We’ll use Perusall to annotate and read together.
Hybrid Pedagogy: Too much focus on Tech?
Hybrid Pedagogy Blog:
It’s Time to Play: Games, Gamification, and Active Learning
Lately, in class we have been going over, learning, and exploring ways in which technology can be and is being used to enhance the ways in which students in the modern era are learning. Some of the scholars that wrote articles that we have been reading have been looking to video games, since they employ different methods of teaching the player how to do something. Although video games utilize revolutionary teaching strategies, I started getting a creeping suspicion that there was no way it could be as easy as using the same strategies as games in our classes. Then I stumbled onto an article on the Hybrid Pedagogy website which points out some of the faults in “Believing that technology is the panacea to all of modern education’s problems.” One example shown in the article was that a student used a Jeopardy style quiz Powerpoint to get the students involved and learning the material. However, this “Gamification” of learning focused merely on ability to memorize and research quickly, rather than focusing the true goal of most higher learning classrooms, critical thinking and analysis. The idea of emphasizing critical thinking and analysis should be paramount, rather than trying to get one’s students to understand how to utilize certain technologies. The article even brings up how access to the technology itself could pose a problem, since many students and teachers don’t have the funds to afford iPads or even laptop computers. Also, expecting teachers to understand how to use all these new technologies, integrate them into their lesson plans, and stay current on their subject matter is unreasonable. Overall, this article offers interesting counter-points to the recent increase in focus on use of technology in the classroom and the idea of video game style education. Since those two ideas have been shown generally in a good light in our class, I think that it’s a good idea to keep our thoughts in check and look at the recent articles with a grain of salt.
http://www.hybridpedagogy.com/Journal/files/Play_Games_Gamification_Active_Learning.html#unique-entry-id-106
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5 Replies to “Hybrid Pedagogy: Too much focus on Tech?”
i think you have hit on a salient point when it comes to teaching by gaming. How is it sufficient in teaching math, history or a cirriculum that is slated by a school district. Yes gaming helps a student get interested in gaming but i agree it doesnt teach practical applications to inspire critical thinking. i would hope you would read my blog on hyprid tech, h-back…there is a fear of teachers who havent learned how to use tech in teaching. they think that the web is like giving kids the answers to the assingment. What i am doing is trying to find a practical application of technology in the classroom. Like Mrs Jaxon does, she gives us prompts to seek out information. She doesnt lecture us on literacy by simply stating…literacy is…as with anything in life teaching is only efficient if everyone involved is motivated. What do i mean. I am motivated to learn as much as i have time to put into each class. I am sure i could do more but i use my mind as a classroom and fill it with terms and those that get absorbed become me. In short tech is unavoidable. The internet is a resource greater than any door to door encyclopedia. When i was your age i had to get on my bike, go to the library, select a book from a file and search it out, go and sit down open it and find what i needed. Now we just put in key term and can go through tens of topics in minutes. yes we cant go to extremes and say technology is the only way to do it. like anything moderation of extremes is the answer…hence hybrid.
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i’m not sure, but i don’t think the “gaming” thing was necessarily about using technology in place of good teaching principals. i think it was more about using good teaching principals in place of bad ones.
*** it was less about the medium and more about the process.
*side note: why can’t you edit reply posts? how lame… it’s only a matter of time before people figure out i need revision to make sense
“gamification…” a process of helping students learn and memorize blah blah…doesent help in critical thinking,,,and yes it sucks that there is no edit…hence my bad spelling…i need to find a game that teaches me to proof read before i post…ha.
oh, i may have spoken out of context then. yeah, if it’s just “a process of helping students learn and memorize” then i’m way off topic. not the first or the last time.