Engaging Games
May 6, 2008There are several educational games that are offered online that teachers can use within their classrooms that are based on certain ELA skills, such as vocabulary, grammar, and parts of speech. Go to funbrain and choose a game to play. After playing your chosen game, talk a little about what you were required to do and share how this game fits under the 12 reasons of “Why Games Engage Us”by Marc Prensky.
For not being a “gamer” myself, Mr. Prensky’s ideas seem to promote a different and more positive perspective on games as a whole. For some reason, gaming has acquired a negative connotation in modern society, and it’s probably because people assume gamers are uneducated!
Autumn mentioned Brain Age, and that game alone has the potential to revolutionize gaming. Cranium was a bit of a revolution in the board game world, but Brain Age could do the same thing for video games, a much larger industry.
I played “Paint By Idioms,” a game where you match idioms with their everyday conversational meaning. For instance, “Every dog has its day” would be followed by four possible meanings, and every correct answer fills in a piece of a painting.
Of the twelve reasons listed, the most applicable for this game are numbers 6 and 10. #6 says that games give us feedback, and #10 says they let us solve problems, both teaching us and inspiring us, respectively. If you choose the wrong meaning for the idiom, the game tells you the right answer, but also tells you what idiom matches your answer. This is educational feedback. The game also inspires creative thinking, especially if you are unsure of an idiom’s meaning, because you then must deduce, which is a complex form of thought. -gg
The game I selected was “Paint by Idioms”. What was required in this game was to be able to identify the meaning of a particular idiom and then as the levels grew increasingly more difficult I was required to select a particular idiom after being given a general description of its meaning.
At first I thought that this game was too easy for the 10th grade level which it was listed under; however as I began playing it I saw its value. While I would imagine that all of us would not have any problem identifying what phrases such as “cop out”, “go off the deep end”, “change one’s tune” mean; however as future teachers we cannot assume that all students will have this familiarity and knowledge.
In particular this would be useful for ESL students since many idioms can only be deciphered by having cultural exposure. For instance if we were learning English I highly doubt that we would know what it means to “cop out” without having been told by a cultural insider.
I have personally seen this while working building swimming pools over the summer. Many of the guys I worked with came from El Salvador and spoke exceptional English; however fter working with them day after day I would forget the fact that they were not native English speakers and would talk to them just like I would my friends and family. In doing so I was often surprised how I could use a higher level of vocabulary when speaking with them and they would understand me, however when I would use common phrases such as the ones above they would become extremely confused. When thinking about it though I can see exactly why.
In addition, as language is constantly evolving so are the phrases which we use. Idioms and common phrases also evolve with time. When reading a piece of literature students may encounter phrases of their grandparents or even parents generation and may not know their definition, so a game such as this would also be useful in this regard.
This game definitely addresses several issues in Marc Prensky’s article: This game is fun, has a goal, gives students feedback, and provides a problem solving challenge.
I liked this post a lot. I was honestly pretty skeptical when I first read the words “gaming” and “education” in the same sentence. After this activity though I can see that games can be an excellent supplement to the classroom and for certain students such as the ESL students which I mentioned before can provide critical information which they may never acquire sitting in a traditional classroom.
-Frank-
I chose the game “Painting by Idioms” because it has a level for middle and high school aged children. I picked 10th grade, and wanted to be quizzed on idioms that have to do with moods. For every question a gamer answers correct, a character mouse paints part of a drawing. By the end, the picture is filled in.
I also agree with Frank. At first I thought that this game was going to be too easy, but as it went on, it got more difficult.
The game relates to Marcx Prensky’s article because it fits all of his requirements: it is fun, interactive because the gamer plays an important role, creates ego gratification because the gamer is rewarded, and much more.
Alexis
I played Grammar Gorillas. It not much of a game, they give you a sentence, underline a few words and tell you to click on different parts of grammar- nouns adjectives, adverbs, etc… For each right answer you get a banana (Hoorah!)
As far as Pensky’s article goes, this game’s attributes are goals, interaction, conflict, and win states.
I don’t know if I’d really consider it a game, but it was a fun way to deal with grammar. Looks like that idiom game is a real hot ticket though eh? I’ll have to check it out…
The games I chose to play were Scramble Saurus and Poptropica. The first game was an unscramble the word game based on novels. I chose one on Harry Potter. They were a little tricky because I couldn’t remember all of the Harry Potter characters, but it was fun.
Poptropica seemed like another form of second life to me. I chose a character, picked an age, it only went up to 15 so that’s what I was, and I walked around for a little while. You can chat or battle with other characters, who I think are actual people as well.
These games fit under the 12 reasons why games engage us because they teach us, motivate us, give us enjoyment, and allow us to be creative. This is hwta we hope to do in a classroom, and if games are going to get us to that goal, why not use them. In the words of Friedman, “We are now in the process of connecting all of the knowledge pools in the world together.”
-Autumn
I decided to play grammar gorilla and spellaroo. I had to choose words based on what part of speech they were in Grammar Gorilla and in Spellaroo I had to choose the word that was mispelled
I think I chose the “youngest” games! These games are different ways of learning important age-old things that we have had drilled into our head. one thing is for sure i would rather learn grammar interactively than from a worksheet printed out of a book. I think you could use some of these games for younger grades.
Like many of you guys I chose the game “Paint by Idioms”. I think the game does a good job at testing the intellect of the player. It fits under the 12 reasons because of many different things. I enjoyed the “feedback” it gave. When I got a few correct answers the game went to a different screen and asked if I’d like to change the difficulty. This is a way the game continually challenges the player to compete at the highest level that they are capable of. It also gives motivation because the mouse can not be completely painted, or you lose. It is good to see games becoming accepted learning tools.
I played the game “The Plural Girls.” In this 8th grade level game, you have to write the plural form of the singular form of the word that they give you. The game stumped me over a bunch of words, I think that it might be a little to difficult for eighth graders. However, I do think that this game is a great learning instrument.
The game fits into Prensky’s rule that games have win states. The win state of this game is to guess the right plural form of the word so that the big blue “Right!” shows up at the top of the screen, and so that the correct counter goes up. The game also fits Pensky’s rule that games have rules. The rule in this game is to give the plural form of the singular word. The outcomes and feedback from this game that gives us learning is that if you get the answer wrong, the game shows you your mistake and the right answer.
The game I selected was the “Plural Girls” tyhnking of course it would be easy. I chose the 10th grade level and sad to admit I scored 8/20. That is 8 right out of 20. I think that figures roughly a 40%.It was not easy. the plural version to one word was “bacilli” and I got the plural version of formula wrong. It’s “formulae” in case you’re wondering. Anyways it was fun. Which brings me to Prensky. prensky first rule is about having fun and how it produces enjoyment & Pleasure. Frankly, we do not allow ourselves or our students enough of this. Secondly Prensky makes the case for ‘play’ and how that inspires intense and passionate involvement. After I bombed the first game, i was ready for another! Happy to say I greatly improved my score to 15/20 and didn’t even peek into the dictionary.
This is all very odd becuae I just read the monthly Letter from the Superintendent, and in it he writes about schools in Europe, reported by a Mike Esterl, and how there is a movement to return back to early Kindergarten roots where students go out into the woods “to sing songs, build fires and roll in the mud”. His letter further states how he of course supports his students remaining on the competitive edge but he also stated that the article got his attention. He states: “I’m referring to the curriculum of play. Many of us know those who have thrown the concept of play into the backseat of life and learning. For them, play is something that can only briefly come out after long hours of work. It’s an extra, a low priority item that is available as a choice after all the really important information is taken care of…this old curriculum of play may be in danger of extinction in the home, as well…Play nurtures imagination and creativity. When done with others, play builds character. It enhances communication skills and develops group dynamics. Play is the king of problem-solving. Play opens doors to honesty, integrity,cooperation, selflessness,trust, wisdom, and a host of other qualities…the German eduactor Friedrich Frobel created the first Kindergarten, or children’s garden, over 150 years ago. At that time the Industrial Age gripped Europe’s citizens in a frenzy of competition. Frobel’s concept of nurturing play offered balance between educating for the Rat Race and educating for the Life Race. After reading Mr. Esterl’s article, I am reminded how important that balance remains.”
I thought this nicely applied to our discussion and helps teachers not to lose focus of what is truly meaningful in the midst of our test-driven classrooms.
I played “Stay Afloat.” It was similar to hangman, you just try to guess the word before all the items are added to the boat which makes it sink. This game related to all of Prensksy’s rules as well. As a child, I loved playing hangman! Students are “learning” by “doing” as Prensky states, because they have to keep trying to guess the word and look at the letters they get right to try and figure out what the word could be. Since the game involves a boat sinking, it brings in the fun aspect because the students don’t want to sink! They are also learning about whatever the topic is because each word had a topic related. So, in a sense they are learning a bit of trivia along with spelling. Oh and I just thought of an educational math game I used to love, Have any of you played number munchers?
I played “Writers Block.” It is basically just a form of blogging for students but it’s more fun and inventive. You start by choosing a character to be you and solely speak through them. They have a new topic every week and students are encouraged to talk and give each other feedback. This weeks topic was Schools and asked students what they liked and disliked about their schools. Although this may not seem to be an actual game I actually really enjoyed it. It can give students perspective to other schools and other surroundings. They will be encouraged to interact with other students and hear their feedback.
Test
I pplayed the Spellaroo game and it was really cute for younger kids. According to the Prensky’s list of why games are fun, this game fell under a few categories. It serves as “ego gratification” when you get teh words spelled correctly. It also tests a leaners knowledge of how well he or she know how to spell. It also provides feedback and encouragement which “learning” for the learner or the person playing the game. It also have problem solving which enhances “creativity” These games are perfect for young students who are learning how to spell and form sentences. The correction base also provides a reason as to why the word was spelled incorrectly. I use a database, simialr to this one, for my Spanish homework. Its an educational quizzer which gives me feedback and corrects my incorrect answers.
I played Grammar Gorillas for grade 6. It was cute but I am not sure how interested I would be in it as a 6th grade student. It was good in the fact that it follows many of the Prensky’s rules of what makes a game, including the fact that there are directions to follow and fun to be had!
The only think I worry about with bringing gaming into the classroom is that these students are spending so much time at home playing insane video games with crazy graphics and such, that these games will just be bore. Because technology is always evolving, I think it is also extremely important to keep this games evolving and interesting so that students will hold an interest to them.
Besides computer games, I like the idea of using interactive games in the classroom that students can work together on.
Below is a website I found for using math games in the classroom. THey actually have a bunch of tools you can purchase for your students to use.
http://www.multiplication.com/classroom_games.htm
I played “Stay Aflot.” It was a fun and interesting game that would serve a greater purpose in a younger age leveled classroom. This game directly relates to Prensky’s rules because students learn by doing and comprehend more when they are particpating in games like this. Through this game a topic can be defined and thats important for students to learn subjects about a certain topic.