“Problem solving uses real-world situations and issues to actively stimulate students’ wonder and curiosity.”-Maloy, et al., Transforming Learning with New Technologies (2017)
As mentioned in my previous three blog
posts, creativity is an important facet to nurture in our students, especially
if we want them to start thinking outside of the box and become even more engaged
with their curriculum. Maloy, et al. (2017) in Chapter Seven of their text Transforming
Learning with New Technologies state: “Problem-based learning (or inquiry-guided learning) is a common
term for such assignments. Students investigate issues and questions for which
there is no one right or predetermined answer using a process of asking
questions, assembling evidence, drawing conclusions, and evaluating the results”
(p. 159). Problem-based learning, as illustrated by the excerpted quote, allows
students to have a degree of autonomy in their learning and it allows them to
creatively approach the problem at hand. The authors further state: “As
students grapple with open-ended problems, they exercise critical thinking
skills, a willingness to take risks, mental self-discipline, and a creative
approach to everyday challenges” (p. 159). This further reinforces the concepts
of creativity and autonomy, as I highlighted in the sentence before the
excerpt.
In bridging the two readings for
this week together—we also had to read Chapter
Three, Strategy Five from Walker, et
al. (2016)’s Teaching the Last Backpack Generation—both
readings focus on gaming as a way to engage students in developing a problem
solving skillset, which is at their level of interest. Indeed, Walker, et al.
(2016) state: “Games are a form of
interactive play that can teach us goals, rules, how to adapt, and/or how to
problem solve. Gaming in the
classroom simply consists of students playing games for educational use” (p.
78). If you recall from my previous blog post, Taddei and Budhai (2017) mention
how important it is to allow our students to engage in a form of play within
the classroom (p. 73), and this allowance of play helps to also foster
autonomy. Now, in accordance with Walker, et al. (2016), Maloy, et al. (2017) state
in regard to gaming: “Digital games, immensely popular among today’s students,
are powerful learning experiences that many educators many educators are examining
as new ways to teach academic content” (p. 173). They go one to mention there
is a debate among educators and educational professionals about the effectiveness
of these games (p. 172-173). Personally, as I have mentioned multiple times
throughout these posts, I think it is very important and beneficial when we
educators engage students on their levels.
To end, Walker, et al. (2016)
state: “A good educational game can provide enjoyment passionate involvement,
structure, motivation, ego gratification, adrenaline, creativity, social
interaction, and emotion” (p. 78).
Comments
Post a Comment