Chapter 3

1. When I first entered Sodaplay, I was not sure what kind of microworld it was. I felt it looked very boring and didn’t seem to offer much. I was expecting to encounter something much more appealing. As I began to examine the website, I realized that it was a physics website. I found that this microworld was created to allow students to make their own games and are able to control many characteristics. Student’s can draw conclusions based on what they controlled. Many basic physical concepts can be taught through this website for students in elementary grades. Teachers can use this website to talk about lines and measurements. Students can use Sodaplay to create things such as robots and basically anything that they want to build.

2. My first impression of NetFrog was positive. The title “Online Dissection” made me curious to what this website would offer. It was very easy to read and follow. I realized how useful this website would be to use in the classroom. Online simulations are a great for teachers to use. It shows students something, in this case frog dissection. This promotes meaning learning because students can see how to do a specific task. Although it is a great resource, I do not feel that it should be the only source used on the subject. I think that students need to physically dissect a frog to have true meaningful learning. To me, hand on experience is the best way to learn. The online simulation is just an additional source to use, but should not be the only.

By the title of this website, Funderstanding Roller Coaster, I was first unsure on what to expect. But when I opened it I was delightfully surprised with the website. I enjoyed the the pop ups while the program was loading. I really liked playing the game. In the game you are able to control the roller coaster by changing different variables such as mass, speed, gravity, etc. This is a very entertaining website because kids love roller coasters and students can really learn through it. The concepts on this website are a little to advanced for elementary students, but I think it does stimulate meaningful learning.

3. The online simulation that I found is using base 10 blocks. The website is http://ejad.best.vwh.net/java/b10blocks/b10blocks.html. The program is very easy to use. This website gives teachers a complete lesson plan on how to teach base 10 place value. It also teaches basic arithmetic operations using the online manipulative. This program has a panel where you can click on any block size. The block sizes are represented by 1 unit, 10 units, and 100 units. All you have to do is drag them into the working panel. It provides lesson plans for any grade level and subject. For example if you are teaching a 3^rd grade multiplication lesson, you can use one of the lessons provided and students can use the base 10 block stimulation to visually see what is being taught. This website provides meaningful learning because it is helping students learn with technology because the resource is only used as an aid to the lesson. As a future teacher, I plan on using this stimulation because I feel it is a great support for teaching certain mathematical concepts.

4. Darfur is Dying- This online game was very interesting. When I first entered the website, I really wasn’t sure what to expect. Darfur is a very strong and hard topic to discuss. Upon entering the game I was asked to choose a character. That character had to run, without being caught, to get water for his/her family. My character was “captured” and I had to choose another character. This is a very sad reality of what is happening, and it is important that children know this. This game allows for very meaningful learning. I think it might be too heavy of a topic to discuss with early elementary students, but I think that upper elementary and middle school students will do well and understand the topic. This website will help to depict the issues that are occurring at Darfur.

Aviti: The Cost of Life- This game also portrayed a very difficult topic to discuss with children. Its hard to understand the difficulties that many people face in other countries. It is important for kids to know this so that they can truly appreciate what they have. This game gives them an opportunity to get a glimpse of what many children around the world have to do to in order to survive. In the game, the player must make decisions in order to help their family. I think that this website promotes meaningful learning because children must truly involve themselves in the life of someone who is struggling. It also gives them a sense of the poverty, importance of health, happiness, education and many other meaningful topics. As with the other website, I feel that this should only be used with upper elementary and middle school.

3^rd World Farmer- I really enjoyed this game. I felt it was a little challenging, but is a great way to integrate math, (by having to sell and purchasing objects) science, and critical thinking. Players must make decisions that can change the life of their family. Student's are able to take risk and learn if they make mistakes. These are all reasons why this website provides meaningful learning. I would also only use this game for upper elemenetary and above. Student's are able to enter a whole different world, while learning the reality of others around the world.

5. http://www.abcya.com/addition.htm This game is taken from abcya.com. This website provides many educational games and is divided into grade level which provides easy access to teachers and parents. The specific game that I chose is an interactive addition game with manipulatives. It asks addition problems and provides images that the kids can count to figure out the problem. I believe that this website does address most of Gee’s principles. For example it covers the Practice Principle because it gives many problems for the students to practice on. Since it provides students with manipulatives, it provides Active, Critical Learning principle.

6. After doing research on virtual worlds, I feel that a lot of them are appropriate for student's to use, even elementary students. Many virtual worlds that I found were more entertaining rather than educational. I think that they are great for students to practice their social skills in a technological sense. Most of these sites provide students with a safe learning environment. Many teachers enjoy using them because they feel that they are helpful for students to learn about real life situations. If these websites are used as an aid, then meaningful learning can occur. I got my information by researching different virtual worlds and looking at teacher opinions about them.

7. I truly have no programming background. I have taken basic computer classes, but nothing to this extent. Before coming into this classroom, I thought that I knew a lot about computers, but I have realized that I really have so much more to learn. I have never had to do any programming in my place. I do not know how to write an HTML code or use any other programming language. This class has shown me how important it is for me to truly learn all the areas of technology that can help me in the future.