Games in Education

Some points from our class discussion today:
In the PTC Venn diagram, whenever one technology is introduced, the Venn diagram leaves equilibrium for a while until we learn how to use new technology effectively. I think this is an interesting way to describe what happens as a new technology is incorporated into education. I think there truly is a learning curve and an application curve.

Along with that discussion, the comment was made that science is a set of rules about argumentation, and that a large part of that is storytelling, using certain points of evidence to persuade someone of something. I also agree with this comment, because just like stories, science attempts to create a frame of understanding in which to perceive a story or a theory about why something acts the way it does. In science, it seems that whatever "truth" is accepted or learned, is used and taught until something better comes along, after which a re-adjustment process begins to get used to this new idea.

Another point was made about a new term for me today, the idea of affordance, which is the quality of an object that allows an individual to perform an action. For example, a door handle: A classroom door handle includes the affordance of pushing down on it to open the door, which is different from a door handle with the affordance of pushing against it (as in an emergency exit door), a different interaction. Studying the affordance of an object allows us to observe how an object either helps or inhibits teaching and learning.

I discussed learning in education with my group today. We were able to get and read a copy of a colleague's dissertation in which he discusses the learning potential of games and simulations.

Media vs. Method Debate

Today in our class we were all able to participate in a debate to decide whether or not media influenced learning. I was on the "spoiler" side, suggesting that neither side was correct because the question was not a good question of discussion to lead us to a desirable, useful answer. I wasn't too enlightened by the debate, as I had a difficult time differentiating between the views of each team. But thinking about what the debate could have been and the issue itself bring interesting questions to mind.

Having a sister with special needs, I've always been intrigued by her interest in technology, specifically internet games and videos. She has always been very quick to learn any technology that will allow her to watch her favorite Disney movie or be entertained, and she learns it on her own. Teaching her math, she would often be distracted and not spend very much time practicing math problems. But then she started doing flash cards, and she would take them everywhere with her and practice with them. She also got a little math calculator-type game that she also enjoyed taking with her and using to practice. Although she was still learning math, the media of the flash cards and the computer game allowed her to focus her attention on a subject longer than otherwise, allowing her to learn more. There is a question, however, of how much she has memorized because of the pattern of the media, asking the same math questions in the same sequence, versus what new things she is able to learn. For the most part, she memorizes sequences and is able to get all of the correct answers, and then once those sequences are disrupted, she falters. Hence media may also be an inhibitor at the same time.

Instructional Technology Issues

From Me:

• Designing for male and female minds-- differences in how technology is learned, viewed, and used between men and women.
• Open Courses- Should course material be available for others for free? What are the costs/rewards associated with this idea?
• Using Facebook as an instructional tool: The good, bad, and the ugly
• Cross-cultural learning through technology- designing not only for a single culture, but for the world
• The role of technology in the classroom: Is technology a crutch, a skill, or a supportive element in traditional education?
• What's to learn about Technology? The technologies we're using now are constantly changing. Is teaching technology in an undergraduate teacher education program productive?
• The helpfulness of Learning Management Systems
• Internet safety and childhood education
• Designing technologies for special needs students
  
  

From Others:

• Collaboration and Technology
• Immersion language learning
• Web 2.0 in Education
• Educational Games
• Electronic Performance Support Systems
• Knowledge Management Systems
• Open Source Tools
• 3-D Virtual Worlds
• One-laptop per Child Initiative
• Distance Learning Topics: Synchronous video, asynchronous video, interactions vs. independent learning
  
• Video Analysis Tools
• Open-Learning Environments
  
• Web 2.0 Technologies
• Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL)
• Technology Integration in Early Childhood
• Simulations
  
• Data-Driven D.M.
  

Instructional Design-- As a Career

Interestingly enough, Instructional Design is in demand. From the research we did in class today, depending on where you live and years of experience, the salary for an Instructional Designer ranges from $40-$90K. Many positions available for Instructional Design on careerbuilder.com require a bachelor's degree, and many require a master's degree. All job opportunities in Instructional Design value experience.

Compared with Human Performance Technology and careers having to deal with Learning Sciences, I think a career in Instructional Technology would be better for me. I think it would be a more dependable income, with a better-defined job description than the other two. I think I could qualify for the years of experience and serve an employer well.

The War of Learning Sciences Aggression

In Virginia, a state that was split during the Civil War, depending on where you are from, the Civil War was known as "The War of Northern Aggression" if you were from the South, and "The War of the Rebellion" if you were from the North. Learning about the differences between Learning Sciences and Instructional Technology, I perceive a similar relationship. From the readings we discussed in class it seems that Instructional Technology seems to try to incorporate Learning Sciences as part of its study, while acknowledging the differences between the two areas of study. Experts from the field of Learning Science generally seem convinced that the Learning Sciences are different from Instructional Technology and therefore should be addressed and treated differently.

In the article I read (J. Michael Spector, Instructional Technology and the Learning Sciences: Multiple Communities and Political Realities), Spector, with a long background in Instructional Technology, addresses what he believes to be the main difference between Instructional Technology and the Learning Sciences: Instructional Technology focuses on instruction and helping the instructor, and the Learning Sciences focus on Learning and helping the learner. Spector still concludes that the two communities are similar enough to work together to achieve the same end.

Mr. Smith and Billy Bob, Continued

Mr. Smith: Good morning, Billy Bob. Today we are going to be learning about Instructional Technology.
Billy Bob: But Mr. Smith, where is your lab jacket?
Mr. Smith: Instructional Technology is not a Science. I do not need a jacket.
Billy Bob: Oh. Well, don't they both address how people teach and learn?
Mr. Smith: In a way, Billy Bob, in a way.
Billy Bob: Well then what makes them so different?
Mr. Smith: It depends on who you talk to. Some describe Instructional Technology as a "prescriptive" study, meaning that Instructional Technologists find a training or educational problem then seek to fix it using technology. On the other hand, some consider Learning Science to be a "descriptive" study, looking at learning situations and analyzing them.
Billy Bob: That certainly does seem like a subtle difference.
Mr. Smith: Well, that depends on who you talk to.
Billy Bob: What do you think, Mr. Smith?
Mr. Smith: I believe Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences are indeed different areas of study, though they can help each other reach the same goals, and therefore should both be considered in a study.
Billy Bob: Well, can't there be an answer? Something "yes" or "no" or "A"? This whole discussion seems very theoretical.
Mr. Smith: Well, that depends on who you talk to.
Billy Bob: Oh boy.
Mr. Smith: That's enough for today, Billy Bob. See you tomorrow.
Billy Bob: Thanks, Mr. Smith. Bye!

Learning Science Skit

Today I was thinking about how writing skits has always helped me gain a better understanding of a subject, and how a PLE is supposed to be a place to take the information we have been given and make it something useful for me, so that is what I intend to do.

The Science of Learning Skit

Mr. Smith, Instructor
Billy Bob, Student

It is the beginning of a new school day, and Billy Bob is ready to learn. Seated in his desk, Billy Bob eagerly waits for Mr. Smith to begin his lesson. Mr. Smith walks in wearing a lab jacket.

Mr. Smith: Good morning, class. Today we will be learning about Learning Science.
Billy Bob: Oooooh... (thinks a minute, then raises his hand) What is Learning Science, Mr. Smith?
Mr. Smith: What is Learning Science? Why, it is the science of instruction! It is how we come to gain deep learning through the aid of a good learning environment.
Billy Bob: Uh... (thinks a minute, then raises his hand) Mr. Smith? What is deep learning?
Mr. Smith: Deep learning is having ownership of your information- making it your own. Deep learning is exhibited by adaptive expertise, the ability to apply knowledge to another area, as opposed to routine expertise, such as memorization of a specific text for the correct answer on a test. For instance, in learning about the Civil War, deep learning is organizing information and shallow learning is knowing the names and dates.
Billy Bob: Does that mean I don't need to know the names and dates?
Mr. Smith: No. You must learn them for the test! Routine expertise is much easier to measure, so I will continue to use it.
Billy Bob: Okay... (thinks a minute, then raises his hand) Mr. Smith, what is a good learning environment?
Mr. Smith: A good learning environment is one in which students are encouraged to use deep learning.
Billy Bob: Well it seems to me that deep learning leads to more deep learning. It seems like it would take a lot to prepare for an environment like that, but when that is done, the learning might be deeper.
Mr. Smith: That is exactly right. Much preparation, time and energy is spent to break the traditional trends that emphasize the ability for students to think about their own learning. Because of that, many students get in the habit of letting their instructors make their own choices for them, not to mention the stress students receive from their parents who want them to get good grades on their tests instead of truly learn and understand information.
Billy Bob: Boy do I know what you're talking about there! My Mom sure wants me to do well in this class. But she also really wants me to do really well with my friends, in my other ten classes, in soccer, baseball, and tennis, and piano and violin lessons, and in my church and community.
Mr. Smith: Whoa, sounds like you have cognitive overload, or too much content!
Billy Bob: Yeah, I guess I really do. It's really hard to take the time to learn things deeply when I have so many other things to do, especially in-between baking bread and texting my friends all day long and checking e-mail and reading the news.
Mr. Smith: Hmm.... I'll tell ya what. Let's take time next class about the Civil War to really just think about things, and apply them. We'll use our class time to let you do that instead of memorize dates and names.
Billy Bob: Gee, thanks Mr. Smith. This is a really great learning environment.
Mr. Smith: Well, that's enough for today! See you tomorrow, Billy Bob.
Billy Bob: Bye, Mr. Smith!

IP&T vs. Educational Technology

One of the main topics we discussed today was the comparison of Instructional Technology with Educational Technology. From what I've understood, at one time Instructional Technology and Educational Technology were considered different according to the following differences:

Educational Technology was more of a classroom philosophy that took into consideration all different influences from the classroom, including class size, classroom setup, etc. It was mostly applied solely to educational environments.

Instructional Technology was more about the media and gadgets or software used to teach. IT could also be applied to corporate environments.

But after more research, these two later on become synonymous, as each discipline started to be more inclusive of the topics of the other. However, I still find that most often, as in the OET and in many different internet resources, Educational Technology is usually directed towards a classroom environment.

I think Human Performance Technology may be similar to both of these, though more broad. I like this one the best because it is more efficient, weighing each solution to a problem according to its cost, both in time and money.

Human Performance Technology

I had a few thoughts that made me really think about things from our class discussion today that I'd like to mention here.

First, we discussed Conference, and how the Spirit influences teaching. I wasn't going to mention that because I was trying to rely on secular learning to defend my ideas. But really, for me, one idea that stuck out to me from Conference about teaching and learning was the importance of love ina classroom, specifically love of a teacher for his or her students. While perhaps a very difficult factor in learning to measure, I feel these are very important.

I once wrote a paper for a journalism class titled "Spit Responsibly," comparing the evils of texting (with its interruptions and disrespect for person next to you being ignored while you reply) with the baseball-player's habit of spitting seeds. In certain contexts, both may seem like necessary, but in those same contexts, both may seem offensive and annoying to others present. The topic I was trying to describe was the idea of technology etiquette, which we discussed today. I looked up the topic online and there were a few ideas for cell phone etiquette and online etiquette, and not much for technology etiquette, but I know that it is a very real issue. I enjoyed Julie's remarks on the affects of technology on the family, how we are much more distracted in general. I believe technology is unfortunately distracting, at least as often as it is helpful. This idea of the origin of etiquette was very interesting for me as well. In the end, each of us really does get to choose how we will use or not use the technology before us, because it is so readily available. I also like the idea that technology is becoming less an issue of content, but of helping people know how to choose the best content. This is something that interests me.

Learning about Human Performance Technology was also enlightening for me. The more time I spend with instruction, the more I realize its limitations. There are so many other things that influence a person's learning, many of which are very difficult to isolate and control. But the more often we attempt to do that, the more often we will succeed. I think more people implement human performance technology than realize it.

I also really enjoyed the article we read at the end of class, as it helped me see learning about Instructional Technology in new ways. I have personally been trying to understand better my purpose and role as a student in Instructional Technology, so learning about the proper way to be an Instructional Technologist from a Computer Science and Graduate Student perspective was very helpful and interesting for me. I especially enjoyed the truth in the irony that for an area of learning that concentrates so much on teaching and learning, how much of that do we actually apply in our classes?

Class today was great and helped me to see things in a new perspective.

'Tis October

Today in class we discussed our learning theories. One of my evaluators suggested that there are many parts to "motivation" and that I should consider specifying what exactly about motivation makes up the most important learning factor. I think I knew that motivation might be a broad topic, and found safety in that. But I think I might be daring and suggest that there is something specific about motivation-- a subdivision of that topic-- that is more significant to the learning process. But I have a very difficult time taking apart motivation. Why are we motivated?

Recently I was not very motivated to do schoolwork. Organizing my time and making goals allowed me to be more motivated to get things done. Deadlines also help me. But I know that what helps me is not necessarily what helps others. I will have to continue thinking on this topic.