541: Relative Advantage of Using Games for Content Area Learning
Instructional games are software products that give learning activities game-like rules and competition. According to Roblyer (2016), the common characteristics that set instructional games apart from other types of software are game rules, elements of competition or challenge, and amusing or entertaining formats.
I teach Robotics at the high school level. The class is excited to build the robots, but very few are interested in learning how to program them. I've found a software game called VEX Robotics RobotC Virtual Worlds. This game allows the students to build their robots in a virtual world and then will help them to program the robot to do what task they have chosen it to do. This greatly helps students to then be able to create the robot with the materials provided and program the robot to do the same task for real. The game has proven to gain and hold the students attention because it's a competition style game pits the students against a clock or another student in the class if they would like. Research has shown that learning to program in the robotics virtual world is more efficient than the use of physical robots.
I also teach a Civil Engineering course that requires students to design and calculate truss features for bridges and buildings. I've found that a good introduction to the unit is the Westpoint Bridge Design game. This game allows students to create a bridge that follows specific criteria that the instructor sets up: loads, cost, materials, etc. At first students will find that it's impossible to reach the criteria that is set up without knowing how to calculate precise angles for the members. Then you'd cover how to solve for forces, moments, force vectors, using trigonometry to solve for forces in the x and y direction. Then the step by step truss design calculations.
References:
Roblyer, M.D. (2016). Instructional software for 21st century teaching. In J, Johnston, (Ed.) Integrating educational technology into teaching (pp. 72-105). Boston: Pearson.
http://www.robotvirtualworlds.com/
James, those are some neat programs that you have mentioned. I know last year one of the teachers used Robot C and enjoyed it. It's interesting that you say the students don't seem to be interested in programming. I've noticed at my school the kids are interested in both aspects.
ReplyDeleteJames,
ReplyDeleteWow, those games sound really cool. If I were in your Robotics class, getting to first build the robot in a virtual environment, to me, would take off a whole lot of pressure, and the added element of a competition would make it so much more exciting! Since the students get to first create virtually, this must set the foundation for building and programming the robot in physical space. Very cool - thanks for sharing!
James,
ReplyDeleteWow, those games sound really cool. If I were in your Robotics class, getting to first build the robot in a virtual environment, to me, would take off a whole lot of pressure, and the added element of a competition would make it so much more exciting! Since the students get to first create virtually, this must set the foundation for building and programming the robot in physical space. Very cool - thanks for sharing!