The North Schuylkill School District is encouraging the use of gaming technologies as a tool to minimize the "digital disconnect" between students and adults. A survey of 147 North Schuylkill teachers shows they are increasingly becoming interested in use of games to increase student engagement (56%), address different learning styles (67%), focus on student-centered learning (39%), and to develop problem solving and critical thinking skills (39%).
Only 7% of North Schuylkill's teachers do not see any value in exploring gaming within education. Over 48% of the teachers said they would be interested in learning more about integrating gaming technologies into teaching strategies and 39% would be interested in professional development on this. 8% said that they are currently incorporating some gaming into their instruction.
An example of gaming technology available today is PowerUp, a free multiplayer game launched by IBM. The game challenges teenagers to help save the planet “Helios” from ecological disaster. It encourages students to investigate, discover, and try science by linking it to engaging, real-world activities.
For the past two years Math teacher Judi Rakowsky has used e-missions in her Pre-Algebra classrooms. The e-missions allow students to role-play and use their math skills to troubleshoot a pending problem. The two e-missions she has used (M.A.R.S. and Fire Scene Investigation) allowed her 7th grade students to learn math while engaging in a student-centered, team-based, fun, interactive "gaming" experience.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
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