Literature Review - Final Draft

Literature Review - Final Draft

After compiling research & information from both my Action Research Proposal/Literature Review, and some scholarly Journal Articles, I think my Literature Review is complete. I uploaded the LR to Google Docs, and it's available to anyone who has the link. Enjoy!

Literature Review - Rough Draft #2

Literature Review - Rough Draft #2

I uploaded the rough draft of my Literature Review using Google Docs. It is a revision of the Literature Review that I posted last week.

Action Research Proposal

Action Research Proposal

During my three semesters of graduate work at FSU, I've had to formulate two AR Proposals. The first AR proposal I did could've been used for EDUC 6395 - Action Research in Education, but at the time, 6395 wasn't a part of my program, until I changed my major. Both of my AR Proposals have had a technology component to them. The first, which I did on Electronic Portfolios in a Child Care Center came a few months prior to having to help the teachers in the Laboratory Preschool compile their portfolios for NAEYC electronically. 

The second proposal, which I have since turned into an AR project, and am in the middle of implementing in the Lab Preschool explores mathematical concepts, such as shape recognition, counting, patterns, etc, and compares the child's ability to accurately perform these tasks, with and without technology incorporation. Today (Tuesday), was the first day I'd brought my iPad into the preschool, and I'm beginning the last phase of this project. My proposal for this one was broken down into three pieces - Introduction, Methods, and Literature Review. (All links take you to Google Docs.) I had to do both an AR proposal and Literature Review for the project that I'm working on now, so I've uploaded them both, and linked to them through this blog for everyone to see. The directions for this blog say that the Literature Review should be short... however, because I'm using the LR I did for my Action Research class, my review is a little over 11 pages long, and includes (I think...) 10 sources.

The sources that I used for my Literature Review are listed below:

(NAEYC), N. A. (2012, January). Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8. Retrieved from Position Statement: http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PS_technology_WEB2.pdf

Burton, M. (2010). Five Strategies for Creating Meaningful Mathematics Experience in the Primary Years. Young Children, 92-96.

Clements, D. (2001). Mathematics in the Preschool. Teaching Children Mathematics.

Craig, D. V. (2000). Technology, Math, and the Early Learner: Models for Learning. Early Childhood Education Journal, 179-184.

Donohue, C. (2003). Technology in Early Childhood Education. Child Care Information Exchange, 17-20.

Haugen, K. (1998). Using Technology to Enhance Early Learning Experiences. Child Care Information Exchange, 47-51.

Koralek, D. (2009). Mathematics in the Early Years. Young Children, 10-11.

Lisenbee, P. (2004). Whiteboards and Web Sites. Young Children, 92-95.

Parker, D. (2010). Teachers and Parents Play to Learn: Play-Based Instruction in Computer Technology. Playful Inservice, 78-80.

Wang, C., Jaruszewicz, C., Rosen, D., Berson, I., Bailer, M., & Hartle, L. (2008). Meaningful Technology Integration in Early Learning Environments. Young Children, 48-50.

Double-Entry Journal #8 (Week 12)

Double-Entry Journal #8 (Week 12)

"In any case, the fact that computer games have become a major industry means that in many people's livescomputer gameplay features as a very pleasurable and entertaining, but also at times a frustrating and challenging activity." (Arnseth, 2006) ... I find this quote to be very true about the world of gaming. I haveplay games such as Mario Party for the Wii that are simply used for pleasure & entertaining. But, then I have also played Call of Duty with a few of my friends, which is a game I found to be frustrating & challenging, mainly because I had no clue what I was doing, and none of my guy friends wanted to take the time out to help me understand the game, they just needed an extra player on their team.

Arnseth, H. C. (2006, December). Learning to Play or Playing to Learn. Retrieved from Game Studies:https://online.fairmontstate.edu/webct/urw/lc15057011.tp0/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct

"Moreover, since computer gaming seems to offer such motivating and rewarding experiences, educational researchers and policymakers have become concerned with whether games might become more integrated with official school curricula. (e.g. Egenfeldt-Nielsen, 2005; Kirriemuir & McFarlane, 2004)." (Arnseth, 2006) ... I foresee computer games finding their way into classrooms of all types from elementary to college. I've seen it in the past few years of my education when I would take part in a preschool classroom.Computer games were incorporated, and with these games, these children were learning to take turns, share, and do a host of other things. I wouldn't say that computer games are necessarily a bad thing, because I think children are more motivated to learn if technology is incorporated into the classroom (which is what I'm trying to prove with my Action Research Project). Computer games are definitely not something new, and they're DEFINITELY not going away anytime soon, so I think computer integration into the classroom community is only going to come faster than we ever expected, but it will be something that turns out to be a positive thing in the future (at least that's what I think...)!

"Still according to Kirriemuir & McFarlane (2004) many teachers and parents seem to recognize that computer games might support the development of valuable skill such as strategic thinking, communication, and application of numbers and group-decision making." (Arnseth, 2006) ... As noted above, when I was a part of multiple preschool classrooms over the last few years, I've seen this type of learning taking place. I can't really say much for older children's learning of these skills since I haven't really participated in an older classroom where computer games are being used. Even so, all of the skills discussed in the quote are valuable to a person's development, and even though it might not be the ideal way for them to learn these various skills, at least they're being learned.

I love that technology is coming into the classroom scene faster than people ever thought it would. I love incorporating technology into the classroom, whether it's a classroom of preschoolers, or a classroom of college students. I prefer online learning over paper & book, and love to learn about the various forms of technology that are available to us through the use of the Internet, such as Jing, Scratch, VoiceThread, and a variety of others.

The article I found in relation to what I read for this Double-Entry Journal details the benefits of preschoolers' use of computer games. The website, Video Games: Preschoolers, discusses ways that a parent can become more involved in their child's digital gaming. The suggestions that it makes for becoming involved in a child's gaming include asking questions about what the level is about, how he/she views the game, what happens when you press certain buttons, and taking an active role in learning more about the games he/she is playing by familiarizing yourself with game ratings, and visiting Game Review Websites, such as, Common Sense Media, to see parent reviews of the games that are available to children. It also provides ways that your child is learning through the use of these computer games, and how he/she is being benefited from these games. 

Bibliography

Arnseth, H. C. (2006, December). Learning to Play or Playing to Learn. Retrieved from Game Studies: https://online.fairmontstate.edu/webct/urw/lc15057011.tp0/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct

PBSParents. Video Games: Preschoolers. Retrieved from Children & Media: 

http://www.pbs.org/parents/childrenandmedia/videogames-preschool.html

Scratch - Final Draft

Scratch - Final Draft

After lots & lots & LOTS of practice with Scratch, I am happy to say that I love what I was able to create for my Final Project. I am in no way a Scratch Master, but I think the project that I was able to come up with can be used in a Preschool Classroom, and I actually plan to use in next week in the Laboratory Preschool on campus as a continuation of my Action Research Project that I've been implementing for the last week. When I started out with the creation of my project, I wanted to do something that I could possibly use with my AR Project, but wasn't sure whether I'd actually let the children play it if it didn't turn out the way I wanted it to. But, now that it has, this game will be incorporated into my AR Project, which is based on Math, and uses shape recognition as one of the sections of the project.

1. What: What is your project? How does it work? How did you come up with the idea?
My project requires the use of a keyboard to navigate "Maddie" through a maze where shapes identify themselves as she moves over them. Then, Maddie uses your help to identify shapes and their colors. I came up with the idea because I needed to direct my Scratch project to the minds of preschoolers and concepts that they learn since my background is Early Childhood Education. I thought of all the concepts that preschoolers learn throughout the year, from counting to spelling, and finally came up with an idea for them to learn shapes through an interactive game.

2. So What: What was your process for developing the project? What was interesting, surprising, or challenging? Why? What did you learn?

My process for developing the project was mainly just to have Maddie go through a maze and have shapes identify themselves, but as I progressed through the project coding, I decided to make it a little more in-depth and added a second & third level where the user has to identify the shapes and the colors. There were two parts of this project that were MOST challenging. The first was figuring out how to get the backgrounds to change as the game progressed, and the second was figuring out how to get Maddie to stop walking when it changed to the second scene, which is the "Chalkboard" scene. I tried everything I could possibly imagine, and tried to multiple times. Finally, I decided that I would use the color code that we learned about during the "Scratch Maze" Tutorial, and see if she would stop walking when her pants came into contact with the black of the chalkboard. It worked perfectly the first time I did it, and I didn't play with it anymore. 

From this project, I learned that if I can dream it, I can do it. I searched for "Shape Games" on Scratch before I began coding mine, to see if I could find a question/answer coding that had already been done, since I couldn't figure out how to put one together. When I was searching through this projects that were the result of my search, I was amazed at what some of them could do. I never imagined that I'd be able to learn coding as quick as I did, and be able to come up with a Scratch project that I'm proud of.

3. Now What: What are you the most proud of about your project? What would you change? What do you want to create next? Why?

The part of my project that I have to say I'm most proud of is being able to figure out how to get the backgrounds to change. Without figuring out how to correctly do that, there wouldn't have been a second or third level to my project, and there also wouldn't have been a starting screen that provides directions and information. The second part of the project that I'm most proud of is that is all came together nicely, and flows well. There isn't any part of the project where there's a long, uncertain pause, and I think it came together nicely.

The only change I would make on this project would be to add more levels, so that the game goes the duration of the song. The song plays continuously until it ends, but I couldn't figure out how to cut the song down to where it ended on the last level. The first time I tried it, I lost about 2 hours worth of work, because Scratch quit after an unexpected error occurred, so I wasn't about to try it again. I would like to see more shapes incorporated, more colors used, and a longer project. There aren't really any kinks to work out, but I would like to make the project longer.

I haven't given much thought to the next project I'm going to create, but it's nice to have the resources and knowledge to know how to create projects for future use. Now that I know how to do it, I will be able to create projects that I can use in my future preschool classroom, and can create a gallery of age-appropriate, and developmentally appropriate educational games for use by preschoolers.

Scratch Revisions

Scratch Revisions

I had a Scratch malfunction when uploading my Scratch Final Redo to the EDUC 6814 Gallery on the Scratch website. I wasn't aware that not changing the name on the upload form in the Scratch Application would cause the new game to override my old game. So, while my comments are still on the first game, the new game also took that game's place. My Scratch Redo is uploaded twice. Once on the game from last week, and once in a new game. 

I made the following revisions to my Scratch project based on peer feedback:

1. It was suggested that I figure out how to have the Sprite broadcast the shapes name in the second level, and I figured it out, after remixing scripts from Scratch games that I found after searching through the Scratch website.

2. It was suggested that I add background music to my game. I found a song called "Shapes" by TLC for Kids on iTunes, and applied it to my game. The game is shorter than the song, but the song plays the entire duration of the game, and finishes on the last screen. Assuming you don't "x" out of it when the game is over, or hit the stop button, you'll be able to hear the entire song.

3. It was suggested that the Sprite called out colors as she came upon a new shape. I took a different approach, but basically used the same idea. Instead of having the Sprite call out the shape color, the shapes now say, "I'm a GREEN CIRCLE" and "I'm a BLUE RECTANGLE" when the Sprite comes in contact with it.

4. This revision that I made to my game wasn't based on peer feedback. I added a third level to the game. On the second level, the Sprite asks for names of shapes, and on the third, she asks for the colors of the shapes. 

This game would be a great game to use in a preschool, and the song I added adds the extra flair that I think the project needed. It's a catchy little song, and I, unfortunately, have it stuck in my head.