Category: Games

The Powerful Link between Creativity and Play

Creativity and Play

Designer Tim Brown shares the powerful relationship between creative thinking and play during the 2008 Serious Play conference. Brown includes many playful examples you can try at home (and one that maybe you shouldn’t).

NECC This Morning

I’ve spent most of today participating in the following sessions and meeting online friends in the Bloggers’ Cafe. I’m looking forward to the presentation of the ISTE Classroom Observation Instrument (ICOT) later today. I’m curious to see how it stacks up against similar instruments like LoTi. Perhaps I’ll get a chance to post my thoughts about it. For now, here’s what I’ve attended to day.

Diigo: A Swiss Army Knife for Your Browser by Maggie Tsai, Diigo Co-Founder
Maggie gave a crash course in the basic features and use of Diigo. After her presentation she asked to interview me on camera and I reluctantly agreed. I shared some of the most common ways that Diigo is being used by my students, teachers with whom I mentor in professional development, and by me. She also asked me to share ways that I thought their technology could be improved and I reiterated ideas that I’d previously shared on Miguel’s discussions (here and here) related to this topic. I was pleased with her responses to my technical and design suggestions (She even contacted the engineers about one of the issues while we were talking.) and she provided Diigo’s rationale for why the ads, for now, will continue to exist throughout the tool. She assured me that they are indeed considering

Creating a Ning Network from Scratch by Steve Hargadon
If you want to learn about setting up your own Ning you might as well learn from the master. I’m comfortable using this “tool” but Steve provided useful insight regarding design and implementation which I found valuable.

Using Understanding by Design (UbD) to Create Technology Rich, Deep Learning Unit Plans by Chris Lehmann and Marcie Hull
There are oodles of similar models out there but I found this one to be practical but thorough. I’m going to take another look at Understanding by Design when I return home.

This Afternoon at EBC

Diving Deep into Google Earth and Google Maps

Web 2.0 in Teacher Education (Program Info)

  1. My presenter notes
  2. Alternative to the term Web 2.0 is the Read, Write Web
  3. Teacher education and professional development that effectively helps teachers better integrate technology with teaching and learning
    • Allow the teachers to select their own goals and help them reach them
    • Online social networks can more easily provide the in-time assistance, coaching, mentoring, etc. that individuals during development/learning, but teachers often don’t think about using the networks
  4. How do we prepare teachers to teach in the 1-to-1 environment?
    • The emphasis should change from "teaching" to designing learning that engages the students.
  5. Resources for future teachers

Designing the 21st Century Global Learning Environments (Program Info)

  1. Building on some online discussion that has been ocurring for the past year here and here.
  2. If there were no barriers what would education look like? Brainstorming notes

This Morning at EBC

I’ll be updating this post throughout the day to alert you of things happening here at EBC San Antonio. The full list of sessions is here. I’ll be sharing information form the sessions that I’m attending. The session titles are in bold.

Social Networking for Professional Development

Scott Merrick is sitting next to me and streaming this discussion live.

  1. Should it be organized or self-forming?
    • Should the tool(s) be dictated?
  2. An atmosphere promoting risk-taking is imperative.
  3. Teachers know what they want to learn. Professional development should be tailored around them rather requiring them to attend PD in which they had no say.

Social Networking in the Classroom

Vicki Davis is sitting by me and is streaming this seession here.

  1. Teachers in the room are using Ning, Elgg, and several private online communities.
  2. Julie Lindsay and Vicki Davis updated us about the Flat Classroom and the Horizon Project.
  3. How important are digital citizenship and pedagogy in these decisions?
  4. If someone says a curse word in the classroom do we close the school? If there’s a fight at recess do we quit having recess? Why do we over react to these problems in online spaces?

Teaching Economics with an Educational Game

What do a stranded alien race and microeconomics have in common? You just have to see this to believe it!!!

Econ 2001, UNC-Greensboro

Here are some random thoughts that I’d very quickly like to share.

  • This is a good example of an educational video game rather than a COTS game that has been adapted for/integrated into teaching and learning.
  • Learners will need to use their imaginations. That’s always a very good thing.
  • I can see curricular connections with math and science (time, space, measurement, money/budgeting), social studies and geography (historic relevance, how would the game be different when set in different time periods, travel), and language arts (critique, parts of a story, journaling and reflective exercises, and more).
  • I suspect we’ll be seeing more and more of this in the near future. Teachers and others with expertise in instructional design need to be heavily involved in such endeavors.
  • Why wasn’t my microeconomics class like this?! Why weren’t any of my classes like this?! I’m not a gamer AT ALL (ask my son or DC) but this looks interesting to me.
  • All things considered (likely resources available, instructional setting, purpose, etc.) it has nice graphics and a good user-interface.

    • Discussion

    1. What is your reaction to this instructional strategy?
    2. What other ways could this be integrated with the curriculum?

    Newsletter on Educational Technology

    Throughout the years many of the preservice and in-service teachers in my classes, workshops, and presentations have requested that I start an email newsletter. They indicate that in addition to this blog they would like to receive occasional emails sharing rich resources related to technology integration. I’m excited to announce that I have answered these requests.

    Clif’s Newsletter on Educational Technology focuses on the effective integration of technology with teaching and learning. Subscribers of this free service will receive occasional emails providing valuable resources and information about lesson plans, activities, technologies, research, etc., related to educational technology.

    OPEN TO PUBLIC
    Subscription to this newsletter is open to everyone. You are encouraged to share this with everyone with an interest in education (teachers, administrators, homeschooling families, friends, classmates, co-workers, etc.). Everyone is invited to receive this free newsletter.

    PRIVACY POLICY
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    MANAGING SUBSCRIPTIONS
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    New STEM Resources and Games from PBS KIDS GO!

    Our kids watch several of these programs and have enjoyed playing these games. All things considered these games are pretty good.

    April 23, 2008 – Several new online science and math games are now available from PBS KIDS GO!

    PBS KIDS GO!More and more educators are discovering the value of online games, which allow students to practice new skills and educators to quickly assess student understanding. The games and activities below provide teachers and students with fresh approaches to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) that are critical to 21st century learning.

    Cyberchase: Math and Sports
    Make a connection between math and sports. Explore this newest thematic unit from Cyberchase that encourages kids to see and practice the math concepts used to plan, track, and calculate facts and figures in sporting events. Find classroom activities, view online video and play the new CyberOlympics game.

    Dragonfly TV: Nanobots
    Learn more about nanotechnology by adjusting the positive and negative charges to guide a nanobot through an obstacle course. Traverse preexisting courses or build your own.

    Fetch!: Geyser Surpriser
    Discover what is required for a geyser to exist by manipulating three of the elements that make up a geyser. Then, add to your knowledge of geyser trivia while playing a bonus game.

    Fetch!: CSI: Squeak Sneak
    Use problem-solving and logical reasoning strategies to deduce who stole Ruff’s squeaky toy. Search for clues at the crime scene, analyze and identify the clues in the crime lab and identify the thief by matching clues to suspects.

    –From PBS Teachers

    1 Thing

    I’ve added a new feature to Clif’s Notes called 1 Thing. This special section is an area where guest bloggers can communicate “1 thing” they would like to share, suggest, say, demonstrate, etc. about a particular topic. This section will forever be a work in progress, so feel free to suggest guest bloggers and topics anytime. You can easily access this section by clicking on the 1 Thing link in the main menu.