Gaming in Literacy...On our own!

1. Gamestar Mechanic 

While looking through the website, reading through the blog, and reviewing the teacher's start up guide I found a handful of examples for incorporating Gamestar Mechanic into the classroom. I think the strongest relationship that I can see using Gamestar Mechanic in ELA instruction and learning is to teach and practice the important skills of brain storming, drafting, and peer editing. In order to create a successful game design, students must first plan what they want their story to be about, who the characters will be, and what the plot will be. Then they will go about mapping out their design and hit road blocks where they will have to edit their work multiple times. They can then be encouraged to participate in peer review where other gamers (students) can try out the games and give feedback about possible 'glitches' and suggestions for improvement. Gamers can continue this cycle until they have created a game design that they are proud of and even take the opportunity to compare and contrast how their final product differs from their original plan. This can easily be connected to the writing process and motivate students to complete each of the steps, rather then simply handing in their first draft.

• system-based thinking

• creative problem solving

• art and aesthetics

• writing and storytelling

• STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics)

Screen shot of how far I've gotten in the game...a bit addictive!

2. Gaming in Education Philosophy
As an educator who transitioned into a technology specialists position this year, I feel like I can see the benefits of gaming in education from both perspectives. When I was in the classroom I used academic games as warm ups to math and literacy periods, as introductions to new topics, or as review material, and I even assigned some for homework to give students a break during vacations. I found that these academic games helped students work on foundational skills that were necessary to build on as we moved through the curriculum and I especially loved seeing the students becoming more self-confident and noticing their own progress and growth.

As a technology specialist I've focused on using games to support classroom instruction by collaborating with teachers and finding topic and age appropriate resources. I also focus on using gaming in the classroom to promote social interaction and discussions. Working with students on the autism spectrum, promoting social interactions are always a goal we work towards as a school.


3. Game Scenario/Script

click -->   Earth's Essentials   <-- click

4. Edmodo and ELA: potential partnership 

Edmodo is a great resource that I was introduced to last year and was able to implement into my literacy class briefly at the end of the school year. I liked how I was able to provide all of the resources students needed for an assignment somewhere they could easily locate it and refer to. I used it to assign an essay based on a book we were studying. I provided a brainstorming worksheet that they could download and fill in right on the computer and then attach for a grade along with their final essay. It is also a great motivational tool because there is a social interaction aspect that looks just like the "news feed" wall on Facebook where students can post things related to school or not to one another. It also has a built in reward system where the teacher can assign badges for students' in different categories. I haven't been able to use my account since starting as the technology specialist this year but will be in a few weeks for a research study in my other course. 

Range of New Literacies - Gaming!

Game : Plants vs. Zombies   <------  Click the link to play!    :D  

1. Gaming Elements
• Text - There is limited text in this game (to the level I reached at least) which is shown in the tutorial at the beginning of the game, through brief reminders throughout the game, and through the only other character shown in the game - the neighbor. The text shows up in mostly text bubbles at the beginning of a level to give instructions or to introduce a new tool, rule, or obstacle.
• Visual-graphic elements - The visual-graphic elements of this game are pretty basic. The player's character is never seen (assumed to be hiding from the zombies in the house). The plants that the character uses to fight off the zombies are seen, the zombies are seen, and the not so intelligent neighbor comes to give advice every few levels. The point of view is focused on one image (the front yard) throughout the whole game and there is no perspective change.
• Audio elements - In terms of audio elements in this game, they are more basic then the visual-graphic elements. There is basically music that plays in the background, the sound effects of the plants shooting pea 'bullets' and other animations in the game, and a male voice that announces when the zombies have begun their attack.
2. The goal of this game is to protect your house (and self) from the zombies that are coming across your lawn using the plants at your disposal. These various plants have different abilities and work together to protect you from the zombies. The player needs to strategize the order in which the plants are chosen, and placed together on the lawn to fight the zombies.
3. The rules of the game are to use the power of the sun (also provided by the sunflowers) to put various plants on your lawn to fight for you. Plants need a certain amount of 'sun' power to be planted and can only take up one square on your lawn. If zombies attack the plant too many times the plant can be eaten leaving you vulnerable. If the zombies get through all of your defenses they reach the lawn mower which is your final defense. The next zombie will then enter your house. I don't know what happens then because I have yet to let that happen!
4. I believe this game has a fabricated scenario design because the story is not based on concepts that can be picked up in real life and the scenario design doesn't impact a players ability to succeed. 

2. Incorporating Games into the classroom

Grade Level : 8th - high functioning autism
Common core standards and learning outcomes:

• Reading #3 - Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision
• Reading #9 - Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new.
• Writing # 1.a - Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
• Speaking and Listening #1.d - Acknowledge new information expressed by others, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views in the light of the evidence presented.
• Speaking and Listening #4 - Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

Instructional activities:

• In order to make this game more related to the school's focus on social skills I would make this instructional activity one where students work in pairs. 
• Prior to playing the game I would introduce all of the characters of the game through a basic PowerPoint tutorial. I would provide the students with a chart that included an image of each of the plants and a blank space for them to fill in the names and descriptions of them as they played the game. 
• In groups of two they would begin by playing the first round of the first level. Upon completion (either passing the level or not passing) the student would be asked to stop and discuss what happened in the game, what did/didn't work, and what they could do differently. I would provide graph paper where the boxes were 1in x 1in to represent the lawn image for students to brainstorm together strategies for tackling the levels of the game. 

• The object of the lesson would be to work in their groups of two to identify the object of the game/level, discuss the information they had available to them, brainstorm strategies, and try to implement the strategies until they were able to reach level 5.

Assessment:

• One form of assessment would be based on teacher observations of the students to see if they are working together in a equal and productive team, if they are discussing challenges and theories for why they are facing these challenges, and if how they are brainstorming potential solutions.
• Another form of assessment would be based on the physical worksheets they would be completing throughout the lesson. Have they identified the important pieces of information about the plants to utilize each one? Have they figured out the rules of how each plant works on different types of zombies? Have they shown attempts at developing different strategies for different levels?
• A final form of assessment would be based on the discussion that will occur during the debriefing period.

Debriefing:

• Although this game is not based on realistic situation, it is essentially a game about strategizing and about cause and effects of decisions. In general the game can be compared to situations of security, such as the military in combat. The students can discuss what would be the first line of defense to protect our 'home' prior to necessitating actual war. They can also discuss which forms of defense worked well together and which ones didn't.

Cognitive skills:

• This activity and game helps students to cultivate their skills of identifying a goal/problem, evaluating possible challenges they may face in accomplishing their goal, brainstorming multiple plans to overcoming the challenges, and assessing all potential tools. Since the activity will require them to work in pairs, there is an addition of collaboration skills, team work, and sharing responsibility. 

New literacies skills:

• New literacies skills are defined as being able to use information and communication technology (ICT) tools to "identify questions, locate information, evaluate information synthesize information to answer questions, and communicate the answers to to others (Leu, Kinzer, Coiro, & Cammack, 2004, p. 1572).
• Students are able to accomplish all of the above through this instructional activity. They are able to identify the question of what the goal of the game is and the goal is of the time they take to strategize before playing a level, they are able to locate the information about the different plants and their abilities which they then evaluate in order to brainstorm possible solutions. They are able to synthesize the information to answer their partners questions about why they think a particular plant should be positioned there and why they think their order of planting/defending/attacking will work best. During the debriefing period each pair of students will be able to communicate what they found to be the best answer to the challenge they faced in the game and compare it with what others observed.

New Literacies

1. New Literacies: Concept and Importance

New literacies is using technology to "identify questions, locate information, evaluate the information, synthesize information to answer questions, and communicate the answers to others," (Leu, Kinzer, Coiro, and Cammack, 2004, p. 1572). New literacies consist of using the internet and other ICTs to develop and acquire the skills and strategies necessary to communicate on a global level. New literacies can consist of search engines, e-mail, blogs, e-mail, wikis, podcasts, instant messaging, YouTube, and much more. Although this technology is new, it usually builds on foundational literacies and are not meant to replace them, but rather supplement them. As the technology mentioned has been created and implemented into the social, economic, and educational world rather quickly, in turn new literacies must adapt quickly and do change. Incorporating new literacies into education and specifically into the classroom is essential for student engagement and motivation. These new literacy tools are already a basic part of students' lives. They have been born into using this technology, and it is actually working backwards to remove the use of these tools during school hours. Rather than trying to ban the use of technology, which results in misuse/narrow use of technology, schools and educators should embrace technology instead. As shown in The Wright Class, new literacies can be used in all aspects of language arts studies from comprehension, vocabulary studies, writing, research, and discussion & analysis. Using mulple tools for in depth learning helps students to think about a concept through multiple methods. For example, in Mr. Wright's class he has students work on vocabulary by using a thesaurus and the internet to create a definition in a word processing program, then has the students create an image in another program, then they can create a podcast, or a video, or discuss it with other students through instant messenger creating multiple learning experiences for a single vocabulary term. There are some challenges in implementing new literacies into the classroom. One is appropriate and efficient computer and internet usage in the classroom. Although many to most classrooms have at least one internet enable computer in the classroom, students are not receiving adequate opportunities to use the technology. Another challenge is that professional development is lacking which hinders teachers from adapting and embracing technology and new literacies. And yet another is the traditional belief that technology is taking over the role of the educator rather than it being a tool for enhancing both student and teacher learning.


2. New Literacies Definition and Framework

• Which ideas from the video reflect what the ELA teachers you interviewed are currently doing to integrate technology with their literacy instruction?
  The main teacher I interviewed has been able to integrate any of these technologies into her literacy instruction other than showing videos on her iPhone and occasionally bringing her students to my computer lab to do some quick research. 
• How can you help change their instructional practices to include the use of technology and the Internet in their literacy and content-area curriculum?
  I don't think their is a way to provide actual technology in the classroom (staff lounge - limited space in the building). Instead I think I can try to get her to sign up for a recurring slot in the computer lab so that students can have access to internet and computer usage at least once a week specifically for literacy instruction.
• What professional development and/or resources will they need in order to make these changes?
  Free time is very limited for assistant teachers, so during after school prep periods and maybe even lunch breaks I can take time to answer any technology or technology integration questions the teacher may have or if she has an idea for a lesson I can help her brainstorm what tools/resources would be appropriate for the students to use and give her a tutorial on how to use them.
• What ideas do you have for grouping students so they will have equal access to technology in the classroom?
  I think at first it may be helpful to pair students who have more technology use experience with those who may not have as much experience to provide scaffolding. Over time, these groups should be adjusted and assignments should be created where there are opportunities for independent work, along with the group work.

3. Incorporating Prezi into Presentations
The teacher works with students who are on a 2nd grade reading level and age wise they are in 6th and 7th grade. This is a tricky situation where although they may be academically lower than their peers, they still socially interact with peers of their physical age. Using technology helps bridge the gap they may see/feel otherwise. Recently the group began working on the concept of debates and chose a topic to debate as a group. Should junk food be banned in school? The students spent some time completing research on junk food, effects on the body, and what other schools were doing. The students then chose a side and put together their reasons for their debate. They then followed a traditional debate style of prompted discussion between the two sides.

Instead of simply stating their facts as researched from the internet, I would suggest implementing a group Prezi presentation (1 per side) to start off the debate. Creating the Prezi allows students to add all of the facts they want/need and feel are important and have them to refer to while presenting their side. Public speaking and remembering everything they want to share can often be a challenge for students on the autism spectrum, even those whoa re diagnosed high functioning as our students are. This tool relieves that stress and allows for the students to focus their attention on their facts and getting their opinions across to the audience. Prezi also allows for images to be shared, so students can either find images that they believe will make their arguments stronger or create and integrate them into their Prezi. Also, working as a group to create each sides Prezi requires students to work together in making decisions, organizing, writing, and editing which helps create a more cohesive group when presenting. For our students it also provides an opportunity for natural peer interaction, discussion, and problem solving. In order to complete this project the class would need at least two computer lab periods (30 min) a week for 2 weeks. One class to research, two classes to organize and create the Prezi presentations, and one class to present and debate. The students would be assessed with a rubric on three sections (1) research - written form of research and organization of presentation (2) group work - how often, appropriately, and efficiently students interacted (3) presentation - each student should present and be vocal during debate. 

Common Core Standards & Shifts AND Technology In Language Arts

1. My understanding of ELA instruction is...

• that it serves the purpose of preparing our students for successful academic and/or professional careers in a world where communication (written and spoken) is global and technologically advanced. 
• that its' focus is on both content and on the application of knowledge through higher order skills. The importance is not only on skills or tests but on students' ability to make connections between their skills, their ideas, their ability to apply these to real world problems.
• that it is informed by what other countries are doing to help prepare students to participate in a global economy.
• that it is based on the Common Core standards and shifts which are clear, understandable, and consistent.
• that it is broken into areas of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language, though it is not encouraged to teach the areas exclusive of one another but rather, through assignments and projects that purposefully include all of the areas.
• that it provides clear guidelines of what is expected of students and educators for each area and each grade, while still allowing for the flexibility in choosing instructional methods and differentiation by educators and schools.

2. A great technology tool for ELA is...

• Prezi - an alternative presentation tool to Microsoft PowerPoint.

• Prezi is a tool that can assist in each of the five components of ELA instruction, reading, writing, listening, speaking, and language.
• Prezi allows its' creators the freedom to create a presentation that is dynamic, rather than linear like a typical slideshow type presentation. It pushes the creator to get their idea across to their audience using more concise written language, while also allowing for the addition of details before and during the presentation. It encourages the creator to be knowledgeable about their topic in order to appropriately share all of the important information while also being more interactive with their audience. For students, it is motivational to create and present language based presentations because of the opportunity to be creative, individual, and to create in the order their mind thinks rather than slide 1 should have...slide 2 should have. It allows for easy edits and additions, contains attention grasping animation choices, and has a range of templates to be used by beginners to those who want a little more of a challenge.

3. ELA teacher interview...

• I interviewed an ELA teacher (also my friend) at work about what she feels are personal challenges to integrating technology into her literacy teaching.
• Some background...We work at a non-profit private school designed for students with high functioning autism. Our math and literacy instruction is broken into hour blocks where students are broken into leveled groups and are instructed by head teachers or assistant teachers (or a team of the two). We have a brand new building but there is fairly limited space. We basically have 1 classroom per grade, except for two 3rd and 4th grade classrooms. We utilize every space we can for instruction.

 Here are some of her thoughts/feelings...

• "The biggest problem for me right now is the space I work in. I have a group of 3 in the staff lounge and there is no access to a computer, Smart Board, anything in the room. I wind up using my iPhone a lot of the time to show a quick video as an introduction to something new or as an example if they aren't getting it, even though we're not supposed to. [Names the three students] are really low for their grade level so it's really hard to keep their attention with only discussions. I try to put up those big sticky notes on the way and use prompting but when I focus on one student I lose another. [I asked about using my computer lab for certain lessons/access to computers]. I try to sign up for slots in the lab when you don't have classes or the days you're out but it's been harder lately because of all the state testing. Plus, it's just me with them and they don't really know how to do research or understand the task so I'm running around from kid to kid trying to help them and before you know it the period is over. [I asked if she had a say, what would she want technology wise to help in her literacy instruction]. I know we have two iPads at school, but I never have time to fill out the forms and that's to keep them for one day. It would be nice to have access to an iPad or laptop to use  on a regular basis, but then we'd need access to the wi-fi and that's a whole other issue."

LearningSpring School

Interviewee