Reflection Paper
The key word to this course has been the agents of change (Lemke & Coughlin, 2009). As educators in the 21st Century, we must be willing to change. We must be willing to change what we do in the classroom, and we must realize who we are teaching in the classroom. Our students are digital natives and because of that, our methods must change. Gaming and virtual worlds in the classroom are a few of these agents of change. We must also be proactive and find ways to fund these concepts and bring them to fruition.
James Paul Gee gives us learning principles that can help us justify gaming in the classroom. Gaming in the classroom provides the 21st Century student with ways to create an identity (learn a new domain), interact, produce, take risks, customize (change game to fit their style), create agency, challenge and consolidate, become pleasantly frustrated and explore, think laterally and distribute knowledge (Gee, 2005).
Karen Billings helps us realize that we have to have a plan when we try to sell the idea of gaming in the classroom. Preparing and getting the right teachers on board will help with the implementation of gaming in our schools (Billings, 2009). We also need to realize that wishing for change won’t make it happen. Planning, creating a team, finding resources for grants, and learning from others who have paved the way are ideas we need to follow (Gerding & Mackellar, 2006).
Teaching in the classroom use to be an art. Today it is a science. Changing the way we think and how we teach will change our classrooms. We must be willing to go to whatever lengths to meet the needs of all our students and use all the technology and funds available to us to make us agents of change and make others wanting to follow us.
References:
Billings, K. (2009). Lessons from the trenches. School Library Journal, 55(10), 26–27. Retrieved from the Education Research Complete database.
Gee, J. P. (2005). Good video games and good learning. Phi Kappa Phi Forum, 85(2), 33–37. Retrieved from the Academic Search Premier database.
Gerding, S., & Mackellar, P. (2006). Wishing won’t work: 10 things you need to know and do when applying for technology grants. Computers in Libraries, 26(7), 6–15. Retrieved from the Education Research Complete database.
Lemke, C., & Coughlin, E. (2009). The change agents. Educational Leadership, 67(1), 54–59. Reproduced with permission of Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development in the format electronic usage via Copyright Clearance Center.
