Game Based Learning

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Raranga Matihiko is offering webinars to support teachers with creating authentic and challenging experiences for our  ākonga using digital technologies.  The one I attended this morning was on Game Based Learning - using Scratch.

 If you haven't used Scratch you'll need to create an account - it's free. Alisha Spekking (educator/webinar host) suggested these Scratch introductory videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTY7jAODNqM&t=16s (or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A78BfUkRgRw&t=4s for Te Reo Māori.

 Raranga Matihiko created 'Decoded for Learners' tool which puts the two new technological areas from the NZ curriculum (progressions of computational thinking and designing and developing digital outcomes) into kids speak (MoE have approved these).  They emphasise that these are progressions, not a checklist. Much info about this curriculum area is on TKI and well worth a look.

 Alisha shared this video - 7 Reasons to Pilot Game Based Learning - John Spencer

Game based learning:

  • boosts engagement
  • makes information stick - higher retention
  • increases connections
  • is a bridge between abstract and concrete
  • makes information more accessible, there's a low barrier of entry
  • increases critical thinking
  • is fun - intrinsically rewarding
Game based learning can be physical as well as online.

When creating games, you can use photos and other drawing apps to create backgrounds and characters (sprites).  Common simple game types in Scratch are 'go and collect items' and 'dodge items' games.  An example given - you might create a game with a fish eating objects in the ocean and if it eats a plastic item it will die.
Alisha stepped us through the basics of creating such a fish game in this webinar.

I'm really pleased I attended this - it's prompted me to use some of this 'non-contact' time to work on Scratch and create a game - which I'll share :)
It also showed how game based learning can be so engaging and allows for collaboration and problem solving (debugging).  In their student workshops, they prefer one computer for 2 students to encourage collaboration.  Alisha also has one Scratch account the students all log into (as opposed to teacher account) - and creates different studios (?) within that account. That way, she can keep an eye on projects.  One teacher asked it students go in and tutu with other children's projects and Alisha pointed out it was a good opportunity to teach digital citizenship - if we all had our artworks on the table we wouldn't just go and draw all over someone's creation without discussing it with them first.

Maybe this is something I could offer to support a group of interested students with over this time where we're learning at home.

Another webinar is offered this week looking at 'understanding if, then coding' (register here)





Comments

  1. Alida7 April 2020 at 12:20

    HI Gretchen, sounds like it was interesting workshop. We touched on Scratch in our DLI course, but I found it quite tricky. Do you know if Scratch is available on chromebooks or only on iPads?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gretchen7 April 2020 at 13:24

      It's website so definitely can be done on chromebooks. Children in Room 2 last year will have some basic skills. Definitely worth checking out further.

      Delete

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