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!
Looking forward to seeing more motivating cases for using this kind of technology in the classroom. If it’s possible to capture some of the kids’ views on the blog I would be most interested. Thanks for sharing!
The power of the leaner can never be underestimated. They are naturals.
Hello
I had so much fun playing on the eyetoy. It was funny when you would make a mistake but then you notice that someone else made a mistake aswell. So then you dont feel like your stupid or something becuase like the other didnt make a mistake but you did and it just fells weird. I think if you tried it out you would have done good.
Toooodles 🙂