M Learning

M Learning

M Learning = mobile learning – meaning you can take it wherever you want as it’s mobile.

Examples : Phones / Ipods / xbox / laptops/ phone / ipad

The Ludic element - Learning through play

It’s important in all subjects including ICT that children learn through play, as some argue this is the best and most effective way of learning.

Here are some examples of programmes that children can use :

Scratch

Scratch is a programming language whereby you can create interactive stroies, games, music and art. There are many applications of how this can be used in the classroom, for example it can be used to make animated scenes in literacy. It’s important to encourage programming from an early age as it is in great demand in the UK.

There’s lots of examples available online at:

http://scratch.mit.edu/galleries/view/82932

Lessons and advice available here:

 www.redware.com/scratch/lessons.html

Here are some helpful tips on using scratch from a teacher in a primary school :

To encourage children to develop their skills and understanding of control technology through Scratch you may wish to encourage.

• Planning a project on paper first
• Showing changes made to the plan using coloured pens (annotating and explaining changes and reasons for the changes)
• Thinking about the audience and how appropriate the graphics used are
• If planning an interactive game, consider practical issues and ask questions like "What makes an engaging game?"
• Trying out what has been made on a real audience (perhaps a younger class) and making a questionnaire to take feed-back and make necessary changes.
• Sharing things they have learned in a plenary (making a folder on the public/shared drive available for the saving of projects)
• Encouraging exploration and self directed extensions for fun!

Wordle

Wordle is a programme whereby you insert a bunch of text and press go and then it presents the words in a picture. You can change the colour, font and position. This is a good way of maybe presenting key words in an exciting visual way. For example you could have key words for WW2 up on a board :

To do it yourself

This is a programme whereby the children can make their own games. There are many games available :

·         Mutli drag

·         Puzzles

·         Pairs

·         Sequencing

·         Grouping

·         Labelling

·         Snake

·         maze

 Here is a video showing how you can make the snake game :

Dance Mat

This is a fun dance game whereby the teacher can create a game and the children step on or dance on the correct answer. It’s fun and active and has a large scope for variable learning.

Some schools are using these mats as a way into healping and improving their healthy school ethos :

Gainsborough Primary Schools Dance To Their Hearts Content : Gainsborough Extended School Services are giving primary schools in the area dance mats to motivate pupils to get active. Gainsborough Extended School Services have introduced the dance mats to be used in after school clubs to engage with young children who may otherwise feel uncomfortable with physical exercise.

Dance mats can be very inclusive aswell, for example:  The Cobalt Flux 'Just for Schools' dance mats can be used with all major games consoles and PC's, including the Playstation 2 and Nintendo Wii, which makes them easy to set up and a more affordable alternative for schools compared to other expensive proprietary systems. A three-sided frame and a hand-controlled mat are available for pupils with special needs so the whole class can get involved.

Game Based Learning - My opinion

I think there is a lot of scope to use games in learning within the classroom so that children can learn through play. I think games are such a key and important part of children's lives, more so nowadays then ever, and as teachers we need to get on board and incorporate this into the classroom. Furthermore I feel that game based learning will reach out to a wider majority of children. For example during my school experience I've seen the children use interactive games on the IWB whereby they thoroughly enjoy learning about various subjects. It seemed to be far mroe engaging and successful that traditional teaching methods. Games on the BBC Bitesize website are particular good:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks1bitesize/literacy/phonics/index.shtml 

These games are particularly good because you can diffrentiate by setting the levels at :

• Medium
• Hard
• Really Hard

Therefore, based on my experience, I hope to use games to teach as I think they are enjoyable, fun, diffrentiating and useful to learning.