What ideas do you have for the game or animation you are going to design with SCRATCH to support content area learning?
I would like to try and create a game that will improve multiplication skills for third and fourth graders.
Double Entry Journal Six
Quote One:
"Researchers interested in computer-supported collaborative learning have paid little attention to the field of arts and design education as the more prominent focus has been on science, mathematics and to a lesser degree, social studies and language arts. Among a number of reasons that can explain this absence of interest is the lack of new technologies in the arts education curriculum."
As a teacher, I never really thought about arts and design as a part of a curriculum. I think that it would be something great that would definitely be beneficial to students entering middle school because by that age I feel that they are beginning to find their niche with what they may want to do in the future. Although, the core classes are important it is often hard to engage students in a subject if it is something that they are not interested in learning. It would be terrific if schools had the funding necessary to buy the new and best technology to accommodate these students.
Quote Two:
By introducing media arts practices, we are trying to broaden our view of literacy practices to describe the ways in which individuals use literacy and learn to be literate within the specific context of new media.
I can see where many schools are trying to integrate more of the media arts into their schools. I think every school that I have subbed in has computers and white boards, although they may not be the newest and best. Many have i-pods and i-pad labs that are passed around to the different classes throughout the week. I think that it is a great opportunity for students and teachers to learn.
Quote Three:
"Despite Brandy’s ability to do sophisticated work on the computer (and was now in many ways technologically fluent), Brandy was still unable to read at grade level and had very much stayed at the same level in both reading and writing."
I felt happy that Brandy found something that she was able to succeed in,but at the same time I was sad because I wondered what was going on that she did not increase her reading and writing levels. A whole year and a half passed and she did not show any improvements in reading and writing. It is great that she found a way to share her ideas, but reading and writing are both very important parts of her future.
I would like to try and create a game that will improve multiplication skills for third and fourth graders.
Double Entry Journal Six
Quote One:
"Researchers interested in computer-supported collaborative learning have paid little attention to the field of arts and design education as the more prominent focus has been on science, mathematics and to a lesser degree, social studies and language arts. Among a number of reasons that can explain this absence of interest is the lack of new technologies in the arts education curriculum."
As a teacher, I never really thought about arts and design as a part of a curriculum. I think that it would be something great that would definitely be beneficial to students entering middle school because by that age I feel that they are beginning to find their niche with what they may want to do in the future. Although, the core classes are important it is often hard to engage students in a subject if it is something that they are not interested in learning. It would be terrific if schools had the funding necessary to buy the new and best technology to accommodate these students.
Quote Two:
By introducing media arts practices, we are trying to broaden our view of literacy practices to describe the ways in which individuals use literacy and learn to be literate within the specific context of new media.
I can see where many schools are trying to integrate more of the media arts into their schools. I think every school that I have subbed in has computers and white boards, although they may not be the newest and best. Many have i-pods and i-pad labs that are passed around to the different classes throughout the week. I think that it is a great opportunity for students and teachers to learn.
Quote Three:
"Despite Brandy’s ability to do sophisticated work on the computer (and was now in many ways technologically fluent), Brandy was still unable to read at grade level and had very much stayed at the same level in both reading and writing."
I felt happy that Brandy found something that she was able to succeed in,but at the same time I was sad because I wondered what was going on that she did not increase her reading and writing levels. A whole year and a half passed and she did not show any improvements in reading and writing. It is great that she found a way to share her ideas, but reading and writing are both very important parts of her future.
I found it very interesting that we both picked two of the same quote to write about. However, as for quote one, I have a slightly different opinion. I agree with the fact the incorporating arts and design into the curriculum is a wonderful idea, but I disagree that middle school aged children are discovering their niche and future desires. Middle school is a very hard time for children. They typically are very confused and far from figuring out what they want on a daily basis, let alone for their future; with the exception of a few gifted, goal oriented individuals.
ReplyDeleteI also chose quote two, I absolutely agree that integrating media arts into the classrooms as much as possible is very important. We live in a digital age, and it is paramount that all students become acquainted with using technology; every career demands it.
As for quote three, I also entirely agree with what you said. Brandi made tremendous progress using technology, but reading and writing are the foundation of the educational processes; everything we do in life requires use of these skills.
Can classroom teachers draw on her interest in game design to engage her in school-based reading and writing? Obviously she has the cognitive ability to learn to read.
ReplyDeleteWhat if classroom teachers provided her with some other kinds of texts to read rather than text books or leveled texts designed to teach kids phonics rather than learning to read to find information to satisfy a curiosity or desire to accomplish something meaningful in the world?