Source: Image of coach, Public Domain, http://mrg.bz/Okmc4f Image of teacher, Public Domain, http://bit.ly/15n8KaF
Hi. My name is Ashley Sweat. Now that we have finished up the unit on Planning Personalized Instruction that leverages technology to increase engagement, motivation, and achievement, let's take a look at the main components.
What did you learn? There's much that we learned in this unit. We touched on the role of the teacher in the personalized learning model. We analyzed the theories behind gamification and how it is connected to personalization.
We defined assimilation and how it is involved with motivating and engaging students, allowing them to see improvements. Another main component was creating lessons using adaptive technologies that also adhere to gamification. Let's take a look at these main components more closely.
In the lessons facilitative versus sage on the stage and teacher as facilitator, we looked at the characteristics of both a traditional teacher and a facilitator. We found that the traditional teacher is the keeper of knowledge and doesn't allow many opportunities for student choice. On the other hand, a facilitator is a guide and coaches students throughout the learning process, allowing them to self-discover new ideas. Think of yourself as being a facilitator by assisting your students when needed.
In the gamification theories lesson, we talked about the theories that are behind gamification, such as behaviorism, humanism, cognitivism, and constructivism. All of these theories in some aspect are involved in gamification. Take the constructivism theory, for example, which states that an individual creates their own learning and understanding. In gamification, when you allow students to work at their own pace and self-discover new ideas, they are creating their own learning.
And didn't we see how engaging simulations can be in the classroom? Simulations provide activities for students whereas in some cases they would not be able to have the opportunity. Simulations are game like. But more importantly, they reinforce academic skills and provide real-life experiences for students, therefore enhancing the learning experience. I'm sure now you can apply simulations to your own classroom.
Another major component that we covered was creating lessons with adaptive technologies. In these lessons we reviewed the steps in order to create your own lesson. We gave the procedure for grading and designing a spreadsheet with Google Sheets to track scores. And we went over how to reflect on your gamification lesson using a plus/minus delta. These lessons especially should be very helpful when implementing gamification in your classroom.
So let's recap the main points of this unit. A facilitator as a teacher is beneficial in a personalized learning model, because the facilitator guides students through the learning process, allowing them to make self-discoveries. After analyzing the theories behind gamification, we can conclude that the theories that have been around for 50, 60, almost 70 years are still relevant today when considering gamification in education.
Next, we understand what simulations are and how they can be useful to learners in the classroom by keeping them motivated through the interactive components. And lastly, now you should be a pro at creating your lesson with the steps that we reviewed, making sure to clearly state objectives so students know the standards they must meet.
Congratulations. You have completed this unit, Planning Personalized Instruction that leverages technology to increase engagement, motivation, and achievement. So now you're on your way to becoming a facilitator in a gamified classroom using simulations to engage your students.
I hope these lessons have been beneficial for you. As always, please refer back to lessons and the additional resources sections to provide more information on how to implement these skills.
Overview
(00:00 - 00:18) Introduction
(00:19 - 00:55) What did you learn?
(00:56 - 01:28) The Teacher’s Role
(01:29 - 02:07) Gamification Theories and Personalization
(02:08 - 02:36) The Impact of Simulations
(02:37 - 03:12) Create a lesson with the use of adaptive technologies
(03:11 - 03:59) Recap
(04:00 - 04:32) Congratulations