Karen+H

Day 1 Morning: 1. What are your feelings about video games in general? I enjoy playing some video games. I am more interested in the vintage games such as Centipede, Frogger, etc.

2. What are your feelings about video games as learning tools? I think video games could be used as learning tools because it is something that interests the children. Having a tool to draw the children in and make some sort of connnection is important.

Day 1 Pre-Lunch: 1. What brings you here/why are you here? I am interested in different ways to use technology in the classroom.

2. What are you excited about? I am excited about getting to work on this project with selected students. I am also excited about producing something others could use.

3. What are you concerned about? I have no specific concerns currently.

Shut Down/Power Off: Reflections on today! I am trying to figure out how to properly link the math and science objectives to have a good finished product. I have developed concern because I really need a big picture example before I can think up a story. I spent some time printing the science standard course of study to help this evening to prepare for tomorrow.

Day 2 Morning:

1. How do you use technology in your classroom? I use technology in my classroom through the use of classscape and other test preparation programs. I use the computer lab for teaching how to use spreadsheets in various ways. We also use several sites through Illuminations using 3-D block models and various graphing activities.

Day 2 Lunch Time:

1. How does the technology you currently use enhance your students learning and your teaching? How do you know? The technology I at Illuminations with the 3-D images excites the students to be able to build a what we have been working on in class. I think the test review materials tend to make the students dislike the technology. When we use spread sheets we are using real world applications to problems (such as solving funcitons and creating graphs). I know this because when we are not in the computer lab, they will recall the data tables we set up and reflect back. It makes a lasting impression, while developing important skills.

Shut Down/Power Off: Reflections on the day!

Today was great to actually get to play with the program. My main concern is of getting overwhelmed be the amount of details in the program and not getting frustrated when things don't work as I anticipated.

Day 3- Morning: 1. Describe your teaching. My teaching style is to educate students in a fun, but educationally sound manner. I do direct instruction when necessary. I try to create as many hands on activities or games to engage my students as much as possible. In science instruction creating lab activities is the primary form of instruction. In my math class, the activities are game oriented to practice skills. I use both whole group instruction and collaborative learning.

Lunch: Describe how your students learn best. Students learn best through hands on experiences and high interest activities. They need time for direct instruction and repetition of skills (in math).

Shut Down/Power Off: Reflection My reflection on today is frustration. After lunch, I spent the entire afternoon trying to place a few simple objects in a world and produce motion. After placing two objects, the computer continually crashed. I know I have the basics because I am helping others around me put in code and it works. So, I am excited by see what others are completing around me, yet upset that I can not make any headway on my own world.

Day 4: What do you do well when connecting with your students? My ability to connect with my students is in part to my ability to listen and communicate with them. Part of connecting with middle school students is being able to have a sense of humor, have fun, and be real with them.

Afternoon: What interested you in video games as a form of teaching? Video games is a different for of presenting information to the students. I think it gives variety to instruction and it is something the respond to because it is of high interest to them.

Shut Down/Power Off: Reflection Today was much better. I was actually able to begin create an environment. Crashes occured less frequently this afternoon than yesterday. I also was able to successfully put objects in motion and some sound.

Day 5: Morning: How do you see this game as a tool for connecting with your students? I see this game as creating an interesting way to have the students study body systems and find facts about the human body.

Afternoon: Who supports and who benefits from your participation in this project? I think everyone in the workshop, my students, and fellow teachers could benefit from participation in this workshop. I look forward to the support from the collaboration with NCSU in building this project.

What other technology do you wish you could use or have support for? I wish I had access to or support in using a smart board.

Shut Down/Power Off: Reflection