Proximal Development & Educational Games?!!!

         I really like the idea of proximal development in the context of educational games. However, I don't think it is just the fact that it provides a challenge and the ability to learn from failures that makes it so effective. Growing up with a very traditional and conservative learning environment, part of what makes it effective and ineffective at the same time is definitely the stakes that are involved. Many of us are taught at a young age that learning is our job: our life. 

         Gammefication takes away that pressure. I know it sounds cliche but it makes gaming fun. When presented with fun, we're simply more motivated to continue. After attaining several degrees, the classes that engaged me the most were the one's that had instructors who went the extra mile in engaging us. Perhaps the most memorable one was playing a "diplomacy" game while taking my masters in international relations. It not only cemented some of the more obtuse concepts we learned but also allowed us to actively apply them without the yoke of evaluation upon our backs. 

Using Games For Learning!

There has been an extensive research supporting the fact that games are effective learning tools simply because they involve the concept s such as : Winning, Collaboration, Exploring & Building, as well as Problem-Solving or Strategizing techniques.  I believe, one of the strong factors that promote individuals' learning vis-à-vis gaming is because individuals continue playing as it is not only fun but it also motivates them to continue going once they start to see that they are winning.  But also, because motivation creates the desire for the individual to learn. 

Just a Thought :Technology Enabling Flipped Classroom

When I was in the process of note taking for my digital project on cooperative learning, I started thinking about how many of the instructional techniques that we use could borrow ideas from each other. One particular aspect of cooperative learning that I felt could really help with making the idea of a flipped classroom feasible is to focus on the instructor as a facilitator. People often think that a flipped classroom is difficult for the teacher, but I'm sure it's difficult for the students as well. We have a group of people who are likely used to being guided, and now we're roughly telling them to learn from each other. Instructors also have to understand how to divorce themselves from their traditional role and to make the flipped classroom more accessible. 

Flipped Classroom!

Flipped classroom has been a hot topic that has been around for quite some time now; it has only been until recently that it has attracted a lot of attention. Thus, opinions surrounding this topic vary as ‘flipped classroom’ can be applied to different learning environments and as such, it may require different types of educational settings for this instructional strategy to work at its best.  Flipped classroom enables instructors to introduce new ways for teaching a subject matter and therefore add a new perspective on to the old teaching practices that have been used regularly in classrooms.  Thus, to answer your first question, flipped classroom is not a fad; rather it is considered a solid instructional strategy that combines the instructional as well as constructional aspects of learning to work both at home as well as in the classroom. But one of its disadvantages to this instructional strategy that I think may prevent it to work efficiently is when we begin to combine the newest learning models with technology. Nonetheless, I'm a little curious, is it tough getting all the students to try the activities or just some of them. I wonder if there is a learner mentality aside from lack of experience in the flipped classroom that really keeps them from engaging. I recall when I was younger, whenever the teacher let up on the pressure my friends and I would grow a little complacent. Could learner motivation be a big factor? Maybe the flipped classroom is better suited for older learners, where everyone's peers tend to have more experience and knowledge.

Motivation From the Perspective of Enrolling in The PIDP 3250 Class...

       I should say my intention for enrolling in this class was extrinsic. After doing over a month of volunteer work, full time at Langara's Childcare Development Center, for the purposes of getting my application requirements completed for admission to Langara's Early Childhood Education Program for fall of 2015, while I just finished the PIDP 3100 class in May. I did not have it in me to enroll yet in another course. But, having been informed that this course will be offered online and I could do it from home and at my own preferable timing, as to when I wanted to go online, I finally signed-up for the class.  

        Although, I find it sometimes hard to find time to fit it into my busy life, I have learned a lot from this course thus far and attempting yet another digital project, has made me less fearful of technologically advanced software and resources that I originally had a fear of even coming close to touching just a few months ago. Here is an interesting video on Motivation and Online Learning : 

   

Motivation From Self-Determination Perspective

The idea of "love of learning" being divorced from reality really made me think about why the idea of loving learning seems so unrealistic. Is it just because people are lazy and unmotivated? If anything, I would say it's not because learning is so much about doing something that we dislike, but is strongly rooted in the way we do things. 

Take food for example. There are often foods that we don't like eating. I'm not a big fan of Brussels sprouts, but I'll probably eat them if they're slathered with enough cheese or toppings. I'm also okay with them when they're deep fried. Though nobody would catch me dead with steamed Brussels sprouts on my plate. It leads me to believe that many people have motivation, but the environment has to be right. But the lingering thought in my head is that there are many types of individuals, and it may be impossible to motivate every student equally in a group setting. That, by large and far, is probably the most unrealistic aspect of fostering a "love for learning."