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[educ703]

Interactivity and Engagement

Student engagement is an important aspect of student success. “Substantial research suggests that student engagement varies by the environment created by the school and teacher, and by the learning opportunities teachers create in their classrooms” (Nguyen, Cannata & Miller, 2018). Creating fun learning opportunities, using technology and game-based learning, is a great way to connect to student’s interests and encourage engagement. Technology in the classroom is not only good for engagement but also addressing specific student needs. “Research has shown that game features including clear goal/rules, learner control, challenging tasks/feedback and repetition enable educators to create individualized learning environments wherein students are able to take more active control of their learning and improve their achievement vis-à-vis desired learning goals” (Shin, Sutherland, Norris & Soloway, 2011).

There are several advantages and disadvantages to using technology inside of the classroom. As stated previously, technology provides a pathway to student engagement and provides a way to connect to student’s interests. Students may like to use technology in their free time or may enjoy the content that is being taught in an exciting way via technology. Many game-based learning applications also provide educators the opportunity to apply adaptive, individualized content to every student in their class. In my personal experience, students have enjoyed using tablets/computers in the classroom. It captured their attention, and many students were more willing to practice skills that they otherwise struggled with. “There is evidence that technology-enhanced embodied learning can have a positive impact on at least one of the three domains of learning: (a) Cognitive domain, (b) affective domain, and (c) psychomotor domain. A number of studies reported an increase in students’ conceptual knowledge on a variety of topics related to mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, or language learning” (Ioannou & Ioannou, 2020).

Relying on technology in the classroom can also bring many disadvantages. Teachers must manage students, knowledge, and resources which poses complex problems for those teachers who must also develop skills in order to use technology at the right times in appropriate ways (Trigueros, Sandoval & Lozano, 2020). Another challenge is students may misuse the technology and become disengaged from the content, trying to access unapproved websites and games. There may also be issues such as network connectivity and devices. In my personal experience, I have relied on using technology in a lesson only to have something go wrong. It’s important to have back-up plans when using technology in the classroom.

There are many different apps, websites, and other technological tools that are beneficial to an elementary classroom. For example, Quizziz, Nearpod, and Prodigy are three useful tools to implement with students. Quizziz is easy to connect to and works on any device with a browser, including computers, tablets, and mobile phones (andriod/iOS).  There is a “free” option using quizziz, but to use all features and functions there is a subscription fee. Quizziz is a fun way to engage learners with game-based interactions. Students just need to go to the website and type in the access code to get started. Teachers can use this for introducing concepts, reviewing concepts, classroom discussions and more. The results provide teachers with a quick formative assessment that can inform future instruction. In the example I provide at the beginning of this post shows how you can use Quizziz with primary students who might be learning about two-dimensional shapes in real life during their math unit. I reinforce the concept to students, asked them multiple choice questions using pictures and I also ask students to draw each shape discussed.

Nearpod is another fantastic tool to use in the classroom. Nearpod helps teachers create interactive presentations. Teachers can add quizzes, polls, videos, collaborative boards, virtual field trips, and more. Nearpod offers free and subscription based options and easily connects on most devices, as it runs on a web interface and as an app. Teachers can easily see if students understand a concept by reviewing specific student interaction within the slides. Nearpod can engage learners and ensure they are participating in a safe and fun way. Students can answer questions and post on discussion boards anonymously. Nearpod can be used for asynchronous or synchronous distance learning and face-to-face classroom learning.

Prodigy is another classroom tool for students between the grades Kindergarten and eight grade. It is an adaptive math game that mimics a role-playing fantasy game.  Prodigy can be downloaded on iOS and Android devices, as well as be played via the internet. Prodigy is free to play but offers extra content for a price. Prodigy is a great way to engage learners by playing a game while learning important math concepts.

As stated before, student engagement is a critical component of student success. What really matters is the teaching, not the technology used to do it. Technology is a tool that can help enhance student engagement and learning, but it is not necessary for engagement and learning to occur. “When educational games are used efficiently, students can have increased engagement in learning and grasp abstract concepts easily. Nevertheless, not all educational games are designed equally” (Kim, Deater-Deckard, Evans, Norton, & Samur, 2017). It’s important to research and test out games that you want to implement in your own classroom. Consider cost, connectivity, user-friendliness, how you will use the tool, and more. Not all game-based learning creates a structure of rigor for the content in question. It is also essential to consider that technology is not only teaching resources that expand materialistic possibilities, but is also a productive and recreational environment of culture, politics, and economics which can effect the lives of teachers and students (Digón-Regueiro, Gewerc-Barujel & Cristina Pérez-Crego, 2021). Students interaction within their classroom environment can greatly determine the effectiveness of engagement and learning.

References:

Ioannou, M., & Ioannou, A. (2020). Technology-enhanced Embodied Learning: Designing and Evaluating a New Classroom Experience. Educational Technology & Society, 23(3), 81–94. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26926428

Kim, Chang, M., Deater-Deckard, K., Evans, M. A., Norton, A., & Samur, Y. (2017). Educational games and students’ game engagement in elementary school classrooms. Journal of Computers in Education : the Official Journal of the Global Chinese Society for Computers in Education., 4(4), 395–418. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40692-017-0095-4

Patricia Digón-Regueiro, Adriana Gewerc-Barujel & Cristina Pérez-Crego (2021) Dilemmas in the integration of technologies in a Primary school classroom: the dialogue between teacher agency, curriculum and digital technologies, Pedagogies: An International Journal, DOI: 10.1080/1554480X.2021.2013235

Shin, N., Sutherland, L. A. M., Norris, C. A., & Soloway, E. (2011). Effects of game technology on Elementary Student Learning in Mathematics. British Journal of Educational Technology, 43(4), 540–560. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2011.01197.x

Trigueros, Sandoval, I., & Lozano, M.-D. (2020). Ways of acting when using technology in the primary school classroom: contingencies and possibilities for learning. ZDM., 52(7), 1397–1409. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-020-01171-9

Tuan Dinh Nguyen, Marisa Cannata & Jason Miller (2018) Understanding student behavioral engagement: Importance of student interaction with peers and teachers, The Journal of Educational Research, 111:2, 163-174, DOI: 10.1080/00220671.2016.1220359