Exploring Problem Solving w/ Software, Apps and Games

         A big thing about remembering my technology experience growing up was mostly software - computer animated games and virtual games. Now a days, I think software is the most basic or fundamental tool in school. Now, apps are really common and I can't believe that they start as early as preschool. Another tool is games aka virtual games, The Oregon Trail is an oldie but a goodie that I can remember being one of my favorites more than ten years ago. Below I will talk about these three things and other components that go along with them.

        These digital problem solving tools would be impossible with hardware aka the PC, mouse, keyboard and screen we use. Obviously without these using any type of program would be impossible. Growing up computers - the big ones with the box sized screens were what i used, now it can be done from tablets. Software also goes hand in hand with hardware. Without the icons on the screens, there would be nothing to click to access these tools.

         Computer games as a learning resource are a big tool in exploring problem solving. Computer games growing up were pretty much all we used after middle school. In elementary we still had "centers" which we rotated every so often and I prefer those a little more than staring at a screen while learning. Computer games are sometimes frowned upon because all the student does is stay in one position, look at the screen which can affect their neck and they can spend hours on it. I am kind of in the middle of this personally.

        Along those same lines of computer games are digital games, aka "serious games" as described in the textbook. A simulation game I remember in High School was the one that was a requirement to use in Driver's Ed class. I was a screen where all you saw was a road and along the way it rained, it snowed, hailed and had pedestrians crossing the street. From my personal experience, this digital game was helpful but not a huge point of growth in me actually getting behind the wheel and actually driving. Another type of digital game are virtual games. I don't really remember having used these during my K-12 but from what I see know, they can be less educational and more of games than tools.

        In conclusion, there are many software, apps and games for problem solving; there is no one way to get to your goal, I think, but a little bit of everything are literally keys to students success.


RESOURCES:
 Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.