Community Response

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?

Online gaming is so popular for a number of reasons. There are a lot of different online games to choose from which means that everyone can find something they like. In addition, online games are so popular because of how accessible they are. You can be on the train, in bed, at work, anywhere and play games online. Online games can connect the user to other players around the world which means you no longer have to wait to physically be near someone else to have a partner to play a game with. The fact that you can always have a new opponent increases the attraction for many players because even if you play the same guy everyday there is always new challenge.

I do think that some online gaming can be an opportunity for learning. Many students love to play online games and connecting a subject that they do not enjoy, like math, to something that they really do like can help make the less enjoyable thing more fun. For example, in my student teaching placement last semester I would assign my students Quizlet games to review their vocabulary words for the week. The students loved getting on-line to play these and never felt like it was homework but rather that they were playing a fun game.

Question #2. How do you manage your study schedule when faced with doubt about your capacity to engage, learn, and succeed?

I like to create lists of what needs to get done and by when. This allows me to see everything and not have to worry about keeping it in my head which could lead to me forgetting something. I then like to break my to do list down and assign things to specific days of the week to make it more manageable. I make sure to take time out of my day to check-in with myself and make sure I am not forgetting to stay on top of my health and wellbeing because if those things are skipped I will not be as successful.

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.

I like to use physical flashcards or make a Quizlet to help me remember concepts and definitions. These two tools are helpful because I can look through them whenever I have a free minute, it is also easier to carry a couple flash cards with you than it is a whole study guide. I also make concept maps with a pen and paper because I find that drawing/writing something out helps me to remember it better than if I were to do it on the computer.