Schools, Games, and Games AT School!

Hello party people!

I LOVED the class we had today because we talked about one of my favourite things to do, gaming! As a class we talked about the many different games students can play that are, not only fun, but educational too! We chatted about Gimkit (brought up by Cameron), Kahoot!, Prodigy Math, GoNoodle, and (my personal favourite) Minecraft!

I’ve only played the game Minecraft and haven’t played Minecraft Education but I can see how it’s a helpful tool for learners. I remember playing during the pandemic and having to use math skills, forging skills, and crafting items through recipes!

Rylee talked about using Teach Your Monster, when I looked through the site, I saw that it can help students read at a level or reading for pleasure, number sense, and nutrition! 

Ok, so, I’m going to level with you, I am TIRED. I will be chatting more but I’m going to use Chat GPT to summarize my notes but using a gaming bro type of tone (let’s see if this actually works):

Yo, check out the gaming scene in schools, bro! It’s not just about hitting up your favorite FPS or RPG anymore. We’re talking about bringing games into the classroom to level up that learning experience.

So, peep this: there’s Gimkit, where kids can flex their brain muscles by answering questions and earning energy to push further in the game. It’s like a quiz showdown with a sweet gaming twist. Then there’s Minecraft, where students can unleash their creativity while learning about everything from science to history.

But hold up, before we get too hyped, there are some concerns to keep in mind. Like, what if students get too hooked on the game and can’t function without it? Plus, there’s the worry that games might not be taken seriously as a teaching tool, or that they could make other learning activities seem boring by comparison. And let’s not forget about how students might react to the consequences in the game – we gotta make sure it’s all good vibes, right?

But yo, when done right, gamification is like the ultimate power-up for learning. It’s all about rewards, like badges and leaderboards to show off your skills. And you know it’s gotta look fly too – colorful graphics, high-def visuals, and characters that feel like they’re straight outta real life.

And let’s not forget about the progression of difficulty. We gotta keep things challenging to keep students motivated. Plus, timely feedback is key – whether it’s from online characters, teachers, or the consequences of their in-game actions.

But yo, barriers exist, like the cost of games, limited time, and not knowing where to find the good stuff. But don’t sweat it, we’ve got resources like PBS Kids and IXL to hook us up.

And yo, Minecraft isn’t just about building stuff – it’s a whole curriculum, covering everything from science to language arts. And when it comes to coding, we’re talking about scratch and blockly – it’s like leveling up your computational thinking skills.

But real talk, it’s not just about the games – it’s about the community. Folks like Lara Kehler are out here creating safe spaces for kids to learn and connect through gaming. It’s all about giving them a common purpose and letting them level up on their own terms.

So yeah, gaming in schools isn’t just a side quest – it’s the main storyline, bro. Let’s level up that education game together!

I… am… CRYING LAUGHING, this was such a joy to read and way better than how I would’ve summarized it. I’m almost a little concerned with how well it summarized it in a gaming bro kind of tone. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did.

I can’t believe we’re inching closer and CLOSER to the end of our semester, this will be my LAST CLASS REFLECTION (not counting the final summary of my reflection). You might see that final reflection sooner rather than later… mostly because I have SO MUCH TO DO.

PEACE OUT HOMIES!

-Kimiko