Proposal

= = =CEP810 Group 3 SIG Proposal= Educational games can be an important part of a student’s learning. Traditionally, teachers used games as a reward or a time filler rather than an integral part of the the learning process. Our proposal is different. We aim to show how lessons in all subject areas can integrate educational games together with technology to reinforce the concepts being taught. With rigor and relevance being so important today and the use of technology being so prevalent, it is important more than ever to integrate technology into lessons. Our digital-based educational games will focus on increasing motivation to the classroom, help reinforce or teach a topic, and show possible real world applications of the subject matter. __**Area of Focus**__ **Teacher:** We will show how teachers can combine the concept of playing educational games with technology to develop powerful teaching tools for their classrooms. **Student:** We will show how digital-based educational games can help motivate students of all grade and skill levels to learn and better understand concepts. **Subject Matter:**  Digital-based educational games will be shown to be effective in a variety of subject areas. We will include examples of lesson ideas that incorporate educational games into the classroom and a wide range of computer games and software that can be used in a home learning environment to support the different subject areas. **Context:**  We will discuss several different ways of incorporating the use of technology and digital-based educational games as teaching tools, learning tools, review tools, and assessment tools inside the classroom and at home.

__**Major Areas of Research**__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Derek Osborne:** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Technology in Secondary Health and Physical Education games <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Pam Pilant:** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Computer Applications/Keyboarding games used in the classroom and at home <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Dianne Stemen:** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Educational games using the Smartboard for elementary ELA classes <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Eric Whitney:** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Educational game software used with a tablet device such as an iPad

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">__**Major Categories of Research Gathered**__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> In order to address the topic of educational games in the classroom and demonstrate how they can be used by teachers as an effective instructional tool across many disciplines, our special interest group will gather a wide variety of research in several categories. Our research will include examples of educational games, lesson plans demonstrating the successful use of educational games, technology devices using educational games, research and scholarly articles showing the value of educational games, and technology use as it relates to student motivation.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">__**Pedagogical Focus**__ <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Educators understand that children learn faster and better when the learning is fun. Digital game-based learning is an emerging technology which is gaining acceptance in the educational world as a tool for promoting fun learning. The 21st Century student has grown up in the digital world and is motivated by the need to feel engaged, active, in control, and stimulated. Educators must look at taking a different approach in how they create their lessons, no matter what subject they are teaching. Educational games can be used in the 21st century classroom as a motivational tool that enables students to interact with the learning material and feel some control over their learning. It is also a tool that allows them to be engaged in discovery learning activities and promotes collaboration among students while appealing to their visual senses. Digital games can also be used to support the various learning styles: visual learners, auditory learners, and kinesthetic learners as well. Today’s students need to develop the skills they will use in today’s technology-based world such as critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and effective means of communications. Used effectively in the classroom, educational games can teach these real world skills and tweak the interests of students, keeping them more engaged in their learning. Digital games can be a powerful tool for teachers and parents and they have great potential to enhance the pedagogical practices in the classroom as a means of improving student achievement.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">__**Presentation Method**__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> http://sig3edgames.wikispaces.com

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">__**Twitter Hashtag**__ <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; white-space: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">On Twitter, we will use <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">__#SIG3edgames__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> to reference the work of this special interest group.