This last week of class, we talked about gamification in the classroom/in educational settings. For me, I grew up in an age where digital technology was growing and changing rapidly. I started off right away in kindergarten with games that were designed for education. Although this game was not mentioned in our class, I wanted to dive deeper into it, as I believe it is still useful, as well as nostalgic for me! It started with this game called Starfall, which I have linked below. This game is designed for younger children, grades k-3 specifically. It focuses on basic skills such as spelling, shapes, simple math, vowel/letter sounds, and so much more. Surprisingly, this game has not changed very much since I played it in elementary school, and I personally would try it out with younger students today if I had the opportunity to!

https://www.starfall.com/h/index-kindergarten.php?mg=k

We also dove more into how games in an educational setting could have their pros and cons. My personal take is that while these can be a great teaching tool, I think most games are more designed to be a reward or something fun to help wrap up/tie in a topic with a lesson, rather than a main teaching strategy or tool.

 

Course Wrap-up:

As this course is coming to a close, I wanted to reflect on my journey through Educational Technology and this course as a whole. I feel that I have gained a great deal of knowledge and resources on how to integrate technology into my future classroom, especially since we live in such a digital era. I also have learned more about how to use technology for my own practices and studies. I feel grateful that I have had the chance to learn how to use WordPress, use video editing software, create my graphics, screencast, and so much more! I wanted to thank our professor for putting so much time and effort into the research and resources that he provided us with, as well as the effort, put into our own growth as students and the learning that has been provided for us! Thank you for this amazing opportunity!