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Rick Brennan found interactive games help teach his class history more than a regular lesson. Students seem more involved and want to learn. Games seem to be the key to helping younger students stay active in their education. This blog could help other teachers come up with ideas for their classrooms.

I think that it is a good idea to use interactive games to keep younger students active in the class. Without the interactive games it will be easier for students to fall behind and become less interested in the material.

Very interesting. Making learn fun and interactive

Tayne Martin, is an educator and World of Warcraft aficionado, stating that boys make up 80 percent of  the computer classes at her school, and very few girls enroll in AP Computer Science. Girls are gamers too.  Martin, who is coordinator of the Professional Development Support Division at Broward Schools in Florida, is part of a team presenting the ISTE Professional Learning Series webinar "Girls, Games, and Coding" on Thursday. The reason to combine games and coding is simple: There is a clear relationship between gaming and technology.

Math and Science students are now using the Madden NFL game for the classroom. Being a division 1 AA football player and now coach of the game, this learning tool is something I would definitely love to use in the classroom and for myself! Electronic Arts will work with NFL Players Association and Discovery Education on a program called EA Sports Madden NFL: Football By The Numbers. The program is for 5th and 9th graders to teach them Math and Science skills. The program will combine football concepts with math and science principles including physics and probability. Different opportunities will be accessible for the kids as well. Students can take field trips to EA Sports Tiburon studio in Orlando to watch the creation of the Madden NFL. NFL players are hopping on board too. NFL players will help promote the program and develop awareness of the learning opportunities. Being a fan of this game, this is very good news. Not only is it incredible that they are using it for academic reasons but I believe accessing knowledge for gaming creation will benefit the game in their future. Every Madden game gets more realistic each year, allowing children to gain greater knowledge of how this system works will increase the future endeavors for the company.

Go into any elementary school classroom today and ask the students to raise their hand if they play minecraft. I am not a betting man but I would put a lot of money on at least 50% of the students raising their hand. It is probably the most popular game today for youths. This article encourages teachers to embrace it. It is technology through a game in which children are learning, and enjoying it! Not the easiest thing to accomplish in a classroom. The article brings pop culture into play while allowing positive learning.

I thought this was a great article. There have been a lot of research on this game that suggests it's a really great learning game. It helps kids to use their imagination as well and critical thinking and math skills. Incorporating this into the school would be a great idea as this is something kids are very enthusiastic about and are comfortable with.

I enjoyed this article, i feel it would be a good idea to at least give it a try. Minecraft is a game that I have heard of an my best friends elementary school aged children play. I think it would be a good idea , the game helps kids use skills they need like critical thinking and problem solving. They also build things, use their math skills, and are using their imagination all while incorporating technology.

Teacher explains how playing Minecraft with her class has benefitted students. The student's scores increased significantly in math and English. She explained a cultural shift that took place, students loving the work and showing off their academic skills. The academic growth seen by students using Minecraft makes me want to implement this in my future classes!

This is a very interesting article. Every student in my class play this game. Most of my students play the creative mode. It is amazing to watch these kids build intricate maps that display knowledgeable concentration. I find myself watching the kids over their shoulders on break for several minutes and being astonished of the problem solving techniques they use to think their specified maps. On top of that, it is a very hard game to play. I never can complete a regular level. I feel like a dinosaur picking up their tablet and try to play this game. I remember trying to play my dad in the early Madden games growing up. I feel like the parent picking up the controller and having no idea what to do. Even though the concept is so simple. There are several learning abilities to apply for the game.

Teacher explains how playing Minecraft with her class has benefitted students. The student's scores increased significantly in math and English. She explained a cultural shift that took place, students loving the work and showing off their academic skills. The academic growth seen by students using Minecraft makes me want to implement this in my future classes!

This article highlights how tablet based apps derived from classic thinking games, puzzles, and problems in recreational math are becoming a viable option to integrate technology into curriculum. The article states that puzzle apps are fantastic tools for training students to be creative mathematical thinkers. These apps align with the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice as well which makes this article important to our class because it gives us as future teachers an affordable option to integrate technology into our classroom that meets the Common Core Standards.

This article explains how virtual worlds, found in such games as Minecraft and Second Life, could be used as tools for educators in the classroom. When Second Life first came out in 2007 educators were excited about the potential to use it for education, but found that it was too unruly and wild. Now, as time has passed and technology has advanced, virtual worlds are on the rise again thanks to Minecraft and educators are seeing new possibilities on how to utilize and have better control and understanding of open world games. This class, INTC 2610, is all about exploring technology and learning how to utilize it in a class setting and there really is nothing more immersive and limitless than open worlds. 

Web 2.0 Tools, digital video, images for education, search engines, content management systems, mobile phones in education, educational online games

Web 2.0 Tools, digital video, images for education, search engines, content management systems, mobile phones in education, educational online games

Technology integration is the use of technology resources like computers, mobile devices like and tablets, digital cameras, social media platforms and networks, software applications, the Internet, and so on in daily classroom practices, and in the management of a school. This article discusses the successful ways you can incorporate this into the classrooms for your students.

This article has many different points and examples of technology integration. They start off by defining technology and quoting "Effective integration of technology is achieved when students are able to select technology tools to help them obtain information in a timely manner, analyze and synthesize the information, and present it professionally. The technology should become an integral part of how the classroom functions -- as accessible as all other classroom tools." When effectively integrated into the curriculum, technology tools can extend learning in powerful ways. The article also brushes up on types of technology integration, such as online learning, blended classrooms, project based activities incorporating technology, game based learning and assessment, Learning with Mobile and Handheld Devices, Instructional Tools like Interactive Whiteboards and Student Response Systems, Web-Based Projects, Explorations, and Research, Student-Created Media like Podcasts, Videos, or Slideshows, Collaborative Online Tools like Wikis or Google Docs, Using Social Media to Engage Students, and the levels of technology.

I like that this article is very detailed in how to effectively use technology in the classroom. According to the article, technology incorporation should be seamless, second-nature. The way we use pen and paper today should be the way technology is used. We don't stop to think about how to use the pen and paper in a class; ideally, the same thing should be happening in blended classrooms.

This article acknowledged that with the heavy curriculum of high school classrooms preparing for AP test, Standardized testing and SAT/ ACT testing, it is hard to find the time to add unnecessary technology resources. However, it then lists great ideas to use it everyday. This article is very useful for prospective high schools teachers who want to integrate technology more than power points and research. The best point made was that the more preservice teachers are trained in technology the more they tend to use it in the classroom!

I like this article a lot because it has to do with integrating technology in high-school. Most articles are directed at elementary school teachers and how to make it fun for the kids. Well adding a game or an activity that is fun for a ten year old is not going to please a sixteen year old. Most examples of integrating technology are examples of elementary school activities too. So this article is a nice refreshing take on how to integrating technology in high-school.