Friday, March 1, 2013

journal #7

Summary:
There are two main types of software:
System software- which is responsible for all the functions and control of a computer.
Application software- performs specific functions in specialized ways to produce a variety of services.
It then talks about the standard software apps people use like word, PowerPoint, Internet explorer, etc. that people may be very familiar with. The book even talks about what constitues a bad educational software which is: 1: the program, not the child, controls the activity.
                                                  2: The game promotes competition, steretyping or violence.
                                                  3: software favors quick reactions over long termed thinking.
Now point one is obviously true. Point two I disagree with competition being a bad thing. stereotyping and violence are obvious things we want children to avoid in a school setting, but competition is what our country is born with. I mean look at Manifest Destiny, Emilia Earheart, Cold War, Pepsi Coke debate, Olympics (minus the scandalls), and Microsoft all born from competition. I mean I'm not qualified to teach, I don't have a teaching degree or nothing like that, but I mean to me it seems if we hand a student a little bit of pride and confidence and pin them against another student with pride and confidence by the end of the year we will have two students that will make einstein look like a washed up newspaper. I mean those kids would differentiate that guy's parables straight to the infinite trash bin.
Another thing I found kinda cool about this chapter was the strong pull to get backed up by the math section. I don't know by clever design of my teacher trying to tell me "Hello!!!!! read the book you idiot especially this next one seeing as how its all about your field come on!" Or if I am the luckiest guy in the world and got a textbook with a chapter all about me, but what I believe is the coolest one is the ITS Intelligent Tutoring Center. Another one good for the elementary school level is Zoombinis, and what really stood out to me as just a fun time killer before work a game called MeCHeM I hope Irobot doesn't become a reality, but the good thing is if it does we have a military training program for it so we will be good. The reason why I'm being slightly condensending to this helpful program is the fact that the authors placed this fun program 15 pages away from their standard number two thus why I say IF violence is being used here my competition idea isn't that far off.

Focus question #4
Teachers can use games to aid them with learning because games have a concept of stealth learning in which students learn without really realizing it. Also games in which students are in control makes them want to learn. Now teachers can also use this for their kinesthetic and visual learners are the main focus for these games. Which is why teachers need to understand differentiation in structure, in which teachers plan their lesson in order to fulfill all the needs of all their students.

For example this is MeCHeM which helps students with chemistry. this game teaches students about which sollutions are effective for different types of reactions. In this case it can help teachers to teach applied chemistry or create a project based around this game. Seeing as how the current generations are the ones with the most access to technology such advances in school curriculum will deffinetly aid in learning.






1 comment:

  1. Sounds like you related to this chapter and had a fair number of 'take-aways'. Gaming is an awesome way to support learning and even provide learning that is not easily translated in more traditional ways, especially as it relates to problem-solving, strategic thinking, and even iteration. It is also so motivating. I think if you explore Papert a bit deeper, you will understand why he selected to use the term competitive in describing low-quality software. For educational purposes, the collaborative nature of learning fits the social constructivist view much more than the competitive.

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