ERIC Number: EJ1314852
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 5
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0036-8148
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Available Date: N/A
Turning on the Three-Dimensional Switch: Using Gaming Technology to Expand Children's Science Thinking
Hurdle, Zach; Stanford, Angela; Nix, Katy; Perry, Nick
Science and Children, v59 n1 p32-36 Sep-Oct 2021
In an ever-increasing technological society, teachers have now, more than ever, a vast offering of educational technologies made available for classroom use. However, the time necessary for vetting and developing rigorous lessons with the usage of such technologies can be overwhelming for a classroom teacher. Still, teachers need the opportunity to facilitate valuable inquiry-based and project-based learning (PBL) environments in classrooms through educational technology for effective STEM education (Pedaste et al. 2015; Hannon et al. 2012; Hall and Miro 2016). Technology, and specifically video games, may be a new-age method to accomplish this goal. Learning gamification is the process of incorporating gaming aspects into a lesson plan in order to foster student motivation and creativity (Kapp 2012). This articles examines how a third-grade teacher and a fifth-grade teacher, engaged their students in the three dimensions of science learning, specifically through the use of the Nintendo Labo Variety Kit. Nintendo Labo is a particularly versatile game system aimed at a younger age demographic than most video game consoles. The Labo extension provides a buildable, engineering task for children to follow along using included materials to construct all sorts of "Toy-Con" creations that interact with game software: mini-pianos, remote control cars, virtual reality blasters, steering wheels, robot gloves, fishing rods, motorcycles, etc. Nintendo designed Labo with the intent to foster principles of engineering, physics, and basic programming to younger students
Descriptors: Grade 3, Grade 5, Elementary School Teachers, Elementary School Students, Science Instruction, Game Based Learning, Educational Technology, Technology Uses in Education, Robotics, Engineering, Physics, Programming, Teaching Methods, STEM Education, Educational Games
National Science Teaching Association. 1840 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201-3000. Tel: 800-722-6782; Fax: 703-243-3924; e-mail: membership@nsta.org; Web site: https://www.nsta.org/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; Grade 3; Primary Education; Grade 5; Intermediate Grades; Middle Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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Authoring Institution: N/A
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Author Affiliations: N/A