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Playing video games in school? How is THAT educational! In fact, schools are beginning to allow students to learn through interactives and video games. Video games create an environment that includes many of the positive factors school programs are looking for: immediate feedback, clear goals, encouragement and motivation to do better the next round! Video games and technological interactives provide activities that stimulate problem solving skills, strategic thinking and non-linear thinking patterns, amongst many others. For example, in Projectile Motion, students explore the properties of projectile motion. Students use the interactive to try and hit a target in varying conditions; they learn about the direction and location of the launch, the projectile's mass, shape and size, and the presence of air resistance. This article includes links to hundreds of whiteboard interactives and ideas for video games that encourage development of critical thinking, strategic thinking, communication skills and more. Incorporating video games and technological interactives is a great way to provide differentiated learning alternatives in your classroom. Check this article out and consider putting those 'dreaded' video games to educational use!

Some may say this game is outdated. Yes, it is. However, this game is a great interactive way to teach geography, along with different education areas such as math and science. The game involves a lot of strategic decision making in terms of geographical concepts. If Cross Country Canada was updated with today's technology and catered to our youth today, it would remain a fun and interactive way to learn about Canada and its geography, just like many of us did back in the 90s.

Title for Discussion: "The effects of computer games on primary school students' achievements and motivation in geography learning." This article interestingly investigates the effects of the game environment on students' achievements and motivation to learn. A study conducted by a University in Turkey highlights how there is a direct correlation between student's engagement with educational games on the computer and its positive impact on the student's ability to actively engage in their studies. This three-week experiment with Grades 4 and 5 students involves their participation in an educational computer game which focuses on learning about the global continents and countries. In contrast to the traditionalistic lecture approach, this constructivist method of teaching focuses on a technological-based style of learning. Therefore, the gradual shift towards a new pedagogy is explicitly apparent as the studies conducted from student interviews illustrate their enthusiasm and engagement to learn about world geography. In particular, the student's enjoy the opportunity to utilize the "chat tool" as it allows for student interaction as well as collaboration. This alternative method for teaching serves as an important tool to support student learning and future development. The overwhelming consensus of student support further highlights how educational computer games can offer a positive learning experience as it enhances their abilities to engage and participate within a virtual realm. However, it is important to note that using technology does not replace human experience and interaction. Therefore, computer gaming is simply one effective teaching aid that can be adapted in various ways to engage students in their learning.

Science for kids is a great interactive website for both teachers and students. This website provides different games, experiments, videos and even lesson plans and worksheets for teachers.

Research on the relationship between a physical environment and learning confirms that the physical environment strongly influences not only academic learning but also behaviour in general. This is why we tend to see more elementary school classrooms with different visuals and tactile stimuli the students can interact with. The article provides a few different ideas on how we as teachers can get students involved and interested in social studies. The article closes by saying, beyond being educative, building a physical classroom environment is exciting when it reflects and expands upon students' understanding of themselves and the world makes them feel a part of their classroom community. Lessons about sense of community and the world will not only help students now but it will help them for many years to come.