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Video games have been previously incorporated into my learning experiences as an elementary school and early middle school student. We used websites such as CoolMath.com and Study Island as tools to aid the curricula we were focusing on. I limitedly play other video games on my PS4 and online games on my phone, but I would not consider myself a game guru. I do not particularly crave playing games other than puzzles such as sudoku or nonagrams, but I will participate as a way of socializing with friends. I am comfortable with the technology involved in video gaming and my ability to learn new games.

When I was looking for a game, I hoped to find a video game that would be accessible to young learners. I wanted to find a game that would not overcomplicate the objectives or add effects that would distract from the learning goals. I was hoping to use the game a way to promote student learning while promoting all types of students. Giving greater challenge to those excelling in the lesson or more support to the students that need some extra instruction.

The game that I chose is from the PBS website and called Code Breaker. The purpose of the game is to find the number pattern within the purple numbers provided at the top of the screen (Image 2). Once the pattern is identified, the player should move the character across the numbers to continue the pattern until they get to the gate, leading them to the next level. As I was exploring the program I wondered how they helped students struggling to pass each level. The solution is that the green and grey blocks appear after the original purple blocks in order to have the students work through the pattern easier (Image 2). Levels begin to gain difficulty as the codes become more complex and other environmental features are brought into action such as lasers (Image 3). This game is able to automatically differentiate for the students based on their performance in each level.

I really focused on the playability of the game and how a potential student might respond to the different levels and instructions. “If the game is too complicated, they’ll spend more time trying to play than learning from playing”(MindShift, 20). Code Breaker seems to be a very straight forward game in which the characters speak out loud, giving short explanations throughout the game to help the player along. In my exploration thus far, I have discovered a straight forward game that provides proper differentiate for effective classroom learning.

1. My name is Thea and my preferred pronouns are her/she.
2. I am from Moreland Hills, Ohio.
3. I play violin on Sundays in John Carroll’s Saint Francis Chapel. I enjoy skiing each weekend.
4. What makes me feel most comfortable in a course is a welcoming environment in which open discussion is invited. I enjoy a more casual setting in which there is small group discussion in which the groups then present their ideas to the class. I enjoy hands on activities in which I can learn through exploration.
5. What matters to me most about education are the influence and effects of data-driven instruction. Referring to how schools and teachers are motivated by the pending results of standardized testing and how that effects student learning. One article that relates to this is the article “The Dangers of Data Driven Instruction” by Susan B. Neuman. This article gives a critical look at data in the classroom and how it can hinder students instead of its intended benefits. Throughout my siblings and my own school experiences, I have seen how data driven instruction and standardized testing can hurt students. Because of this, I find the topic and the issue to be especially pressing within classrooms today.
6. My question for Dr. Shutkin is how you have has seen technology used most and least effectively within a classroom. And if you have any tips for common mistakes of using technology for educational purposes.