, but it was interesting. I really like the idea of incorporating actual games and apps into education because I have personally experienced the influence it can have on you when you enjoy school.

Resources:

Giuliano, J (11 February 2015). Exploring Problem Solving. Created with ZooBurst.com

Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Snead, J. (Producer & Director). (2014). Video Games: The Movie [Motion Picture]. USA.

No comments:

Post a Comment