KimP’s Blog

What are these kids learning?

February 23, 2007 at 12:24 am | In Uncategorized | 3 Comments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teamwork

Communication

Problem solving

Negotiation

Hypothesising

Predicting

Testing

Listening

Sharing

Validating

and that is just in setting up the PS2 on the iWB!

This morning my students worked together to set up our new PS2 in the computer room - we had to make sure that it would work on the iWB successfully before it goes to the Kinder/Stage 1 classroom. The kids worked together beautifully (noisily, excitedly but as a team) and it was interesting to sit back and watch how they organised themselves, thought out what had to be done, and relayed information and tips to each other.

Then they got to “familiarize” themselves with the eye-toy (for purely academic reasons - they are going to buddy up with the little kids and use the eye-toy with them) and the activities and games that are a part of the package. Even though just three students were actually photographed on the screen, everyone else simply had to help run, jump, and move their arms around wildly to catch fish!

After a good 15 minutes of hilarious huffing and puffing there were calls for this to be part of our Fridays Sports activities, and a comment that “I’ve never got a stitch from playing a computer game before!” The kids came up with the skills they had used in this impromptu PE lesson:

Stretching

Bending

Twisting

Pivoting

Swinging

Balancing

Running (on the spot)

Jumping

Landing

The PS2 is a very new purchase that we made after visiting Learning Teaching Scotland’s Consolarium in Dundee earlier this month. Derek Robertson, who is Chief -Game -Player at the Consolarium, presented a thoroughly logical, exciting and inspiring case for using game consoles ( such as Ps2, DS Lites, Wii) in the Primary classroom. So here we are at the very beginning of our play with Console Games, and gosh is it fun!

PS We pick up our Wii and PS2 Dance Mat on Friday!