Educational Game Blog Reflection

Educational Game Blog Reflection

Aaron Orot

University of Guam

Abstract

This paper reflects the ideas of an online educational game being beneficial towards the classroom setting. It highlights the challenges faced either choosing a good online educational game or grading the game based on an assigned rubric given by the professor. It also includes the experiences of how the online educational game benefits towards our group as well as future usage in a classroom setting. This paper gives a variety of points how this online educational game can benefit for all subjects and teachers. With the online educational game presentation, flaws can be seen within the game itself as well as improvements for a better experience. With the field of math, this game highlights improvements for the game by making learning a better experience. With a vast study of online educational games, it can be said that these programs can make students perform well in crucial areas in life such as problem solving and critical thinking.

Within the class of ED271, the task was given to the class to find an online educational game for future teachers to use within a classroom setting depending on the grade level they wanted to focus on. With the task at hand, my group had a little bump on the road to incorporate both English and mathematics for our game. We came to a final decision to use Jeopardy as a way to portray both subjects in one single game with the focus on secondary education at a high school level. It proved to be a team effort by the group members needing to incorporate their own questions for the online game. As a group, this activity included challenging decisions, future benefits, and the effects of an online educational game it can have on future educators.

            I would say finding an online educational game would be most challenging as compared to grading the online educational game. It is a hard task because when finding a game the group members are constantly evaluating it if it hits the rubric criteria; killing two birds in one stone by finding and grading the game. The idea of constantly grading it and the focus of high school level, my opinion is that no game can ever get all threes because the subtopics contradicted one another. This made the task more difficult than it can be, for example a subtopic of visuals can be appealing for a younger age group gaining the points of three, but not towards high school students gaining at least a one or a two. Also with the idea of finding a game that either combines both subjects mentioned or abandoning both subjects for one general subject came down to the choice we made as a group; my fellow classmates made decisions similar towards this activity. These are the ideas we had in choosing a game and the outcome was Jeopardy being the best choice for it combined both subjects as well as gave us a game that hits the criteria at a high level. Lastly the game we wanted was something we can use not only for a single student to learn, but for a group of students to learn together.

            Secondly with the achievement we wanted of group studying it was the base of our game. With that said, our game is a great way for teachers to use as a review before a quiz or an exam. It gives teachers the ability to see their students’ study and test if they studied beyond the classroom setting. It not only gives students the key points of a lesson, but it can reveal the students competitive side showing the ability to critically think. Jeopardy is a game to strategically gain more points than the other opponent in doing so by answering questions correctly, which gave students the ability to focus where their strengths and weakness are at the lesson. Not only does it have helpful tools for teachers with lessons, it reflects the International Society for Technology in Education(ISTE)  standards of design and develops digital age learning experiences and assessments as well as model digital age work and learning. Jeopardy reflects these standards by using a program that can obtain key points of the book and displaying it on a computer. This also allows students to communicate and evaluate the lessons being taught towards them.

 Mathematics can be expanded to countless smaller topics and with Jeopardy having up to five different category slots I can be able to reflect on five different lessons in one chapter review. The timer is also a great way for students to solve these math problems quickly and effectively throughout the run of the game. David Kaufman in his research describes online educational game as 21^st century learning saying, “learning essential skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and collaboration.” (p. 411) My game reflects those essential skills that of students working together as a team and solving real world problems in mathematics by critically thinking.

Lastly upon choosing games like mine of Jeopardy there are flaws within the topic of math. Jeopardy being a simple question and answer lacks the idea of how to come to your answer. To improve the game of Jeopardy with math, not only do the students have to give the answer, but show their process on how they will get their answer. This will help all students in a classroom to solve different types of math problems. Even the idea of having bonus points to students who have different ways to solve problems can be rewarded because with math there is not one technique to get the answer, but many different techniques to get towards the answer.

With the idea of 21^st century learning online educational games have been incorporated in classrooms throughout America in order to enhance learning capabilities. Choosing an online educational game becomes difficult for teachers because the focus of the game varies from the students you teach and their interests such as visuals, design elements, and critical thinking to name a few. The choice of Jeopardy as a game for mathematics works best because it generates different questions for different subtopics. It also allows group studying in a classroom setting. Lastly Marina Papastergiou (2008) believes with online educational games it can achieve many student goals related to real-life situation.

Works Cited

Kaufman, D., Sauve, L., & Renaud, L. (2011). Enhancing Learning through an Online Secondary School Educational Game. Journal Of Educational Computing Research, 44(4), 409-428.

Kecia, R. (2014, January 1). ISTE STANDARDS TEACHERS. Retrieved October 6, 2014, from http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/20-14_ISTE_Standards-T_PDF.pdf

Papastergiou, M. (2009). Online Computer Games as Collaborative Learning Environments: Prospects and Challenges for Tertiary Education. Journal Of Educational Technology Systems, 37(1), 19-38.