Day 5--Afternoon

Question: Who supports and who benefits from your participation in this project? What other technology do you wish you could use or have support for?


My support comes basically from NCSU instructors and myself. My county does not even know what I am doing. I know that my new principal will be interested in this but she is on maternity leave at this moment. But, I know that I will catch her up to date when she comes back. I would love to do a workshop on I-casts and how to implement them into my instruction. I benefit from this workshop in gaining knowledge and teaching strategies. I feel that my students will benefit as well once I can implement my game successfully.

Day 5--Morning

Question: How do you see this game as a tool for connecting with your students?

I can see this game as a way to catch their interest and allow them to learn in a fun manner. This game can combine a student's love of video games and a course's knowledge into one. Students will not get bored and will hopefully have a goal(points, or winning) to learn the material. I feel that this game will allow a connection between what they see as recreation and real learning. It will make my job as an educator easier if my students are alert and interested in their learning on a day to day basis.

Day 4--Shut down/Power OffR

Reflection:
Today was one of learner and screaming. I worked with my world all day and I think that I deleted as much as I placed into it. At the end of the day, I just happened to venture into the HUD. Boy was this a mistake. I then began receiving error messages every time I tried to go into the play mode. Oliver promised me that he would fix it tonight. I bet Oliver will be glad when tomorrow is over so he can go back to sleeping. I have learned many new techniques and short cuts into placing objects/sound/motion. I still need to come up with an idea for my game and I am at a loss right now for what I need to focus on. The two topics that I may use are the cell and its organelles or ionic compounds/bonding. I need to do some more thinking and evaluating. Hopefully, I will have an idea soon.

Day 4--Afternoon

Question: What interested you in video games as a form of teaching?


I noticed the preoccupation that my students had with the video games, I-Pods, or MP3 players. They could listen or play with these devices constantly. I figured anything that can interest a teenager for this amount of time needed to be used to relay educational knowledge as well. I did not know at the time of my decision just how much time and practice it was going to take to make a video game. I know the concept can work but it is going to be a learning process for me and my students. But, the fact that they can teach me something may be a way to make that needed connection or interrelationship between a teacher and her students. I am not a pro at video gaming so I have alot to learn but I am willing and that is a start.

Day 4-Morning

Question: What do you do well when connecting with your students? Do you have concerns about connecting with your students?

I think the best thing I do when I feel that connection with my students is when I relate to their world in my methods of teaching. In my school, adults are seen as the enemy and not to be trusted. They have never had an adult to depend on or rely on for anything. I have to prove to them that I can be trusted and that I am there to help them. When I started this job in January, it took me at least 9 weeks to connect with the kids in my classroom. This was terrible and I almost quit because I need this connection to feel successful. The different environments from which I am familiar with and my students are familiar with causes me much concern. I want to relate but a lot of what goes on in their homes would not be things to which I could relate because I had a rather safe and caring childhood/teenage life. My kids say that I have lived a shelter life. Maybe, I have been sheltered compared to what they have experienced but who says that I can not shelter their lives for the time in which I have them in my classroom.

Day 3--Shut Down, Power Off

Today was great!!!! I learned many new things and am eager to try them out. I hope to have more time tomorrow to build in my test world and try out the sounds. I hope to practice some tonight as well.

Day 3--Afternoon

Question: Describe how your students learn best.

My students learn best when they are engaged. In a 90 minute block, students need to be offered a variety of activities to keep their interest or at least, their eyes open. I also find that my students learn best in small group discussions. If my students feel that they are being actively involved in the learning then they are more apt to listen when I do need to lecture or give notes. They know that in order to be successful in the activities/labs/discussions that they must be aware of the background or underlying concepts discussed earlier.