Embedding game experiences in learning environments is complicated. Even in a controlled study performed by experienced instructional designers delivering what is perceived to be a quality gamified learning experience, there remain a number of challenges. Gamification for gamification’s sake is as Ian Bogost has so eloquently said, bullshit (Bogost, 2015).
Read MoreThe early days of exploration at sea were days of countless unknowns and superstition. In many cases, early seafarers had no clue where they were going, and what to expect when they arrived, if they arrived anywhere at all.
Read MoreI’ve been thinking a LOT about numbers lately. Numbers dominate our lives after all. We live by numbers, we die by numbers. A lot of our work can be summed up in numbers and it’s really easy to lose perspective when the numbers get big.
Read MoreWhen I was in elementary school in 1987 we had a Makerspace. Yeah, you heard that right, we had a Makerspace. I hear you saying “but Mike don't Makerspaces have laptops and iPads and robots”? My response is, I guess yeah some Makerspaces have some of those things, but is that what makes a Makerspace?
Read MoreAt its best educational social media is amazing. It's inspiring, it's passionate, it's encouraging, it's positive, it builds people up. But, at its worst educational social media is fractured, contentious, jealous, and argumentative. Last week gave us examples of both of these things.
Read MoreSome of the more exciting new developments in educational robotics are happening in K-2 education. This is an area of educational robotics that has been neglected for so long with few good reasons why. As educators, we know that when you let students have the freedom to learn, and grow, and develop on their own, they can do amazing things. The only people stopping kids from being great are adults after all. Our students have no fear, so why have we been afraid to give them great coding experiences like their older classmates? So let’s talk about why this matters, and some of the awesome tools out there to get started.
Read MoreThere is so much going on in my head about the last hour that I am worried I am not going to be able to articulate it all well in writing. There are lessons in this for both Mike the cycler and Mike the educator. I hope people who connect with me in either of those worlds will keep reading.
Read MoreWhen I was a kid I rode everywhere. I LOVED RIDING. So it seemed pretty reasonable to me that as I was exploring ways to get healthy and turn the corner that cycling should be part of the mix at the least. I am turning 40 in a few weeks, and I want to be healthier in my 40’s than I was in my 30’s. It’s a promise I’ve made to myself and I am determined to keep it.
Read MoreI have made a lot of decisions about my life in the last few weeks. I buckled down to make decisions about writing a book. I’ve set in motion some big ideas for OnEducation. I’ve also made some pretty huge decisions about my health. I think, for the first time in my life, I feel overwhelmed, but not with negative issues and stuff I have the deal with that is bad, but overwhelmed with all the positive things I am working on, or would like to do. It’s stress, but good stress. Is that a thing?
Read MoreAnother school year is set to begin in many parts of the US. In some parts of the country though, schools and districts are having a hard time coming up with funding to meet the needs of their teachers. Budgets are tight and a lot of teachers are feeling forced to find ways to fill the gaps in their supplies that their school districts can’t supply them. We are seeing a lot of Amazon wishlists. On Twitter, #clearthelists was a dominant hashtag this week. I have a few thoughts on this I wanted to get out.
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