In “Videogames and learning: Individualization, simluation, and complexity”, Scott McLeod talks about three core ideas:
the individualization of learning
the simulation of authentic experiences
intellectual complexity
(Okay, so they may not be easy, but there are 3 of them!). Three notable quotes from each of these ideas are:
the individualisation of learning
Video games are structured so that learners constantly operate [...]
Harold Jarche has an excellent summary and brief commentary on Haques’ “User Generated context” article. Although much of Jarche’s comments are in context of tertiary education, one can see how it could naturally extend to learning for secondary education, such as for the youth at junior high level. Jarche quite astutely summarizes it saying
Haque says [...]
Malabike Sarkar writes and interesting article “e-Learning, a peep into the future” about the trend of India to both require and also offer, valuable online distance-learning programs
….Shailesh H Mehta, CEO & Founder, GurukulOnline Learning Solutions, said, “e-learning is the need of the hour in India. More than 50% of India’s population is under 25 yrs [...]
Alex iskold writes about “The Future of Computer Applications: Help me or Entertain me”. I think that this question is right on the ball. If you look at the latest iPhone or Facebook application development craze you realize that the most popular definitely fit into one of these two categories. He says:
These days work and [...]
Jeremy outlines the 6 ways that we use play to learn how to work together. Although, the study was centreed around 2-5 year olds, I think it is quite easy to extrapolate the learnings to the junior youth (those youth, typically at junior high level):
Play is a serious business….
Unoccupied play: the child is relatively stationary [...]
The Cooperative Commons writes about “An experiment on collaboration: trying to change the world”
Ever wondered what you could do to change the world?
Just decide, say it publicly, and things will start to happen.
….And now there is a chance to experiment with the concept as a way to improve the world we live in:
It is happening [...]
In terms of junior youth education projects worth keeping an eye on, here’s one:
Kiwi Heroes is an upcoming and full-featured MMOG for kids and young teens. It’s complete with character advancement, special powers and abilities, extensive social and community features, and a world full of dynamic solo and group-based adventures and wondrous places to explore.
Scheduled [...]
Two interesting stories point to the future of online learning. The first titled “Online learning: the future is here” has particular interest as it refers to a middle school student, which is effectively what I refer to in this blog as ‘junior youth’, notably those youth aged 12-15 years of age, and typically at junior [...]
Ben Williamson writes about “Serious Games”:
“Serious Games” is a term used to describe computer and videogames developed for a purpose other than pure entertainment, for example, in the military, health, social policy and education. The Apply Serious Games event (10 July 2008) was intended to explore the state of the debate in this area, as [...]
Chris Lehmann writes “Why Educational Change is hard”: Well worth a full read.
….why is it that schools are so hard to transform using these tools when commerce (for instance) has been so easy to change? And second, what has to happen within the community of folks — loose as it may be — who care [...]
