When looking into connected learning theory I found that it is giving a definition to so many of the technology courses I have been taking for my masters. In each of these classes we looked at different tools that we could use in order to engage our students whether to create, interact with outside world, or collaborate with one another. Connected learning brings these together as a whole to make the goal of the learning to be all of these things. Students working together across media and learning to work together.
Starting out..
When thinking of what to do with redesigning my instruction in order to engage students I first looked to my students for opinions. I had a class discussion with my in person students (12 kids). I wanted to start with this small sample because it was easy to get their honest opinion through voice and discussion rather than through a google form. I asked them which classes they felt most engaged in. They let me know that out of their classes (math, science and language arts) that they were most engaged during math (the subject I teach them). I then asked them why they felt they were most engaged, their responses varied from “being able to answer in the chat” “getting shout outs live that they had the right answer” and “Working through notes together and with the same steps each time.” I then asked when they felt most engaged in their other classes, my students responded that when they got to play games like kahoot for science or language arts. They also brought up they would like to do prodigy (a game based math program) more for math.
The goal:
After my conversations with my students I decided I needed to have more games to engage them and get them excited about math. I want them to enjoy their math practice and be able to have fun while doing it. In a normal non-pandemic year I would have task cards and other games and activities to engage them with, but this year with all computer work I have lacked. What game based math practices do you have in your room? What has worked? What doesn’t work?