I am not sure this is a game I would use to tach about homelessness. It has a lot of stereotypes and does not get to anything thing on the causes of homelessness.
This game does do a good job at showing the importance of goats and it was fun and engaging. It would be a useful tool when discussing what is important to the livelihood of people in high poverty areas.
Here key points from of some of your blog comments. As soon as the Voicethread comments are available I will also add them. Please feel free to add additional comments here.
Main Points: "I think in order for education and classrooms to truly become multi-functioning and multi-level learning environments, we can teach the software; we need to use and incorporate it. "(lmd313) "Using technology enhances education, and we as 21st century educators need to rethink and redefine the word technology."(lmd313) "Not utilizing the latest technologies in schools only furthers the digital divide when some students have access to these technologies at home and others do not. Banning of technologies in schools only furthers the disconnect between home and school. Students lack motivation and lose interest in school because it doesn't relate to their personal lives (their reality)".(Jennifer) "I think that teaching these programs is completely necessary. They are used almost daily in most situations both insides and outside of the classroom. They are important tools for students to learn and know how to use. I do think it should be included in basic early curriculum so that the web 2.0 tools can be introduced afterwards."(Ashley)
Pros: "In cyber schools students may be learning in a more comfortable, natural, familiar environment than inside a physical school building. Schooling isn't as rigid. Students don't have to follow a bell schedule and sit quietly in a crowded classroom. Virtual education offers more opportunity for diverse interactions among students around the world. Virtual education costs less to operate than education in a physical space. For the most part, students can work at their own pace on their own schedule."(Jennifer)
Cons: "There is no real way of knowing if the student enrolled is completing assignments or someone else. The students needs to be self-motivated to keep up with online instruction if not constantly monitored The quality of education in a virtual space may vary if there are no set standards"(Jennifer)
I can relate to this one because I have lived it. Love is an emotion guided by social constructs of the ideal. Obviously the construct of the ideal not only effected the way the poster of this secret thought others saw them but also effected self image and ability for self love.
I had trouble uploading this a a quicktime video. I actually had to save it as web streaming and use the expert setting in I-Movie to create an MP4. When I did this the video uploaded is 3 minutes. I also discovered to use PSU web streaming service you have to request an account. Only faculty and graduate assistants have automatic accounts.
This is my first solo machinima project. i have posted it early because it is about an education fair going on January 25-30th in Second life. I thought you all might be interested in checking it out before it is over.
his forty-two minute podcast features a session recorded at the EDUCAUSE 2008 Annual Conference. The speech is by Christine L. Borgman, Professor & Presidential Chair in Information Studies at UCLA. Her session is entitled, "Fostering Learning in the Networked World: The Cyberlearning Opportunity and Challenge."
The effective use of games in academia requires a critical approach to the medium and a willingness to let go of the learning process and harness its outcomes