Our first group project for our ED271: Technology Applications for Education class was to find an educational game that dealt with our content area. The purpose of their project was to open up and find different types of games appropriate for students. Speaking to my group members, our similar interest was math and most of us were elementary education majors. Since that was the case, we searched through many games and eventually found the “CSI: Hat Snatcher” game on PBSkids.org. The star of the game was Ruff Ruffman and Blossom. They are popular characters on PBS where they have children as their guests to do a series of challenges on Ruff Ruffman’s game show in his headquarters. Being an elementary education major with a focus on math, I think I will be able to use our chosen game in my content area because the game is made for fourth graders and up, it encourages math skills, and it encourages the use of technology in the classroom.
The game is made for fourth graders and up because there are some tasks required for them to listen and solve problems. There are words that some students under the fourth grade level that may not be able to comprehend. I think it would be a great game to use because the characters are familiar to those who watch PBS, but if not, may be interested in watching the show after playing the game. Elementary school is where students discover the basics of each content. Playing a game where they have to use clues to catch the culprit will open up their minds to wanting to discover new things.
According to Margaret Taplin in her article, she wrote, "Presenting a problem and developing the skills needed to solve that problem is more motivational than teaching the skills without a context. It allows the students to see a reason for learning the mathematics, and hence to become more deeply involved in learning it." Since my focus is math, it is important that my students would need to use their problem solving and thinking skills. If I were to play this game with them, they would be able to use both. There are parts of them game where they have to match evidence to figure out which type of plant, sweater, or what kind of hair color. That is the time where they would have to use their thinking skills. In the game, the suspects are given descriptions of their likes and hobbies and in order for us to figure out the last two suspects, we would have to connect the evidence to their biographies, which is the part where they have to use their problem solving skills and connect.
I would most definitely be able to use this in my content area because children these days are so used to being on their ipads, smartphones, and other wireless devices. We can hardly ask them to do something outside or even work on their homework with out using the internet. Using technology in my content area, especially students in elementary, would help keep their focus and interest in the lesson or even the game activity. In the article "Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students", it says that the use of technology has been a motivational tool for students to become engaged in the classroom and to work cooperatively with their peers. It is also a great tool for instructional choices. Online games are allowing us to catch up with society and their technological advances.
I would be able to use the “CSI: Hat Snatcher” game in my content area because it targets elementary school students, it focuses on math, and enforces the use of technology. The game consists of tasks and vocabulary that may not be appropriate for student’s third grade and under to play, but it would be a great game for students above that grade level. It would be for students in fourth grade and above because it requires them to use their critical thinking and problem solving skills. In addition to be able to using it in my content area, I believe that games like this would be effective in teaching elementary students to keep them engaged and focused in class because of their familiarity with technology.
References:
Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students. (n.d.). Retrieved October 9, 2015. http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/effectsstudents.html
Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students. (n.d.). Retrieved October 9, 2015. http://www.mathgoodies.com/articles/teaching_values.html
