EDLD5364-Week5

=Week 5 Reflecting Upon Teaching in Technology=

In the final week of the Teaching in Technology course with Lamar University, we discussed assessment with technological tools. The following video, //Big Thinkers: James Paul Gee on Grading with Games//, mentions collaborative work that creates innovative solutions to problems and using video games as a form of assessment. Gaming has been discussed as part of what education will be (and should be) using for creating engaging learning experiences. It is neat to think about a learning environment where kids are excited about taking a "test." In this time period where more teachers are learning about formative assessment, it is important that we come up with more authentic ways to assess their knowledge. Now, it does seem that some people have hesitations with 3D worlds and even the word "gaming" tends to come with a connotation of nerds glued to their computers. (Think about the TV show, The Big Bang Theory.) However, just imagine how much more engaged students are when they are playing truly challenging games. "Gaming" could be one creative part of the solution! media type="custom" key="5063899" Big Thinkers: James Paul Gee on Grading with Games Edutopia.org (nd). Big thinkers: James Paul Gee on grading with games. Retrieved on Dec. 14, 2009 from http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-james-gee-video

A common theme for this Masters Program is 21st Century Learning and the skills that students must learn in order to be prepared to compete with the global market that comprised their future (which is //now//). The video below describes the factory model school, similar to the one described in Linda Darling-Hammond's video in my Week 4 post. We need to be more innovative about how we teach. Virtual trips to other countries through a video game to learn about cultures and world history are examples that are mentioned in the video. When 21st Century Learning takes place, the student role shifts to the center while the teacher role shifts to one of coach, mentor, or facilitator. There is an exciting future ahead of us. Are we ready?

media type="youtube" key="Mirxkzkxuf4" height="340" width="560" A Vision for 21st Century Learning Youtube.com (nd). Vision for 21st Century Learning. Retrieved on Dec.14, 2009 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mirxkzkxuf4

Now here is a video created by Microsoft. I really like it because it seems so "virtual," for lack of another word. The student logs into her computer to hear a message from her teacher, chats with fellow students, goes on a field trip with digital tools, and parents conference with a teacher using a touch-screen table. Watch and enjoy. It is like a dream world of Education's future, only we are learning about Web 2.0 to make the future happen right now.

media type="youtube" key="AhoOG5Kf1w4" height="344" Vision for technology in K-12 Education Youtube.com (nd). Vision for Technology in K-12 Education. Retrieved on Dec. 14, 2009 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhoOG5Kf1w4