CREATIVITY BY DESIGN
Games
Participatory learning is one of the best ways to engage students of the web 2.0 generation. Video games act on the learner in a way that intrinsically motivates them through the release of dopamine with each success. The video game model of learning achieves success through incremental challenges and goal progress recognition. The release of dopamine gives a "high" that motivates the learner to reach the next level of difficulty. This behavioural response helps to achieve levels of success through scaffolding.
Scaffolding breaks down complex tasks in to bite sized chunks and the feedback from the game provides intrinsic reinforcement and recognition of the progress. Video games lead to academic motivation through their success oriented activities.
Metacognitive strategies demand that students monitor their own progress in order to better evaluate their own performance. Video games are often collaborative in nature.
Art and Music
When we think of the future we often think of a world of science and technology that generally has very little to do with the Arts, yet, all great thought was born of the Arts. The greatest philosophers valued the Arts highly as a medium through which creativity and thought were expanded. Indeed more than a few of them were artists themselves.
The presence of art in technology is invaluable. Educators are told that students need to be creative collaborators who can solve problems. As a result, educators are called upon to design curriculum that embodies these aspects- and the best way to do this is through art and music. Art brings to life the feelings and thoughts of the artist in a manner that transcends words. The tools of technology affect what artists have been able to conceive and have brought art to people’s living rooms.
Watch this video to see what happens when games, art and music come together in technology!
Curricular Connections
By extending real world applications into the classroom, teachers inspire students to be creative and active participants when using video games, art and music for learning. Real world skills such as collaboration, constructivist learning and constructionism span over many areas of the curriculum when using the arts.
Mathematical skills are applied in art and music making while reading and writing skills are utilized for all three areas. The creative approach allows for student independence and teacher guidance while encouraging participatory learning amongst students.
These engaging, authentic and meaningful activities encourage learners to invest in a transformative experience in which they extend real world applications and skills to design open ended, self- directed activities.
