Sunday, May 25, 2014

Engagement in Educational Gaming: Mathletics and Online Math Games


Topic of Leadership Project:  Engagement in Educational Gaming: Mathletics and Online Math Games
Date:  May 26th, 2014
Presenter(s):  Amy Barrieau
This presentation consists of a review of the literature on gaming and education, and an analysis of a software review and student survey/questionnaire I conducted. 
Reflection and Application:  This leadership project takes a close look at my personal experience with Mathletics, an e-learning platform for Math.  I have implemented this software this academic year to help support and engage my grade 6 students.  I have completed an assessment of the software with relation to student engagement and a rational for classroom implementation.  
I have also created and share an educational game database for Middle School Math.  This organized database of free online games is aimed to directly complement the teaching of current NB Math SCOs.  http://hms.nbed.nb.ca/news/online-math-games-compilation-page-strand  This project also focuses on providing tangible scenarios of when and how these games can be used to engage students in math learning. 
It has been a rewarding process to apply my knowledge from this Leadership Development Program and my Master’s Degree into this culminating project.   
Background/Inspiration for this project:  During my MEd-Technology Integration in 2012, I took a special interest in the subject of student engagement in educational gaming and I wrote a literature review regarding the subject, available here as a page on  this blog.  I have also made the implementation of Mathletics software part of my professional growth goal for 2013-2014.
 (Note: video unlisted via youtube & proper permissions obtained; this blog is also unlisted)

Resources and Readings from:
Annetta, L., Lamb, R., Bowling, B., & Cheng, R. (2011). Assessing engagement in serious educational games: The development of the student engaged learning in a technology rich interactive classroom (SELTIC). In Felicia, P. (Ed.), Handbook of research on improving learning and motivation through educational games: Multidisciplinary approaches. (pp. 310-329). MUN Library Online Reserve: IGI Global.
Herrington J., Olivier, R., Reeves, T. (2002). Patterns of engagement in authentic online learning environments.  Australian Research Council: ASCILITE. Retrieved from: http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet19/herrington.html
Oblinger, D. (2004). The next generation of educational engagement. Journal of Interactive Media in Education, 8(8), 1-18.
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Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Engaging Students through Digital Gaming


Young people today are enamoured by the engaging experience afforded by commercial video games. The Net Generation is digitally literate, prefers to learn by doing, and has been raised in the presence of computers and computer games (Oblinger, 2004). They are also willing to dedicate many hours of their free-time to gaming. Engagement has been characterised as a kind of mindfulness, intrinsic motivation, cognitive effort and focused attention, as well as an important prerequisite to learning and academic success (Herrington, Oliver & Reeves, 2003). Gaming provides a virtual learning platform that integrates learning into self-directed, immersive game play.
Harnessing gaming as a medium for engaged student learning is a worthy consideration for educators who struggle firsthand with the increasingly shortened attention span of learners today (Annetta et al., 2011). However, the integration of digital game-play into education meets with challenges and considerations. A shift in educational pedagogy may need to occur as well as a change in the role of the teacher. Aspects of game design might also be considered to ensure that 21st Century Learning objectives are being met through gaming. As with the introduction of any new teaching medium, obstacles that threaten engagement and performance pose problems to the efficacy of gaming in school.

Please feel free to visit the pages on this website and read my original paper, entitled "The Impact of Educational Gaming on Student Engagement".

You may also choose to view a prepared slidecast that further disseminates the main ideas of this paper.

Other resources have been collected regarding student engagement and educational gaming, to offer more information on this topic.

Annetta, L., Lamb, R., Bowling, B., & Cheng, R. (2011). Assessing engagement in serious educational games: The development of the student engaged learning in a technology rich interactive classroom (SELTIC). In Felicia, P. (Ed.), Handbook of research on improving learning and motivation through educational games: Multidisciplinary approaches. (pp. 310-329). MUN Library Online Reserve: IGI Global.

Herrington J., Olivier, R., Reeves, T. (2002). Patterns of engagement in authentic online learning environments. Australian Research Council: ASCILITE. Retrieved from: http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet19/herrington.html

Oblinger, D. (2004). The next generation of educational engagement. Journal of Interactive Media in Education, 8(8), 1-18.
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