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Education Futures Task

After ending my last module that included creating this blog I really didn't think that I’d ever be back on here blogging again. I didn't take this as one of my choices of subjects and was a bit sceptical and worried about doing it. However after my first lecture Mandy was very reassuring in saying that she is there to help whenever, and that others are in the same position, and just to take the everything one step at a time and it’ll all come together. So now after learning what the whole module is about I’m happy I was placed on it, and am quite excited to start it, and to begin blogging again. 

We have been set a task by Mandy to complete, which is:-

 'Over the last decade there have been vast changes in the way we live, learn and work, and with the advancement of technology and new learning tools, these things will continue to evolve. Today’s learners need new skills to survive and thrive in the future. Education should combine practical, intellectual, and social skills as never before'. What do you feel about the statement above? What does this mean for learning environments? How has technology impacted teaching and learning?

I think that learning environments have changed, and as the years go on they will only be greatly evolving vastly within the usage of incredibly more technological things. When I was in primary school I can remember the day when the first ITC room was opened, it was one very small room which wasn’t big enough to hold the entire class so everyone mainly shared the computers when we had activities to complete, or we had to take it in turns to use them individually. Thinking of this now and how we had to share the computers seems so strange, comparing it to how today's ICT rooms are built and equipped with a vast number of computers that enable everyone to have access to one during the lessons.  Within this one room the computers were so bulky with a massive back to the screen, which made it awkward for them to be moved around and tilted to suite your eye level. The screens to these computers were terrible; I remember them being blurry and would always flicker! But even with these annoying things nobody really cared, we just loved the fact that we had computers in our school.

As I went onto comprehensive school the technology became much more advanced, I remember there were still a few old computers in some of the ICT rooms, but were all eventually replaced with new flat screen computers. Everyone was amazed over them! I remember telling my dad he had to buy me one because I could only complete my homework on that type of computer, which he believed and bought me one. This then just became the norm where mostly everyone had flat screen computers in their homes.

Now when I look back and think about the technology that was available for me, it’s crazy that today in most primary and secondary schools they now have Ipads

 and extremely more advanced and high-tech computers for pupils to use. Technology, in my opinion has impacted learning in a good way and has made the whole aspect of learning for many pupils and students more interesting and enjoyable. It has made a great impact on those with learning difficulties, where some find it easier to complete work without the need to hand write things ECT.

Even though technology is an amazing part of pupils and students education, it can be used as an easier alternative. Some children can become addicted to using the computers and will prefer to stay on them than go out into the playground at play times. Which can have a great impact on their social lives, because this addiction and be taken home with them where there chose to stay indoors and just play on games on their computers. In order for technology in my opinion to work well within education, there must be a fine between the use of it helping children to improve their learning, and then the over use of it, which will lead to children missing out on learning by hands on activities such as arts and crafts. Technology should be used overall in moderation within education; children still need to have fun though general interaction instead of being glued to a computer screen.

Online Gaming

Today I have been asked to discuss and think about my feelings and opinions towards online gaming. When I was little me and my brother loved playing on our Sega Mega and I remember us being addicted to this one game, that my mum could never get us off! It was a multi-player game where you competed against each-other to complete levels in the fastest times. This game was in no way educational and think maybe if it was in some ways my mum wouldn't have minded us playing it so much. I think this maybe how a lot of parents may also think. Some of the online games children can play today are so intense, with fighting, drugs and contain bad influential material I can understand how some people can think that online gaming can be bad.

Online gaming can really be an amazing and enjoyable thing but at the same time it can be extremely addictive and dangerous. Some addictive games could include online gambling where some people will play for real money, and get so draw in and addicted to the game can end up loosing at lot if money! However it is so convenient for them to just log on with their laptop or phone even that I can understand how people do it, even if it's just for the mere fact of boredom. Every single day I see more and more people of all ages on their phone's or tablets playing some kind of game like angry birds, fruit ninja or candy crush. All of these games can be enjoyable and innocent if played in moderation. So many people become addicted to these games and will play them for hours on end trying to complete them. Surely this cannot be good for their health, I know kids that will purely just stay at home as soon as they get home from school and play online games for hours! This kind of approach to gaming I think is so unhealthy as the children or even adults in some cases are shutting themselves off from the real world, and are unable to socialise with other people by actually meeting them not talking over the internet. Also some of the intense games that are being played are horrifically violent and may include graphic sexuality and allow you to kill others take drugs and steal. I know it sounds stupid but there is a possibility that playing these games could initially make some people think that it's okay for these types of things to actually happen in real life, or if they are getting away with these crimes on the game may feel like they could in real life as well. I know it seems mad to think it but you don't really know how some people think!! Online gaming is also linked to obesity, increasing depression, poor grades, addictive behavior and increased aggression or violence.

So although as you can probably tell I do have some strong disagreements with these types of games to a certain extent, I also feel that there are games which can be beneficial and make your brain work and think faster. For example there are so many different apps you can download now to help your memory and brain E.g. Brain trainer or sudoku. Brain trainer lets you answer all different questions, complete puzzles and even tell you your brain age after completing a level these types of games all help your cognitive ability.

Using online games within schools that are educational to the subject being taught can be very beneficial.

What is the purpose of games in education?

• Motivating

• Thinking skills

• Challenging

• Problem solving

• Mathematical Skills

• Language Skills

In addition to the above I have also found out that apart from just being fun, playing video games can reduce stress, lighten depression, increase vision, improve the ability to multi-task and improve decision-making skills.

There are so many positives and negatives to online gaming but I believe the negatives may just consist of the older more violent games that children are playing. I believe that in a few years every school will have Ipad’s or some kind of tablet packed with educational online games. If children are able to put as much time, effort and concentration into the games they play surely there’s a way get the same results with educational games :)