Gaming and Motivation Lesson Plan

Games played a major role in my action research project. I wanted to see how increased use of technology and games would engage my students in learning the concept of music note reading, and increase retention of this skill. While in GSM in June 2010, I pitched the idea of a game called Silly Staff, then created a version of it in Udutu during LMO the next month. This past April I used the Udutu with my 2nd grade students on our class SMART Board and made it accessible to students on my website as well. In addition, I created a practice game using the SMART Notebook 10 software. I still dream of seeing this concept become in reality an interactive game...


Pacing: The pace of my game would need to be fast, as elementary students have a limited attention span. In a classroom setting, rotating turns using their carpet seating rows works best.

Instructions: Instructions will be given from the Pedagogical Coach.

Controls: The learners will click or drag on the SMART Board or their own computer.

Knowledge: I expect my learners to have knowledge of the music alphabet and treble clef lines and spaces when they begin the game. After playing the game I hope the learners will feel confident in their skill with this concept.

Achievements: The short term victories for the learner are advancement in levels and rewards of stars and points. Successful completion of levels will receive positive feedback from the pedagogical coach. The long term victories include confidence in note reading that will make further musical instruction a more rewarding experience.

Story: Silly Staff loves words, but he is lonely! He asks his friends Treble Clef and the Note Family to help fill his life with the words that he loves. With their help, he won't be lonely anymore. (Remember this is for 2nd grade music students)

Endgame: Nasty Note throws in letters that are not part of the music alphabet. The Note Family has to clear those away and correctly spell the words on Silly Staff in the time limit for each level. When the final word is achieved, Silly Staff is happy, filled with the company of his friends, and the game is over.

Assessment: The built in assessments in this game are correct note spelling within the time limits set.

Timing: This game should last about 20 minutes of the 35 minute class period. Adding more word levels could increase the playing time.

Fun and Motivation: My learners enjoy games and especially anything that we can do on the SMART Board. I hope the novelty will not be lost. (This is why I continually strive to create engaging lessons and games.) This game involves intrinsic motivation. 2nd grade students can relate to loneliness and wanting their friends to share things they enjoy.

RILS Reflection

When we use Web 2.0 tools to create "Relevant and Innovative Learning Scenarios", engagement of our students is a given!!
I have seen such a positive change with my students since September of 2009 when I began the EMDT program. Meeting my students where they are as digital natives, changing my teaching style to include presenting content using Web 2.0 tools, and continually evaluating and tweaking have certainly revved up the excitement in my music classroom! (My own, as well as my students')
What I'm striving to do: Keep on making ripples, and present content in a way that is relevant and engaging to my students!

BP8_RILS Links to Comments

Follow this link to read my comment on Jennifer Williams' RILS .


Follow this link to read my comments on Rosetta Cash's RILS.

ETC_Final Project

Relevant and Innovative Learning Scenario- Kathy Kellen

Target Audience:
Colleagues in my district in a staff development setting

Materials needed:
• computer
• internet
• course materials
• created assets

Objectives:
• The educator colleague will analyze their course content.
• The educator colleague will design a course in Udutu that will engage students in learning.
• The educator colleague will create media assets to include in their Udutu course.
• The educator colleague will reflect on the process.

Procedure:
• Present Udutu as a course design option to colleagues in Staff Development session
• Have colleagues view my tutorial video
• Break colleagues into small discussion groups to brainstorm ideas for the course each will create
• Allow ample work time and be available for questions
• Provide resources
• Colleagues share their Udutu courses with members of the small discussion group
• Colleagues reflect on the process, provide comments to the members of their group and take feedback from others and make changes to the Udutu course

Web 2.0 Tool:
Udutu
Udutu is an LMS that is user friendly and easily accessible through the Facebook applications of udututeach and udutulearn, as well as a URL that can be posted on websites.

Social Participation: The colleagues will be divided into small discussion groups by drawing a random number at the beginning of the session. In the discussion group they will brainstorm ideas for interactive units that would engage students with their course content. They will share ideas of media assets that could be created, and look at provided examples.

Connections: The colleagues will connect their individual course content with the new assets they are creating to include in their Udutu course. They will see the relevance of connecting with their 21st Century students through the engagement of the Udutu course and accessibility on their Google.edu website.
Create/Produce:
The end product that will be created is a Udutu course that focuses on each colleague’s individual subject matter. It will be posted to their google site and made accessible to their students.

Assessment:
Each colleague will email me the (working) URL of their Udutu course. I will also ask them to share feedback on a discussion board on my google site.

Reflection:
In a later session meeting of the small discussion groups the colleagues will reflect on Udutu and the creation of their course.

I will reflect on the process, take feedback from colleagues, and incorporate changes as needed.

More Udutu

My udutu course Reading...NOTES is completed and here is my tutorial on distributing it. There are some steps that are a bit complicated, so I feel that this tutorial can help my colleagues have less frustration and more success!

PE5_Udutu

This video is the rough draft of the first section of my tutorial for my RILS to be used in Staff Development in my district. I've learned more about the little tricks in Udutu and the biggest tip is "SAVE often!!"
To get support from Udutu (if needed) way at the bottom of the page is a link that sends a facebook message to the creator, Kris Udutu. I was very pleased with the help and support he gave me when I found that one of my courses had been corrupted. Pleased to report that it is up and running again! The personal touch care is to be noted!
An observation of self critique: I use the word "easily" WAY TOO MUCH!! I'll be changing that in my final tutorial edition!!
I'm really enjoying working with Udutu, and feel that the staff in my district will benefit from learning about what Udutu can do for them.

PE4_Udutu

For my RILS I have chosen to learn more about and develop my skills in Udutu. Udutu is a LMS that is free and easily accessible in the Facebook applications udututeach and udutulearn. To design courses you first create an account on My Udutu. http://www.myudutu.com
Udutu is easier than Adobe Flash, but still has some tricky aspects. My greatest advice is "save" after each thing you do! You have different theme choices, the ability to upload a logo, add a copyright for your work, choose fonts and sizes...and all this before you even add content!
Content may be audio, video, images and text. It helps to save your content in the library in case you need to change a screen or use something in a future course creation.
My RILS will involve a tutorial for staff development on creating a course in Udutu. More to come!