Dear Team 4 members,
Please know that your assigned team member for this week did not send in the post as yet. Therefore, for this week, you will read and comment on the post titled “Wikis, Sites, Docs & Pads: The Many flavors of Collaborative Writing”. Read this post here and then come back to this very page to record your comments.
– Muhammad Adil Arshad
Your parents might remember that whenever they had something to research on or to understand some topic they would have to go to a library and open up, old huge textbooks, or more likely an encyclopedia to obtain all the facts they needed. Nowadays that is definitely not the case! Why open a textbook when you can easily use the internet and find out whatever you need in just a few minutes by using the specific terminology in the search engine? Usually the first website with the information you’re looking for that pops up on your search result is Wikipedia.
Wikipedia can be considered your own online encyclopedia, but the beauty of this encyclopedia is that anyone on the net can edit it; information is edited by the people, for the people until it is deemed to be mostly accurate. Though when this project was initiated by Ward Cunningham in 1995 no one thought that this project would become so well known. When Wikipedia was initiated the creators wanted to create a place where different writers would be able to contribute and share without any hurdles. Wikipedia’s reliability and style has drawn a lot of attention from the academics. Students now a day’s prefer the use of Wikibooks or other technological resources for learning instead of opening up their textbooks. Persichite, Caffarella & Tharp (1999) discussed the effective modeling of technology, their point of view was that for technology addition in learning to be flourishing for the teachers it is important that they provide students with basic effective modeling.
In some researches it was seen that students learn better online compared to textbooks that are provided in the classroom, it has also been seen the use of technological resources in introductory classes have helped in enhancing students performance in later higher level professional courses and has facilitated them. In the western educational sector the majority of students indicated that Wikibook did a better job compared to traditional textbooks.
In our educational sector the usage of technological resources such as Wikibooks should be more commonly used. This will help save time of the students, and help students here keep up with the rest of the world. Learning will be a fun and much more inspiring using the net which in turn will play a role in our retaining knowledge.
Wikipedia is one of the most useful source of information .But why Wikipedia? Most students first prefer Wikipedia source because it gives complete information while they doing their research paper. Wikipedia provides students a summary of a topic, the meaning of related terms, and also get students started on their research and offers a usable interface. Students who are majoring in architecture, engineering or the science are more likely to use Wikipedia than other majors. According to research, students from these majors are almost three times more likely to be Wikipedia users, compared to social science majors. College and universities students although use Wikipedia extensively, but they do so knowing its limitations. They use Wikipedia just as most of us do because it is a quick way to get started.
Personally I also use Wikipedia while doing my assignments because all the information given in Wikipedia is mostly helpful and basic. I always start my literature search about any new topic from Wikipedia and then I also use other sources to counter check the reliability of information. I recognize the fact that Wikipedia is probably the richest source of information for students but it is not the most authentic, therefore while searching for new information one should multiple sources in addition to Wikipedia. What do you guys think about it? Do you also visit Wikipedia pages to do your assignments, even if your instructor suggests that you should not?
Wikipedia is a great source of information and now a day’s people gets lots of information from this source. Wikipedia provide huge collection of any article that has been search by user. Wikipedia can help a person to find and discover many ideas about a topic that he needs to write about. In our education system we still focus on text books. No doubt the text books are very effective for us but there are some weaknesses in it like, the text book has lengthy publication and thus will certainly include outdated information as part of the final product. Books never use to update by anyone but on the information on the Wikipedia updates regularly. Today the students don’t like to read text book because if they need information on any topic they go through lots of material. Sometimes they found information about their topic but sometime not while Wikipedia provide exact information about our need. Now, the educators are moving towards supplement text book with other information from the internet.
I personally think that Wikipedia is a web site that has become one of the most useful and biggest websites on the Internet because there are many causes. The causes are that Wikipedia helps researchers to get information very easily, contributes to spreading the information and knowledge, and allows everyone to write and discuss his opinions and subjects. The other benefit is that everyone can participate in Wikipedia either by writing or discussing any information or article. But many teachers believe that Wikipedia is not a trusted source because anyone can write articles and edit information anytime.
However, these people are forgetting something important. Students can take out information from Wikipedia, and then they should verify if the information is true or not. My opinion about Wikipedia is that it is a modern encyclopedia that contains a lot of information. In reality, this site is a source that helps students, teachers, researchers, workers, to find a lot of information and many articles about their subjects that they need. Also, it contributes to spreading new information and knowledge around the world in different languages. And also it allows us to share our ideas, and many people can discuss them. Finally, I think that Wikipedia is one of the best sites on Internet where many people can get benefit from.
Video games cover different aspects on one’s learning and thinking ability. However, games donot directly unveil their procedures which help us learn, most of the time while we play video games we are actually learning or training a certain part of our brain unconsciously, whether its logic and reasoning or retaining memory. Games have this amazing ability to mask their learning potential with interesting and engaging activities. These activities would depend on the game; if it is a puzzle game then you would obviously be working out your memory, other games like action and adventure help with our reflexes and ability to recall stuff that we learned earlier in the game.
Apart from all this, it would be interesting to note here that most kids learn English mostly through video games. In fact, many programs have been started to help out the disabled children learn through English and results have shown that they pick up English and puzzle solving quicker than when they would while sitting in class.
Though we might have gotten scolded a lot by our parents for playing non-stop it is now clear that video games help us more and have shown the potential for having a place in education in the near future.
The most powerful aspect of games that help us learn is that games our based on vision. We humans rely heavily on our visual senses which consume over half of our brains resources and are able to recall things (which we have seen) quickly as compared when we use our other senses to learn.
Lastly, games help us with some highly unthought-of aspects such as patience and discipline. Take an example, if you’re stuck on a game level that is continuously beating you and you can’t get past it you have to be patient, if you’re not you’re still going to lose, so regardless of how you react to it, you are still going to be taught to be patient by video games and be disciplined by them. If you are patient enough, you might even develop a sense of optimism.
So games not only help us in learning they also help to make slight adjustments to our behaviors.
Have you ever logged in to Facebook or any other social site just to play online games? Have you ever noticed how you connect to the people around the globe by just connecting to any online game such as the Sims, poker or 8-pool? This is all because people are addictive to such games and these games are not only for fun, but these games also affect their cognitive thinking.
Games are not only for the purpose of fun but they are also a good source of learning. You know when you are playing counterstrike or tekken you are continuously using your cognitive skills to think critically for the next move.
There are different types of games which are being played and practiced in professional fields also. Such games are called “serious games” specially designed for learning purposes. Fields such as military, medicine, corporate education and other departments have made serious games a part of their training because it helps them to learn more effectively about natural and virtual environment. These serious games, due to their graphics and 2D/3D effects help to learn better and effectively. Nintendo Wii can be taken as the best example of serious game as it not only helps the player to think critically but it also allows him to move and play physically as it works with senses.
Different sites such as EVE online, America’s army, habbo.com etc offer these serious games. As the trend of these games is getting more, the need of such game designers is taking hype. As making a game requires a team of different people specializing in graphics, designing, layouts, paper and documentation work, so it is very important to have train learners in such field of technology.
In UK, England’ North West Learning grid has launched DIDA diploma which offers 4000 learning objects and 300 serious games. They train their students about skilled programs like adobe suites so that not only professionally but people with lesser compatibility can also be able to use these programs.
The way how the trend of serious games is coming in, and the way serious games are becoming a part of people’s life, it is very important to have students to get admission in these fields and to study JavaScript, C programming, arts, animations, story-telling and other designing software’s so that more and more serious games should be launched and more and more techniques of learning should be introduced.
One good memory from our childhood is stuck with video games. This proves that a part of human mind development is constituted by the practice of playing various video games. The referred article states the notion of development by usage of video game “Peacemaker” in the class which assisted students to learn foreign policy, geographical national boundary tactics, and opt for various determinations for the state. Moreover, the game provides a platform to act as a negotiator or a politician which is immensely beneficial.
One can believe that it is a substantial commodity to nourish tactical skills for students. It also assists students to extend critical thinking skills. The intriguing storyline in modern video games form an essence of emotional attachment. I remember I played a video game named “The last of us” and I literally formed an emotional bond with the riveting plot line.
There are various impediments and drawback regarding video games which can’t be omitted is that the cost of console gaming is quite expensive. The argument is not merely elucidating that it is the only source of learning but also a source of entertainment. So, is the cost invested in console gaming for learning provides adequate comparative advantage? Secondly what positives do we acquire from games like Grand Theft auto (which includes violence, raving, abduction and salacity)?
Games are being used for educational purposes.Does’NT it sound fascinating? Not only for kids but for me as well. Some of the researchers reflected that games proved to be effective tool for learning. Advancement in technology is so rapid these days I think ten or twenty years from now people will not be able to breathe without technology. It is just an assumption rather than you can consider it myth or a joke.
However the fact cannot be denied at all that technology has both negative and positive aspects simultaneously so does the games.Studenrs achievement can greatly be enhanced by the use of games in the classroom. In today’s technology rich world we often see kids playing games on their ipads, cellphones, and computerps2s and so on. Kids love to play games so why not tap into that interest us a function in increasing student motivation to learn academic concepts?
Robert Marzan, a learning education researcher has observed that in more than 60 studied conducts by classroom teaches on an average using academic games in the classroom is associated with a 20 percentile point gain in student achievement.Inspite of the fact when evaluations were conducted the students expressed that the classrooms were a fun they did not even know that they are learning only for the teachers who incorporated games in learning. Last but not the least one of the middle school witnessed as the result of using game increased classroom participation, enchance understanding of concepts react in improved assessments.
In order to support my view point I have an example how games can be used in classrooms to make it an interactive class. The name of the activity will be WILL THE WINNER LOSE proved to be an extremely effective review games. Students are divided into teams. It totally depends on classroom size and dynamics. This is not a game of speed and than they are not racing to see who gives the answer first. As these teams are competing with each they will able to think critically. Each team is given a question and given time to come up with the answer. If they proved a correct answer each of the other team have an option to pick a correct or to pass. In the other teams pick a negative card and they lose point. The next team then is asked a question and then the game continues.
Furthermore one of the articles depicted that war video games proved to be beneficial in the history class where students able to understand their topics. Although these games has merits for education but I do not favor to use such violent games. As these games contains violence which will results in psychological disorders in students such as depression and aggression. One of a very famous game Grand theft auto was banned in many European countries due to its extreme violence. Despite of PG the government took an initiative to ban it as parents cannot always supervise their children to refrain them from playing these games.
But if we look at this perspective in the terms of Pakistan where students come from different backgrounds. Not all the students hold the same financial status. In addition some of them do not even have the clue how to use video games? I n this case situation prevails to be thought provoking. Their cognitive learning will not be to the level where they could think critically on spot regarding games. This problem can be solved if the stakeholders pay attention towards it and invest more money for providing students with initial games from grade 1.In this way they will learn how to play as well as increase their mental capabilities especially for those who do not has access to such luxurious. So, this method cannot b e implemented in P akistan.I am leaving you with a question is it right to use games as tool for learning in classrooms or not?
References: Education World Lesson Planning: Will the Winners Lose http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp321-04.shtml
Education World Lesson Planning: Will the Winners Lose http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp321-04.shtml
If you are a student then which favorite entertaining tool you see in the classroom? Cell phones. Lots of them. Virtually all students have one, and it’s typical to see them tapping away or listening to music through their ear buds — not just in the hallways during the five minutes between classes, but also in the classroom, at every opportunity the teacher gives them.
Most schools allow students to have cell phones for safety. Apart from emergency situations, most schools don’t officially allow students to use cell phones during class time. However, when the teacher is busy helping out another student or writing on the board, out come the phones as students send instant messages to friends, listen to music, or watch videos on the Internet. Eventually, the teacher notices and warns them that their phones will be taken. The phones disappear with reluctant obedience — until the next opportunity arises to pull them out again.
At a time when middle-class homes are filled with computers and mobile devices, schools are grappling with the question of how much technology to bring into the classrooms. But whatever a school’s approach to technology, cell phones seem to be nearly present everywhere. And in schools that permitted students to have cell phones, 71 percent of students sent or received text messages on their cell phones in class. In the majority of schools — those that allow students to have phones in school but not use them in the classroom – the percentage was almost as high: 65%. Even in schools that ban cell phones entirely, the percentage was still a shocking 58%.(Approximately)
Many teachers have given in and allowed their students to listen to music through their earbuds while they’re doing individual class work (reading or writing or conducting research). “I concentrate better on my schoolwork when I’m listening to music,” is the rationalization from many students. Many teachers seem to accept this reasoning, little knowing about the data on multitasking and its harmful effects on concentration and the ability to think clearly.
Ok, I understand the fact that without fancy gadgets we cannot survive at least in this century. This is growing obsession among people now a days . They would much rather interact with their smartphones than with other human beings. While Smartphones have made life easier, according to study conducted, the love for technology has become an addiction. We miss out so many gorgeous things around us just because we are too busy checking out our notifications and replying tweets.
Many people think ‘ oh so what if we are dependent on this little thingy like smartphone or other technological devices, they make our work easy, and also they let us stay connected to the world’ . Alright then what is that little thingy stuffed inside your head for ? Which is called “brain”. Now the scientist tell us that the technology is changing the microcellular structure of our brain, because we compute mails and texts minute by minute. Brain is that technical machine which has been hidden under dust for so long and we hardly make use of it. How many of us actually remember what they had for lunch yesterday ? how many of us actually remember the lecture which was taught in last class? The human brain is under the threat of modern technology.
Just imagine this, we have become so dependent on technology that we cannot think of spending ‘a’ day without our oh-so-smart Smartphones? Well going a day without cell phone can also be a challenge for some .
Wake up and pay attention to the world around you, why are we making a transition from human beings to mindless beings. Beauty of the world around us cannot be seen or felt through these devices we have to have our eyes open and look around us.
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