Digital blog E

 Teaching problem solving with computers is a great way to really learn and get in depth with your work. With a computer they are interacting with their learning, the students do not only have the basic answers, they have a game where they will have fun while critical thinking is happening. In the text book, Transforming Learning with new Technologies, they explain how students do not need to think as much when there is a problem like 2 times 2 because they know the answer already. When they play a learning game there is so much more. It can involve searching towns for problems, conducting hypothesis, economic and social outcomes, and the text book explains how students do not get to have simple solutions. Instead they can follow the research process to proceed.

Reading over some of the learning software you can use I saw my favorite, Google Earth. Google Earth is a great way to explore the world as a student and see the differences between places. As a teacher I would be able to incorporate Google Earth with math, English, history, and so much more. For example if you are talking about Martin Luther King, you can take Google Earth and go to where he gave his most famous speeches. I shared this small piece from Storybird.
 

There is a difference between Internet based games and desktop games. Internet based games are used for educational purposes and are usually free. While desktop games are for educational purposes also, they are games you purchase from a company and take a while to play. They can both be used for learning, as a future 21^st century educator my pick would be the Internet based games. I would want my students to get into the game and learn as much as possible from it, so Internet based games are not as long as desktop and I want my students to play the game but remember there are other things to do.

In conclusion, learning based games are a great way to interact with learning. The way people have been using and interpreting the word ‘Game’ is going to change. I think back to when I was in elementary school and I would have benefited a lot from learning games. Google Earth would have been great to use while I was learning geography, to see a visual of the mountains like that will make you think of the endless possibilities.

References:

Maloy, R. (2011). Transforming learning with new technologies. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
McBride, M. (2015, October 1). What will they see. Where will they go. by Melly0207 on Storybird. Retrieved October 1, 2015, from http://storybird.com/chapters/what-will-they-see-where-will-they-go/?token=g4b2meu8mm
Shapiro, J. (2014, May 1). How Games Lead Kids to the Good Stuff: Understanding Context. Retrieved September 30, 2015, from http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/05/01/how-games-based-learning-teaches-problem-solving-in-context/
Using Games for Classroom Assessment. (n.d.). Retrieved October 1, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-BBsPl9GSo