Using games, social media, and mobile devices in the classroom

Using games, social media, and mobile devices in the classroom

Presented by: Assistant Professor, Akram Taghavi-BurrisGraphics and Imaging Technologies dept.

aburris@pittstate.edu

AbstractThe thought of students playing games, updating their facebook status or using mobile devices in class can give some educators the chills. This presentation aims to provide practical application of these new technologies in the classroom.

Problem & Solution Problem

Students lack of Engagement Reinforced Learning

Solution Practical application of

Games Social Media Mobile Devices

Why

Presentation StrategiesWays information is presented to us

Push

Pull

Osmosis

what we knowToday’s generation of students growing up in a culture of “osmosis” and where “pulling” information is fun, making it is obvious that the “push” strategy cannot work on its own.

New StrategiesThe evolution of digital games, emergence of social networking have helped shape new ways in which people are communicating, collaborating, operating and forming social constructs. (Klopfer, Osterweil, Groff, Haas, 2009)

10 million subscribersWorld of Warcraft

800 million active memebersFacebook

Mobile Devices

What does it mean?It means that our students can access information whenever, where ever they need/want it and can actively interact with it.

Games in Education

Tennis for Two

Player Demographics

Feedback Feedback is the positive or negative

response to the player’s choices (actions). Feedback should encourage learning.

Learning refers to learning the rules of the game

Learning gives players a sense of accomplishment

Games as a system Game systems are the set of interacting

or interdependent elements forming the working game.

Game systems can encompass other systems, a common system found in games are economies. Economies are systems that allow for the

exchange of resources.

System Elements Objects Properties Behaviors Relationships

Educational Games Oregon Trail Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego Quest Atlantis Food Force

Game QualityEducational Commerical

Math Playground Math TV Grand Theft Auto IV

Commercial Games Sid Meiers’ Civilization Revolution Sim City Professor Layton and Curious Village Endless Ocean Brain Age Wii Sports

Game Design When neither existing educational or

commercial games meet the needs of your curriculum Teachers design a game Students design a game

Game Dev. Tools Game Maker - http://www.yoyogames.com/ Unreal Development Kit - www.udk.com Unity – http://unity3d.com/ Adobe Flash** – http://www.adobe.com XNA Game Studio* - http://bit.ly/rcAaLm

Social Media in Education

What is Social Media According to Wikipedia, social media is

the use of web-based and mobile technologies to turn communication into an interactive dialogue.

Social Media must provide the user with Information (Media) Collaboration / Networking Interaction

Types of Social Media Social Bookmarking

Del.icio.us Blinklist

Social Media Sharing Flickr Youtube

Social News Digg Reddit

Social Networking Facebok Google +

Wikies Wikipedia Wikia

Why Use It ? Currently organizations are faced with

highly complex problems that no one person can solve alone

80% of US organizations have employees collaborating in teams (Brown, 2011)

Many organizations today employ virtual collaboration (Brown, 2011).

Using Lifelines Phone a friend

Instant Message Ask the Audience

Public Post Comments

Help them Navigate

Information Reliability Is everything on the web reliable? Consider:

The credibility of the domain name (web address)

Is the content up-to-date What is credibility of the author Was the content helpful

Home Hippo

Educational Networks Ning Think.com Digo LMS

Public Networks Facebook Twitter Linked In Google +

Appilcation Sharing Knowledge Research Collaboration Be precise

write meaningful content in 140 characters or less

Check Crediabilty

Mobile Devicesin Education

Types of Devices Phones

iPhone Pocket computers

Mp3 Players iPod

Tape Recorders

Tablets iPad

Small computer Electronic Text Book

Using Phones Present information with QR codes

qrcode.kaywa.com Organize with Calendars Take a poll

polleverywhere.com Take Pictures / Make Videos Record lectures

Using Phones Take Time (stopwatch) Calculator / Unit Conversion Text Announcements / Reminders Flash Cards Quick Notes

Using iPods Download Study Guides

Spark Notes SAT Vocabulary Cisco Study Guides

Podcasts GoogleGet iTunes U

Books on Tape Audible

Using iPads Electronic Textbooks

iBooks Kindle Course Smart

Notes Evernote inClass SmartNote

Curriculum Enhancers PBS

TED WolfamAlpha

Art & Creativity Sketchbook Photoshop Express Symphony

Using iPads Science

NASA App Star Walk EMD PTE Web MD

Language Dictionary Translators

Geography Google Earth Maps of the World

Math Math Board Calculator

Conclusion

Games, social media and mobile devices can provide tools to engage and reinforce learning by offering students interaction and near instant feedback.

Thank You

Assistant Professor, Akram Taghavi-BurrisGraphics and Imaging Technologies dept.

aburris@pittstate.edu@ataghaviburris (twitter)www.akramsideas.com

References Annetta, Leonard A. “Video Games in

Education: Why They Should Be Used and How They Are Being Used” Theory Into Practice; Summer2008, Vol. 47 Issue 3, p229-239, 11p, 2.

Baron, Peter; Koe, Ernest; Ritchie, Steve; Stites, William. Ed Social Media. 2011. Web. 2 Nov 2011. (http://www.edsocialmedia.com)

Bodnar, Kipp. “22 Educational Social Media Diagrmas” HubSpot Blog, 2010. Web. 2 Nov 2011. (http://bit.ly/a5n19D)

References Brown, Donald. (2011). An Experiential Approach to

Oragnizational Development. Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc.

Entertainment Software Association (ESA). “Industry Facts.” theesa.com. Entertainment Software Association, 2011. Web. 1 Nov 2011. (http://www.theesa.com/facts/index.asp)

Klopfer, Eric; Osterweil, Scot; Groff, Jennifer; Haas, Jason. (2009). The Instructional Power of Digital Games, Social Networks, Simulations and How Teachers Can Leverage Them. Education Arcade, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

References McLeod, Scott. “Do Most Educational Games

Suck?” dangerouslyirrelaevant.org. Dangerously Irrelevant, 2009. Web. 2 Nov 2011. (http://bit.ly/9XzfTb)

Robinson, Sir Ken. “Changing Education Paradigms.” YouTube, 14 Oct 2010. Online video. 1 Nov 2011. (http://youtu.be/zDZFcDGpL4U)

Toppo, Greg. “Social Media Find Place in Classroom” USA Today, 2011. Web. 2 Nov 2011. (http://usat.ly/qg7nGA)