Week Six - Games Based Learning

This week we were introduced to some of the different games which can be played using technology in the classroom. There are a variety of different games for the Nintendo Wii which can be used in the classroom - for example, Just Dance, Wii Fit, Big Brain Academy and many more.

However, in this session we focused in particular on Guitar Hero for the Wii. To begin with, we worked in a group and were left to our own devices to try and set up the Wii without any help. If I were to use this is in my classroom I would definitely need to practice setting it up on my own...
We then took it in turns to play against each other (starting on the easiest level!)

When we had all taken a turn and were used to exactly what is required of Guitar Hero, we started to look at how this could be used in a context in the primary classroom. We looked into the different curricular areas and as a group we came up with some ideas which would cover the curricular areas. Here are just some of the ideas we came up with for the upper years stage. Next to them I have added in colour-coded keys of how they would link to a Curriculum for Excellence. The outcomes and experiences can be found using the link in the reference section.

Language

• The children could could write their own review of a gig. LIT 2-29a, ENG 2-30a.
• They could also write a script for their own radio interview in pairs, record this and edit it using Windows Movie Maker. This would of course also involve some ICT. I have seen an upper years class making their own radio broadcasts before and they too used WMM and this worked really well. LIT 2-09a, LIT 2-26a, TCH 2-03a.

Art

• The children could design their own band T-shirts to sell. EXA 2-03a

Maths

• Depending on what the children were doing in maths at the time, the band T-shirts could be used. For example, buying and selling (money), percentages of the profit, etc. or shape and symmetry of the design on the Tshirt.

Music

• Again depending on the level of ability, the children could work in different groups to experiment with some different instruments which may be added into a Guitar Hero song. Some children may even be willing to sing. EXA 2-17a

ICT

• As well as the radio interview mentioned above, the children could film their own video to go along with a certain band song. Dance Ejay could also be used to create a backing track. TCH 2-04b.

Dance

• As a class, they could create a dance to go with one of the songs. The boys would be more likely to take part in a whole class activity like this rather than if they were split into groups and had to perform to each other at the end. EXA 2-08a.

Groupings and how the children would be organised would depend on your class and how well they are able to work together.

Prensky (2006, page 4) stated the following:

“Today’s kids want to be engaged, and their games not only engage them, but teach them valuable lessons in the process – lessons we want them to learn. Video and computer games, in fact, are an important way that our kids are learning to prepare themselves for their twenty-first century lives to come.”

I believe games are a fantastic way of engaging and motivating children and they can learn lots from using a particular game in a context. New technology in increasing rapidly and I think it's really important for teachers to keep up with this as it's going to play a large part in our lives in the future - games based learning is a great way of keeping up with new technology.

There are some disadvantages of games based learning: the games themselves may distract the children from the actual learning and it can sometimes be difficult if the school, for example, only has one Wii and the children need to work in groups for certain activities.

However, in my opinion, if the learning has been well planned and there are good organisational skills involved, it can work well and can be very beneficial to the children.

References

Scottish Government (2009) Curriculum for Excellence. Available: http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/Images/all_experiences_outcomes_tcm4-539562.pdf [accessed 05/03/2011]

Prensky, M. (2006) Don't Bother Me Mom  - I'm Learning! United States: Paragon House