Baca - Cognitive Wellbeing Module Responses

Question #1. Why is online gaming so popular? Are there drawbacks to being engaged in these activities? Do you think they offer opportunities for learning or are they just passive pastimes?
I think online gaming satisfies people in an area that they enjoy. I personally am not a huge online gamer. I remember playing Words with Friends when it first came out and even Scrabble because I like those games, but most of the time I played it offline. I also think online gaming is popular because it can be an immediate way to engage in a game with others. Back when I was younger, my friends would sometimes pull out a deck of cards and we would play on the kitchen table and have a blast. I remember when online gaming started becoming popular. I can recall my ex-boyfriend going online to play poker–something that at the time could not be done here because casinos were much farther away. As with several things, I think online gaming can serve multiple purposes. It can be an opportunity for learning, and it can be a passive past time; it can be an educational tool, or it can be a total distraction. Recently my daughter was introduced to Roblox by another family member, and I don’t like it. With regard to kids and the increased popularity of Fortnight and Roblox, I asked my daughter why she liked Roblox so I can try to understand her interests. She mentioned she enjoys the variety of “things” she could do (creating her own avatar) and the experience of traveling to different environments. The jury is still out for me. I intend on learning more from my students about what motivates them towards online gaming.

Question #2. How do you manage your study schedule when faced with doubt about your capacity to engage, learn, and succeed?
Candidly, I am not doing a good job of managing my “schedule.” My biggest doubts stem from my performance as a first-year teacher. Now that I have begun working with a mentor, I am very honest and reflective with her. I am sincere about what I perceive to be my shortcomings, and the things I struggle with as an educator. This may not have a direct impact on my schedule, but it does help me manage my expectations.

Questions #3. What do you do to help yourself remember new things? For example, do you create concept maps to link connected ideas? Share some of your ideas.
Writing things down and having conversations with other people about my new learning always helps me remember new things. When I read, I prefer to read hard copies versus digital copies where I can take notes, underline, highlight, etc. I tend to remember what I have read more when I do this (visually capture more). Outlines also help me. I tend to use short notes and outlines with categories rather than concept maps. With regard to learning teaching skills, observing teachers firsthand is a helps me remember strategies more.