I chose 'Building Lesson Plans' because the website includes quick-access tools for the creation of lesson plans, several of which are interactive. The page also includes a suggestion of apps to assist with lesson plan development. Primarily I chose this website because it is a valuable resource for teaching in general, with sections for everything from Bloom's Taxonomy to 'How to Flip your Classroom' (which I am excited to learn more about).
I plan on using this site as a general go-to resource for everything from A to Z, focusing primarily on the templates for my lesson plans.
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Media
I chose 'How to Integrate Multimedia in the Classroom' because, as opposed to an overview contained within a single article, the site includes the entire process from start to finish for how to implement multimedia and include it as a part of evaluation and assessment. The website even includes a lesson plan template.
I plan on using this site as a guideline for choosing, integrating and evaluating the effectiveness of multimedia components in my future lesson plans.
I plan on using this site as a guideline for choosing, integrating and evaluating the effectiveness of multimedia components in my future lesson plans.
Assessment
I chose 'A Guide to Developing and Assessing Learning Outcomes' because, as the title suggests, the article is a complete start-to-finish look at preparing learning outcomes. Also included are subsections referring to things like 'Continuous Improvement', which happens to be one of the Six Big Ideals of the company I work for, and certainly should be a part of all curriculum I build.
I plan on using the guide as a framework when I create my learning outcomes, following the process from start to finish to ensure effective learning outcomes are built.
I plan on using the guide as a framework when I create my learning outcomes, following the process from start to finish to ensure effective learning outcomes are built.
Motivational Techniques
I chose 'Tips to Motivate Adult Learners' because the article is structured as a set of quick-reference ideas that can be used on the fly to create lesson content. There are also links to other pages and more comprehensive articles for when a deeper look at creating motivating content within the lesson is required.
I plan on using these tips as a set of reminders, a sort of 'prep-piece' to get into the right headspace for teaching.
I plan on using these tips as a set of reminders, a sort of 'prep-piece' to get into the right headspace for teaching.
Characteristics of Adult Learners
My subsequent assignment was to choose five online resources to include in future lesson planning.
I chose 'An overview of Adult Learning Processes' because it provides a high-level look
at adult learning styles, including a section on the principles of adult
learning, as well as possible setbacks to the different styles.
This resource will improve my instruction by serving as a reference guide for catering to each of the three primary learning styles within a classroom environment (auditory, visual,
kinesthetic) in order to build well-rounded lessons.
I chose 'An overview of Adult Learning Processes' because it provides a high-level look
at adult learning styles, including a section on the principles of adult
learning, as well as possible setbacks to the different styles.
This resource will improve my instruction by serving as a reference guide for catering to each of the three primary learning styles within a classroom environment (auditory, visual,
kinesthetic) in order to build well-rounded lessons.
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Generation Zed (Zee?)
While this isn't directly related to an assignment, I came across this blog post in the midst of my research and thought it was pretty interesting (and relevant -- whether or not you are an educator, preparing for the attitudes and culture of a generation about to enter the workforce is a big deal, and pertinent to most of us).
Read on!
Read on!
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Reflection #3: Web-Conference
My web-conferences with Ken were an excellent experience, first and foremost cementing for me the notion that other learners (and others interested in Adult Education) are a lot like me.
I was delightedly surprised to find that Ken and I had both chosen the same "top pick" for our research: game-based learning. Despite the difference in our vocation, Ken being from a more formal learning setting and me being from a corporate background, we found not only similar interests but also instant rapport.
What I found even more interesting, is that despite researching the same topic, we followed very different paths of research on the internet, coming up with, between the two of us, a wide variety of articles and websites. In fact, the only identical website was one we used through the link provided for the topic, the Mindshift website.
Our subsequent web-conference after researching our articles and websites was very informative. Ken was a font of information on the role of the teacher in game-based learning projects, citing an article from a study in Sweden. This article, similar in some aspects to the one I discovered about a study done in Hong Kong, identified many struggles faced by teachers when attempting to integrate video games in a classroom setting.
During our web-conference, Ken identified one of the primary struggles teachers face when using video games in the classroom, which is that they are not always comfortable or familiar with video games, and thus are not able to easily facilitate or provide a decent level of expertise for their students. Also identified are the differences between different students in levels of comfort with video games.
The main thing I learned from my web-conference with Ken was the impact of game-based learning on the classroom setting, given his level of familiarity of formal education (as an educator) versus my own. As a developer of content and occasional facilitator in the classroom, when compared to Ken's experience, I do not always think about classroom obstacles first. One potential strength Ken identified, however, is my level of comfort with video games (known as 'gaming literacy'). Compared to the subjects of the study, I would rate my gaming literacy as 'quite high', which, if the trends continue, could be a valuable asset if game-based learning is further integrated into formal education settings.
I was delightedly surprised to find that Ken and I had both chosen the same "top pick" for our research: game-based learning. Despite the difference in our vocation, Ken being from a more formal learning setting and me being from a corporate background, we found not only similar interests but also instant rapport.
What I found even more interesting, is that despite researching the same topic, we followed very different paths of research on the internet, coming up with, between the two of us, a wide variety of articles and websites. In fact, the only identical website was one we used through the link provided for the topic, the Mindshift website.
Our subsequent web-conference after researching our articles and websites was very informative. Ken was a font of information on the role of the teacher in game-based learning projects, citing an article from a study in Sweden. This article, similar in some aspects to the one I discovered about a study done in Hong Kong, identified many struggles faced by teachers when attempting to integrate video games in a classroom setting.
During our web-conference, Ken identified one of the primary struggles teachers face when using video games in the classroom, which is that they are not always comfortable or familiar with video games, and thus are not able to easily facilitate or provide a decent level of expertise for their students. Also identified are the differences between different students in levels of comfort with video games.
The main thing I learned from my web-conference with Ken was the impact of game-based learning on the classroom setting, given his level of familiarity of formal education (as an educator) versus my own. As a developer of content and occasional facilitator in the classroom, when compared to Ken's experience, I do not always think about classroom obstacles first. One potential strength Ken identified, however, is my level of comfort with video games (known as 'gaming literacy'). Compared to the subjects of the study, I would rate my gaming literacy as 'quite high', which, if the trends continue, could be a valuable asset if game-based learning is further integrated into formal education settings.
Reflection #2: Trends
Subsequent to the role of the educator in relation to game-based learning, I was also asked to research and identify emerging trends. Starting with the work of Jane McGonigal and working my way forward, I was able to discover several websites and articles touting the merits of game-based learning. Prevalent amongst them was the following article: The Benefits of Playing Video Games, as published by the American Psychology Association.
This article identified the statistic that 97% of children and teenagers in the United States play video games for at least an hour a day, revealing the unequivocal truth that the upcoming generation, even more so than my own, is a generation of 'gamers'. As a self-identified 'video gamer', this gives me hope that the stigma of the negative aspects of video games is dwindling, and the positive effects of regular 'gaming' are coming to light.
While the focus of study for this article is technically not 'learning' specific, a study on the benefits of playing video games is, consequently, a study on their benefits within the context of learning. Early in the article, the cognitive benefits of playing video games are identified, which include, but are not limited to: increases in attention allocation and spatial reasoning, problem-solving, and enhanced creativity. Further (and surprisingly), contrary to popular opinion, the article went on to cite the positive aspects of first-person shooter games, which were shown in studies to foster an increase in abilities relating to interpersonal communication, similarly to how a competitive team sport increases social skills.
Many of the motivational benefits of video games were also cited, including fostering the development of what is known as an incremental mode of intelligence, where intelligence is seen as something that can be improved upon, rather than something fixed at birth (IE, you are gifted or you are not). Video games foster this through providing 'concrete and immediate feedback regarding specific efforts players have made'.
What I found to be the most interesting aspect to the 'motivational' benefit of video games, and perhaps the most relevant to adult education, is the revelation that video games often push players to struggle through failure, motivating them to continue despite setback, because of their level of engagement and the cross-section of challenge/entertainment/reward they are experiencing.
While the adoption of video games in the classroom is certainly on the rise, as evidenced by the Mindshift Guide to Digital Games and Learning, I found less evidence of video games being used in an adult setting, demonstrating a possible area where video games could help to enrich adult education, especially as the generations of 'native gamers' achieve maturity.
There are those who experience the integration of video games in formal education settings now, such as the use of Minecraft to teach about biological cell structure, or the use of a video game structured specifically for a certain subject, such as Farmtasia from my previous reflection article. Speaking from my own experience as an individual who grew up on video games, I can recall learning mathematics and reading comprehension skills from the 'Super Solvers' series of games by The Learning Company, and honed my keyboarding skills thanks to Mavis Beacon and All the Right Type.
So how could the positive aspects of video games be harnessed for adult education? It is difficult to forecast. Video games, for adults, are seen as means of escapism, similar to a romance novel or a TV show. Game-based learning is often viewed as a means to an end, such as the example of Re-Mission, a video game provided to child cancer patients to help them deal with their symptoms. The challenge identified is that, when the primary purpose of the game is 'serious' or 'educational', and is not designed by a video game company with a view to entertainment, the game itself is not engaging.
To make a game challenging, engaging and rewarding - that is the secret to unlocking its learning potential. As cited in the article, Portal II (which I have played), a commercially successful video game, was discovered to have massively educational properties. As a puzzle-solving video game, Portal II encouraged players to think in creative ways, exploring physics and geometrical dimensions in an obtuse way.
Perhaps, then, that is the only real trick to education and motivation -- when we have fun, we learn effortlessly.
This article identified the statistic that 97% of children and teenagers in the United States play video games for at least an hour a day, revealing the unequivocal truth that the upcoming generation, even more so than my own, is a generation of 'gamers'. As a self-identified 'video gamer', this gives me hope that the stigma of the negative aspects of video games is dwindling, and the positive effects of regular 'gaming' are coming to light.
While the focus of study for this article is technically not 'learning' specific, a study on the benefits of playing video games is, consequently, a study on their benefits within the context of learning. Early in the article, the cognitive benefits of playing video games are identified, which include, but are not limited to: increases in attention allocation and spatial reasoning, problem-solving, and enhanced creativity. Further (and surprisingly), contrary to popular opinion, the article went on to cite the positive aspects of first-person shooter games, which were shown in studies to foster an increase in abilities relating to interpersonal communication, similarly to how a competitive team sport increases social skills.
Many of the motivational benefits of video games were also cited, including fostering the development of what is known as an incremental mode of intelligence, where intelligence is seen as something that can be improved upon, rather than something fixed at birth (IE, you are gifted or you are not). Video games foster this through providing 'concrete and immediate feedback regarding specific efforts players have made'.
What I found to be the most interesting aspect to the 'motivational' benefit of video games, and perhaps the most relevant to adult education, is the revelation that video games often push players to struggle through failure, motivating them to continue despite setback, because of their level of engagement and the cross-section of challenge/entertainment/reward they are experiencing.
While the adoption of video games in the classroom is certainly on the rise, as evidenced by the Mindshift Guide to Digital Games and Learning, I found less evidence of video games being used in an adult setting, demonstrating a possible area where video games could help to enrich adult education, especially as the generations of 'native gamers' achieve maturity.
There are those who experience the integration of video games in formal education settings now, such as the use of Minecraft to teach about biological cell structure, or the use of a video game structured specifically for a certain subject, such as Farmtasia from my previous reflection article. Speaking from my own experience as an individual who grew up on video games, I can recall learning mathematics and reading comprehension skills from the 'Super Solvers' series of games by The Learning Company, and honed my keyboarding skills thanks to Mavis Beacon and All the Right Type.
So how could the positive aspects of video games be harnessed for adult education? It is difficult to forecast. Video games, for adults, are seen as means of escapism, similar to a romance novel or a TV show. Game-based learning is often viewed as a means to an end, such as the example of Re-Mission, a video game provided to child cancer patients to help them deal with their symptoms. The challenge identified is that, when the primary purpose of the game is 'serious' or 'educational', and is not designed by a video game company with a view to entertainment, the game itself is not engaging.
To make a game challenging, engaging and rewarding - that is the secret to unlocking its learning potential. As cited in the article, Portal II (which I have played), a commercially successful video game, was discovered to have massively educational properties. As a puzzle-solving video game, Portal II encouraged players to think in creative ways, exploring physics and geometrical dimensions in an obtuse way.
Perhaps, then, that is the only real trick to education and motivation -- when we have fun, we learn effortlessly.
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Reflection #1: New Insights
As part of my first assignment, my learning partner Ken Chidlow and I were assigned the task of choosing a topic relating to the future role of the educator, as well as emerging trends in education. We both had the same top choice: game-based learning.
Game-based learning, as defined by EdTechReview, is 'a type of game play that has defined learning outcomes. Generally, game based learning is designed to balance subject matter with gameplay and the ability of the player to retain and apply said subject matter to the real world.'
How does game-based learning relate to the role of the adult educator?
The Mindshift Guide to Digital Games and Learning highlighted the frequency with which games are used in the K-12 classroom setting, and the percentage of children who are identified as gamers (97% in the United States). Given this trend, the popularity of video games in my generation and the move to highlight the positive outcomes of gaming (led by trailblazers like Jane McGonigal), it stands to reason that the trend toward game-based learning will only continue as the next generation of gamers become adult learners.
During the course of my research, I discovered that the function of a game in relation to learning is not to replace the educator; rather, it is to supplement the learning objectives. In the 2014 study Impending Phenomena Emerging from Students’ Constructivist Online Game-Based Learning Process: Implications for the Importance of Teacher Facilitation, a group of students in an agriculture class in Hong Kong were observed as they played the game Farmtasia, which is in essence a farm simulator.
Within the context of Farmtasia, the role of the educator shifted from an 'instructional' lesson-based approach to that of a coach, mentor and facilitator. First, the educator used a 'scaffolding' method, providing enough introductory information for students to be able to use the tutorials and video game to learn on their own.
The purpose of Farmtasia was to allow students to learn agricultural principles from a self-directed, challenge-based approach, using a combination of the game tutorials and subsequent rounds of gameplay. The educator, in this study, was given the capacity to observe the students' gameplay on the back-end, as well as read their 'gaming journals'. Having the ability to identify instances of disengagement or frustration with the learning, the educator was subsequently able to coach as required, to assess the reason(s) the student was struggling.
One interesting outcome of the study was the level of engagement of a particular student identified as a 'gamer student', that is to say, a student with a lengthy history of video game experience. The student's engagement, ordinarily reported as low in the classroom, was very high when playing Farmtasia, until the student discovered a way to exploit the game and achieve maximum success with minimal effort. This provided the opportunity for the educator to coach the student, both on their engagement as well as function of the video game as a supplement to learning as opposed to simple entertainment.
The study also identified some challenges that the educator could face within the context of game-based learning:
How does game-based learning relate to the role of the adult educator?
The Mindshift Guide to Digital Games and Learning highlighted the frequency with which games are used in the K-12 classroom setting, and the percentage of children who are identified as gamers (97% in the United States). Given this trend, the popularity of video games in my generation and the move to highlight the positive outcomes of gaming (led by trailblazers like Jane McGonigal), it stands to reason that the trend toward game-based learning will only continue as the next generation of gamers become adult learners.
During the course of my research, I discovered that the function of a game in relation to learning is not to replace the educator; rather, it is to supplement the learning objectives. In the 2014 study Impending Phenomena Emerging from Students’ Constructivist Online Game-Based Learning Process: Implications for the Importance of Teacher Facilitation, a group of students in an agriculture class in Hong Kong were observed as they played the game Farmtasia, which is in essence a farm simulator.
Within the context of Farmtasia, the role of the educator shifted from an 'instructional' lesson-based approach to that of a coach, mentor and facilitator. First, the educator used a 'scaffolding' method, providing enough introductory information for students to be able to use the tutorials and video game to learn on their own.
The purpose of Farmtasia was to allow students to learn agricultural principles from a self-directed, challenge-based approach, using a combination of the game tutorials and subsequent rounds of gameplay. The educator, in this study, was given the capacity to observe the students' gameplay on the back-end, as well as read their 'gaming journals'. Having the ability to identify instances of disengagement or frustration with the learning, the educator was subsequently able to coach as required, to assess the reason(s) the student was struggling.
One interesting outcome of the study was the level of engagement of a particular student identified as a 'gamer student', that is to say, a student with a lengthy history of video game experience. The student's engagement, ordinarily reported as low in the classroom, was very high when playing Farmtasia, until the student discovered a way to exploit the game and achieve maximum success with minimal effort. This provided the opportunity for the educator to coach the student, both on their engagement as well as function of the video game as a supplement to learning as opposed to simple entertainment.
The study also identified some challenges that the educator could face within the context of game-based learning:
- The educator does not have a sufficient degree of technical knowledge to assist the students in understanding how to use the game.
- The student is a non-gamer and has difficulty learning how to play the game.
- The student is a non-gamer and feels that playing a video game is not the best way for them to learn.
- The video game has a bug/flaw/exploit that a student can use to succeed, circumventing the challenge, and thus, the learning.
The study subsequently concluded that further research was required, both into the most effective methods of assessment as well as how to circumvent the problem of having a non-gamer educator present game-based learning to a group of students.
The conclusion thus far is that the role of the adult educator, when games are used in education, is as a mentor and facilitator, crafting the initial learning so that the student can engage smoothly with the game and learn through the challenges that the game presents. Thus the game itself provides the instruction; the educator intervenes when disengagement is identified, and assists in applying the concepts learned in the game to the real world.
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Introduction
Welcome to my blog!
"Seek First To Understand" is part assignment, part resource, part exploration of my 'education in education'. I am a Learning and Development Advisor with First West Credit Union, currently taking my first course in Adult Education with Vancouver Community College: Foundations of Adult Education (part of the Provincial Instructor Diploma Program).
You can learn more about me on the autobiography page, or my website.
If you are an educator, feel free to bookmark or link to this blog! I will be updating it regularly with resources, blog posts and findings relating to education.
--James Funfer
"Seek First To Understand" is part assignment, part resource, part exploration of my 'education in education'. I am a Learning and Development Advisor with First West Credit Union, currently taking my first course in Adult Education with Vancouver Community College: Foundations of Adult Education (part of the Provincial Instructor Diploma Program).
You can learn more about me on the autobiography page, or my website.
If you are an educator, feel free to bookmark or link to this blog! I will be updating it regularly with resources, blog posts and findings relating to education.
--James Funfer
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