Gamification

When using gamification, you must take careful consideration before selecting an activity.  The game needs to have educational value with real-life application or else the students will not learn the material.  It also needs to be appropriate for the age and skill levels of the students which means it should challenge their knowledge and encourage critical thinking without being overwhelmingly difficult.  Also, if applicable, the games need to be on secure websites, preferably with teacher or parent reports to track progress.

I think Osmo is one of the best examples of gamification I have seen.  It is app-based with new games released frequently.  I like that it has a more hands-on approach with the tiles, words, and whiteboards incorporated into the games.  The games are easy to understand and entertaining for a variety of grade levels.

                                         

I think gamification is great because it creates a fun learning environment for the students to apply their knowledge.  Nowadays, kids love playing video games or apps on their devices, so they respond well to gamification.  Also, the kids can play the online games from home and continue to practice while having fun.   

How Students Learn

Throughout my schooling, I learned best when provided with hands-on learning experiences.  Working with tactile objects helped me visualize the problem or whatever it is that I was doing as an assignment.  Moving in the classroom and staying active kept me focused and ready to learn rather than sitting at a desk for six hours a day.  Even when I was in secondary school, I preferred science classes with experiments because it reinforced the lessons and gave me a chance to apply what I had learned.  I have been able to adapt to different teaching styles, but I still prefer hands-on learning experiences instead of lectures.

                                                

I think my learning style will help me to be a more active teacher in that my students will be encouraged to immerse themselves in their learning by working with materials related to the lessons.  I understand that young children need to be active and have a short attention span.  I will not have unrealistic expectations, and I will also recognize other learning styles.  Some students are visual and that can easily be included with hands-on learning experiences.  Some kids work better in groups or individually, so I will encourage them to learn the best way they can.

                                                

I think humans need some type of reward as motivation, but each person's reward could be totally different.  Some people may want a prize reward while others are rewarded by knowing they did their best.  For example, some students study and work hard for the pure enjoyment of learning while others strive for a specific grade or bonus points.  Everyone is motivated by something that they feel is rewarding, but it varies across the population, and it can change with age, experience, and circumstance.

Augmented Reality vs. Virtual Reality

Augmented and virtual realities are on the rise in the world of technology and creating new opportunities.  Augmented reality adds interactive 3D graphics to what is already present in our world, and virtual reality creates a whole new environment that seems to remove us from our own.  Both have their advantages, but eventually one will dominate the field, and I think that will be virtual reality.  It provides the user with an experience that they may otherwise never have and can be used in gaming, entertainment, education, etc.  Augmented reality seems to be halfway between this world and the possible worlds of virtual reality, so why not go for the full experience?

Currently, I think augmented reality is a better tool for the classroom than virtual reality because of cost, participation, and adaptation.  First, there are several apps that incorporate augmented reality and are little to no cost for the user, unlike virtual reality which can be incredibly expensive for the best quality product.  Second, I think more students would be able to participate in augmented reality activities because a group of students can use an iPad app whereas only one student at a time can wear a virtual reality headset.  Lastly, I think younger students may have a hard time adapting to the new environment a virtual reality headset produces.  In my experiences with virtual reality, I have struggled to adjust after several settings and I understand how it makes some people nauseous. Also, young students could be scared by the environment if it is an underwater shark tank or a dinosaur park.  With further development I think virtual reality will prove to be the better source, but I would prefer to use augmented reality because of its current abilities.