ISTE 4 Module- Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making

ISTE 4 Module- Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making

Triggering Event Question

What are ways in which students can use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources?

My Trigger Event Question

 How can gaming break the ice for reluctant dancers? How can gaming help new dancers memorize choreography?

My Article

http://www.livescience.com/35530-interactive-video-games-children-physical-activity-obesity.html

http://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/memory-video-games-computer-games/2016/05/31/id/731571/

Reflection:
After reading the eduTopia article on coding and gaming, the biggest takeaway was in the last paragraph regarding the importance of making a connection to your content through gaming. The report is broken down into three sections based on how gaming should impact students These three ways are:

·         Connect to Content.

·         Connecting Individuals.

·         Connecting with the learner. 

The articles I came across in my search for answers to my questions left me a little unanswered. With that being said, I have had to alter my thinking and questioning to find an article to fit my needs. My question asked if playing dance games would improve dance memory? Nothing was found in regards to dance memory, but in general, a lot of positives were found on video games triggering or stimulating the brain and process that improved thinking. 
Quoted from News Max, "The researchers discovered that playing action video games had a significant positive impact on the subjects’ visual working memory. The key to these action-packed games’ ability to improve memory is related to their rapidly changing environment and complexity, says Psychology Today."


I have my theory based on working with my student, on how gaming has brought various kinds of students together, but I look forward to diving deeper to find more information on confidence building through gaming from an outside perspective.

Reflection II:
I write this last reflection on Module 4 with a feeling of incompletion. I was not able to find any other reliable articles to help me confirm my hypothesis on whether or not playing dance video games would help my student feel more confident and trigger a better choreographic memory. I realize that my subject of interest is still growing in the school of academia and maybe this is my sign to take on the scholarly work needed to give teachers of dance (PE) a sense of security that we can equally service our students by incorporating core standards and technology.

I

ISTE 3 Module Research and Information Fluency

Triggering Event

What are ways in which students can apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information?

Readings:

·         Wong, W. (2014). How technology enables blended learning. EdTech Focus on K-12. Retrieved from http://www.edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2014/04
/how-technology-enables-blended-learning

My Triggering Question:

·         How effective are blended PE / Health education programs in high schools?

My Reading:

·         Examples of Blended Learning in School Physical Education

From Forbes Magazine

http://sportspath.typepad.com/sports-path-e-learning-bl/2012/11/examples-of-blended-learning-in-school-physical-education-.html

Reflection:

Wong’s article gives us a look into a learning environment that seems too good to be true. Technology for every student and the ability to let students work when they want whenever they want seems more than what some of my kids could handle.  After working in two Title 1 schools, it is real hard to believe that something like a blended school can exist for my students. As I was reading, the first thing that came to mind is what do you do when on the internet is down and you are fighting with the silly tech problems? Are you having students take a computer class to learn core competencies and are staff learning these programs as well? When? I am all for having tech in the classroom and letting students work at their pace, but I also feel our technical dependence is equally alarming.

I found an article from “Forbs Magazine” that has done some research on blended learning in a physical education classroom. I use a PowerPoint and videos every day when I teach health. I admit to not always having the answer and the videos help my students not only find another reason to focus on learning but also hear information from someone more knowledgeable than me. What I did like was seeing how schools are incorporating local fitness centers into their everyday routine. Giving students the opportunity to train and tailor workouts that are more realistic will indeed help in creating lifelong healthy men and women. A blended classroom will look different for every course subject, but again when I think about my students and the kind of school I work at, this sort of freedom depending on their interest could gain positive results or lead to more students putting thing off until the last minute.   

My Reading II

https://www.edutopia.org/practice/blended-learning-making-it-work-your-classroom

My Reflection:

Looking for another article to decide on if my feeling of integrated learning in Health and PE could be answered with more information other than incorporating apps and fit bits, but my answer is no. I feel like people are working to share how physical education is changing but I have yet to see something that is as informative as the resources for reading, writing and math. I have changed my course work this semester to health and am able to better incorporate certain strategies that are closely related to my students major content areas. This Edutopia article  is more on a school wide level, with information for any teacher to think about when transitioning students to a different type of instruction. The best take away for me was, 

"One of the key components of blended learning is to identify what is already working well in your classroom, and what might be better suited as digital content. Teachers need to know that by adding digital content, it doesn’t mean throwing out all the direct instruction in the classroom. Keep what is working well in a face-to-face mode, and add what could be more effective in a digital format. "

"Blended Learning: Making It Work in Your Classroom." Edutopia. N.p., 11 Sept. 2014. Web. 12 Feb. 2017.

I do feel my triggering question has been answered regrinds to integrated learning improving student learning.What I am still not so sure of is the need for everything to have a reason to be connected to some kind of technology.