Games and Simulations in the Classroom

I went into this assignment with an open mind. I am not a gamer, and I really don't think that I ever will be one. With that in mind, I probably had a more critical eye than I should have. I was very skeptical of the games, and my reaction is that some of the games seem like a lot of fun while other just seemed like too much work. Since I am not a gamer, I am not sure if all games are like this, but a few of the sites just had too much information within the instructions. Darfur is Dying and Ayiti were a little intense for me. I really did not know what was going on in the game, and I did not have as much control over the game as I would have liked to.

Funbrain and the Roller Coaster sites were a lot of fun for me. I tried to look at the games from a student's perspective, and I could see most students enjoying these sites. Funbrain is great because it allows students of all different ages, skill levels, and interests to find a game that best suits them. Gamequarium was a little comfusing, but a great site for teachers. I am pretty sure that I have used this site before, and it definitely offers games and activities that I could use in my classroom.

I must admit that even though I did not enjoy the Darfur and Ayiti games, some students may. As a teacher I must take into account that a more real life game may interest students as opposed to the bright and fun games. I liked the intentions of these games as well. They offered a lot of information about different cultures that students would probably be learning in the classroom. These sites would most likely be used with specific lessons or topics of discussion, and I am sure that I could find others that would fit along with different lessons that I will teach. The other three sites were ones that I think I would use more often in the classroom, as in throughout the school year.

When it comes to using games, simulations, the computer, and such in my classroom I really want to do so. My problem is that I am not as knowledgeable about computers as I would like to be. I really am interested in what technology has to offer, I just need to take the time to learn what I can use in my classroom. I think that I will definitely ask other teachers who may have more knowledge than myself, and also maybe read information that is available. I think that it is imperative that teachers use all of these new technologies that are available because sooner or later our students are going to pass us up. They already know more than we do, so I think that we should ask for their help and their input and find out what they like to do. I think that the more we can make learning enjoyable for the students, the better. As long as we are getting our point across and the students are learning, I see no obstacle that stands in our way.