Technology & Cognition Resources
As noted in the course description, the purpose of this course is to present major theories of learning and instruction and discuss their relationship to the use of computers in education. Emphasis is placed on current learning sciences theories and their role in the design and use of educational technology in real world settings.
Module V: Technologies to Support Learning by Gaming and Making
The sections below provide foundational readings about theories in support of gaming and making, respectively. We list these on the same page because of the manner in which they are related, understanding that gaming and making can each be part of the other.
Gaming
- Tobias, S., Fletcher, D., & Wind, A. (2014). Game-Based Learning. In Spector, M.J., Merrill, M.D., Elen, J., & Bishop, M.J. (Eds.). Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology (pp. 747-758). New York, NY: Springer.
- Dawley, L., & Dede, Ch. (2014). Situated Learning in Virtual Worlds and Immersive Simulations. In Spector, M.J., Merrill, M.D., Elen, J., & Bishop, M.J. (Eds.). Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology (pp. 723-735). New York, NY: Springer.
- Fishman, B., Riconscente, M., Snider, R., Tsai, T., & Plass, J. (2014). Empowering Educators: Supporting Student Progress in the Classroom with Digital Games. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan. [pdf in Canvas]
Making
- Denner, J., Werner, L., & Ortiz, E. (2011). Computer games created by middle school girls: Can they be used to measure understanding of computer science concepts? Computers & Education, 58, 240-249. [pdf in Canvas]
- Kalil, T. (2013). Have fun – learn something, do something, make something. Chapter 2 in: Honey, M., & Kanter, D. (2013). Design, make, play: Growing the next generation of STEM innovators. New York, NY: Routledge. [pdf in Canvas]
Hands-On Activities
As you will experience when trying the following hands-on activities, gaming and making can be habit forming! As you dive in to the environments featured here, think about how they support not only theories about how people learn, but also computational thinking concepts that are making their way into the ISTE standards, the K-12 curriculum, and in general education at the collegiate level.
Gaming
- BrainPOP. Playful, reflective, and global gaming designed with relevance, depth, and humor shaped by millions of hours of use by students in diverse learning settings. Follow this link to www.brainpop.com.
- Common Sense. Ratings and reviews help you find the right app, game, or website for your classroom. Interactive games empower students to use technology responsibly, safely, and effectively. Follow this link to www.commonsense.org/education.
Making
- Hour of Code. True to its name, the Hour of Code activities are designed to last about an hour. Their purpose is to motivate more students to pursue careers in computer science. To attract learners across a broad spectrum of interests, the Hour of Code has modules based on a variety of themes. There are dozens of activities designed to motivate different age groups. The most familiar settings are Star Wars, Frozen, Minecraft, and Moana. If you do not yet have an account at Code.org, go there now to get one. These accounts are totally free, and they keep track of your progress as you work through your Hour of Code. If you do not finish your Hour of Code in one sitting, for example, you can log back on later to resume at the spot where you left off. After you finish your Hour of Code and you begin using App Lab to create your own custom apps, your Code.org account lets you have multiple projects underway. When you finish a project, you can share it on Facebook, tweet it out, or text it to any smartphone. Follow this link to Code.org.
- Scratch. An online community in which more than a million registered users upload thousands of projects each day, Scratch enables members to share, discuss, and remix each other's projects. The collection includes interactive newsletters, science simulations, virtual tours, animated dance contests, interactive tutorials, and many other designs, all programmed with the Scratch environment and its graphical programming blocks. See Scratch.
Discussion
In the course online discussion forum, a graded discussion asks: The last module presents different approaches to creating learning environments that support learning by gaming and/or making. In this Discussion, debate the pros and cons of these various approaches. Which authors proposed ideas you found supported by learning science principles? Do you think students can learn by guiding avatars through complex multimedia worlds? Is it wise to create environments in which students learn by flirting or cheating? What role does narrative play? And where does Scratch fit in? Why would you want students learning to program when there are so many excellent games already available? As you debate this, remember to cite the readings in support of your assertions.
