Week 7 Assignment

Educators should aid the student at whatever their level and interests are. If students today react positively to video games, then that is what the instructor should use. However, in a lot of school districts the money isn't there to make sure every student has access to a computer. This is a shame, but true. But if the technology is available and it benefits the students academically then why not use it?

The only way online chats or instant messaging are valuable in the class room is if there is a way to turn it off during instruction time and if the students know the teacher has total access to everything they type. Because I can see students talking about pointless stuff while the teacher is talking and when they are supposed to be working. However, online chats and instant messaging are great at home for them to talk with fellow students about the homework especially if they don't understand it or even contact the teacher to seek help.

Asynchronus communication is what we do when we respond to the postings of other students in ecollege. This is great especially if you lead a busy life which we all do and take time at different parts of the day to sit down and type. This is mainly useful for information that does not need to be responded to immediately. If you need a response immediately then face to face communication is always better because you know you have their undivided attention.

Using podcasts with students can be useful especially if the teacher wants students from different backgrounds to get to know each other. They can be assigned to interview each other. I know the question has to do with whether or not it enhances their learning, but sometimes learning about a student from a different culture because you have to do an assignment together enhances how that student views the world around them.

As an educator I would have to learn more about video games myself. I do have two boys and they play video games, but frankly I have too many other things to do. I do find the idea of the student creating a video game based on teaching other students a new concept a good idea. I have a son who was not going to sit down and do the traditional flashcards to learn the alphabet. Well, a friend of mine told me of a website that made the alphabet fun and included educational games. So I took him to that website and helped him to figure out the games and he loves that website and he had fun learning the alphabet. So as far as video games in the classroom, I find it would work if it was linked to helping the student learn a concept.

I have two sons and they do have video games, but they don't want to play them everyday. They would rather play on the trampoline or with their friends. But if they wanted to play video games everyday, I would limit the amount of time they spent playing because I want them to be engaged with what the rest of the family is doing and not off in some other world.