Hey guys and welcome back!
Hope all of you that have returned to school already have found some sort of routine. The rest of you, time is a-ticking!
Well, I was working on a separate post that discusses character development in your classroom, and its definitely still on its way. I would just like to take a moment to discuss the place for mobile platforms in the classroom.
More and more, teachers are finding cell phones and tablets in their classrooms. And more and more, its with younger and younger students. I feel personally that there is a huge area of impact teachers are missing. Kids have their phones with them all the time, every day. How we continually choose to exclude this type of device is beyond me! If you take a device that you consider a distraction, but design it into use in your lessons, that device is no longer a distraction, but an extension of learning. Below, I'm going to outline some great games and apps for mobile learning, as well as give you some links for more information.
Let's start with my favorite, games. Now there are decidedly more learning games distributed for younger students (K-6) than there are for those that are older. But, choose to believe it or not, these kids are still walking around with cell phones, many more capable than their teachers! So here we go:
Angry Birds: Its hard to believe this phenomenon of a game could be an exercise in learning, but it definitely can. This game is entirely based on physics, but is masked in such an addictive and fun way that your student will be discovering physics, problem solving and elemental geometry at an early age. Definitely worth checking out if you're one of that 8 people who don't have access to it already. (.99 App store/ Free Android Marketplace and Chrome internet browser)
Jelly Car 2: This game delivers customization options to get your child creating within the game, but also delivers another physics based adventure. 30 levels provide students with much to do and car abilities within the levels deliver some more of those great problem solving skills we all seek. (.99 App Store/ Unfortunately not available on Android Marketplace, but look for Jelly Car 3!)
Super Why!: Based on a popular show on PBS, this app works to develop your students' vocabulary skills, though designed more for the Pre-K group. This app works on spelling, rhyming, reading and writing. ($2.99 App Store/ Again, not on Android Marketplace. Sorry! There is however, a huge amount of spelling and writing games available)
Check out the list provided at Parenting.com for more great games: Great iPhone Learning Games
For the older crowd, its tougher to provide educational experiences that are guised as games. So, what I suggest doing is using different apps as extensions of their learning.
First and foremost: Prezi! I love this app and so should you! Its a presentation app that can be downloaded for iPad (Expect an android app soon) and its fantastic. You can link it with your online account and have access from your computer or tablet. This is great for high school and middle school when they presentations of their own. Instead static powerpoints, try to implement Prezi instead! Here's a link to some samples: Prezi
Twitter: Yes, this is a social networking app. However, if that is all you think Twitter is, you are very mistaken. Twitter is by far a collaboration app. With the use of hashtags (#likethese), your students can link up with people all over the world to get insight and viewpoints on different topics. Also, with developing programs like TwHistory, immersion into content and collaboration is expanding exponentially every day. For those of you who are wary of allowing students to hop onto Twitter because of this reason (Connectability to anyone, anywhere that has a Twitter account, let me introduce you to Twiducate. It is a Twitter like app that is more of a walled garden where students are only able to connect to those who the teacher allows).
This is only a brief list of Apps you can use in your classroom. I myself learn of more almost every day by connecting to new groups on Twitter and Facebook. I suggest you do the same!
Until next time-
Gamer:Teacher
Edit: Here's a great list from Mashable on iOS apps your students should have going into school: http://on.mash.to/mWw4jJ and here's a website that continuously provides the best information on mobile apps for your students: Mobl21
Musings of a teacher who games, or a gamer who teaches.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Games Your Students Will be Playing This Fall
There are so many things to look forward to as fall approaches. Leaves changing, cooler weather, school starting. But, much like the summer of movies that preceded it, most game companies choose to release their big AAA titles or blockbusters in the fall. Which is great for us teachers. Students are starting to settle into routines and then all of a sudden, here comes three or four more new distractions. Today, I'd like to take you through the games with a higher profile that are coming out this fall in my new post: Games Your Students Will be Playing This Fall.
Before I begin going through the list, I would like to make clear that I firmly support and advocate adherence to the rating system provided by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board or ESRB. I think they have a pretty good understanding and base for how to rate games that are coming out. However, as we all know sometimes parents are a little less informed and buy their children games that are too mature for them. So, if you have a student that is playing these games, you should have an idea of what you, their parents and the student are in for.
September 2011
Let's start with the game I'm most excited for this fall; Gears of War 3. In this game, you take control of Marcus Fenix, a veteran of the COG wars on the planet Sera. In it, you fight your way through hordes of enemies known as Locusts in a battle til the end. This is the third in the series and is an Xbox 360 exclusive. It is very gory, but the developers were kind enough to throw in the option to disable blood and profanity.
Trademark: Chainsawing your enemies in half with a weapon known as the "Lancer".
Rating: I hope you don't have to guess, but this one is rated M for Mature.
October 2011
Starting its history with a long line of PC games (Battlefields 1, 2, 1942, 2142 and Heroes) and eventually bringing their games to a console market (Battlefield Bad Company 1, 2, 1943), this next iteration looks to have learned and grown from all of its predecessors to create an amazing new experience. Housing new technology dubbed Frostbite 2.0, this game will enable players to demolish entire buildings to create new pathways or take out a pesky sniper. This is a traditional military based First Person Shooter or FPS, so you can expect blood and profanity.
Trademark: Team based multiplayer with destructive environments.
Rating: Not official yet, but expect an M for Mature.
November 2011
Fourth in this inventive series, the player takes the reigns once more of Desmond Miles/Ezio Auditore. This game will most likely be layered like the previous versions in that you spend some time playing as Desmond Miles, the contemporary counterpart of Ezio Auditore. In the first game, Desmond links up with a corporate version of the Templars who use him to abstract information about his ancestor (Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad) who was an assassin during the Crusades. Assassin's Creed II takes you to the Renaissance which I personally enjoyed much more, and there these characters have stayed. Lot of story in these games, too much in fact. But it is enjoyable and you would able to tie it in with history lessons.
Trademark: Fully scalable environments, beautiful renditions of historic locales.
Rating: Expect an M for Mature with this one. It is about assassins after all.
November 2011
Ah, yes. The perennial fan favorite returns. With this game, expect your students to have sleepless weekends, get togethers and general resentment towards anything shaped like a controller. This game makes number seven in the Call of Duty franchise and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. Always a strong seller, this game has taken almost a world dominance as the multiplayer game of choice for a very wide demographic. Boys, girls, athletes, straight-A students, band nerds, popular, unpopular. You name it, and they have at least played some iteration of a Call of Duty game. This game marks the return of the characters in the previous Modern Warfare title aptly named Modern Warfare 2 in a world deep in world war. The trailer invokes images of 9/11 as buildings in New York are brought down by missiles. The single player will no doubt play like an interactive Michael Bay inspired movie, and expect tens and possibly hundreds of hours of your students time to be sunk into this game. It will be huge.
Trademark: Addictive multiplayer, movie-esque single player experience.
Rating: Expect an M for Mature, but also expect that it will find its way into your students' hands.
There are some other games that are coming out this fall that look amazing. The sequel to Batman: Arkham Asylum called Batman: Arkham City and the massive, MASSIVE Role-Playing Game named The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim are both coming out, but I wanted to give you the games that will probably receive the most airtime and publicity. If you have any questions or thoughts on these games, tell me in the comments below!
Until next time-
Gamer:Teacher
Before I begin going through the list, I would like to make clear that I firmly support and advocate adherence to the rating system provided by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board or ESRB. I think they have a pretty good understanding and base for how to rate games that are coming out. However, as we all know sometimes parents are a little less informed and buy their children games that are too mature for them. So, if you have a student that is playing these games, you should have an idea of what you, their parents and the student are in for.
September 2011 Let's start with the game I'm most excited for this fall; Gears of War 3. In this game, you take control of Marcus Fenix, a veteran of the COG wars on the planet Sera. In it, you fight your way through hordes of enemies known as Locusts in a battle til the end. This is the third in the series and is an Xbox 360 exclusive. It is very gory, but the developers were kind enough to throw in the option to disable blood and profanity.
Trademark: Chainsawing your enemies in half with a weapon known as the "Lancer".
Rating: I hope you don't have to guess, but this one is rated M for Mature.
Starting its history with a long line of PC games (Battlefields 1, 2, 1942, 2142 and Heroes) and eventually bringing their games to a console market (Battlefield Bad Company 1, 2, 1943), this next iteration looks to have learned and grown from all of its predecessors to create an amazing new experience. Housing new technology dubbed Frostbite 2.0, this game will enable players to demolish entire buildings to create new pathways or take out a pesky sniper. This is a traditional military based First Person Shooter or FPS, so you can expect blood and profanity.
Trademark: Team based multiplayer with destructive environments.
Rating: Not official yet, but expect an M for Mature.
November 2011Fourth in this inventive series, the player takes the reigns once more of Desmond Miles/Ezio Auditore. This game will most likely be layered like the previous versions in that you spend some time playing as Desmond Miles, the contemporary counterpart of Ezio Auditore. In the first game, Desmond links up with a corporate version of the Templars who use him to abstract information about his ancestor (Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad) who was an assassin during the Crusades. Assassin's Creed II takes you to the Renaissance which I personally enjoyed much more, and there these characters have stayed. Lot of story in these games, too much in fact. But it is enjoyable and you would able to tie it in with history lessons.
Trademark: Fully scalable environments, beautiful renditions of historic locales.
Rating: Expect an M for Mature with this one. It is about assassins after all.
November 2011Ah, yes. The perennial fan favorite returns. With this game, expect your students to have sleepless weekends, get togethers and general resentment towards anything shaped like a controller. This game makes number seven in the Call of Duty franchise and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. Always a strong seller, this game has taken almost a world dominance as the multiplayer game of choice for a very wide demographic. Boys, girls, athletes, straight-A students, band nerds, popular, unpopular. You name it, and they have at least played some iteration of a Call of Duty game. This game marks the return of the characters in the previous Modern Warfare title aptly named Modern Warfare 2 in a world deep in world war. The trailer invokes images of 9/11 as buildings in New York are brought down by missiles. The single player will no doubt play like an interactive Michael Bay inspired movie, and expect tens and possibly hundreds of hours of your students time to be sunk into this game. It will be huge.
Trademark: Addictive multiplayer, movie-esque single player experience.
Rating: Expect an M for Mature, but also expect that it will find its way into your students' hands.
There are some other games that are coming out this fall that look amazing. The sequel to Batman: Arkham Asylum called Batman: Arkham City and the massive, MASSIVE Role-Playing Game named The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim are both coming out, but I wanted to give you the games that will probably receive the most airtime and publicity. If you have any questions or thoughts on these games, tell me in the comments below!
Until next time-
Gamer:Teacher
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