Post #3 Gaming and Simulation Apps

 Digital games and simulations can be a great resource for teachers to use in the classroom to engage students in lessons so they can build their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. However, it is important to research to find games and simulations that are developmentally appropriate and educational. The four apps I chose to research this week include Phet, Zoombinis, iCivics, and GeoGuesser.

Screenshot: Phet's Elementary Simulations

Phet is a math and science simulation app developed at the University of Colorado. Although the web version says it is free, the version on my iPad charged 0.99 cents, but it is well worth it. Teachers can filter the results to find simulations relevant to the subject area- biology, chemistry, earth science, math, or physics- and grade level. All the simulations have an introduction and a lab option. They are all visually engaging. The only downfall I do notice is that the introductions are not clear, so it may be difficult to understand unless the teacher has provided explicit instructions about the subject and offered instructions about how to navigate the app. As long as this is a follow-up activity or assessment, I believe students would be engaged and be able to make connections to the content being taught. 

Screenshot: Zoombinis Logical Journey

Another app I researched was Zoombinis. This app is only available on Apple products and it cost a one-time purchase fee of 2.99. If educators are afforded the funds to purchase this app for their student's devices, it is engaging and developmentally appropriate for elementary-aged students. The students have to take a journey to rescue the Zoombinis from an island. On their journey, they run into several obstacles that increase in difficulty and the student has to use logic, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills to spot patterns and analyze data to get all 16 creatures back to Zoombiniville. There are not any traditional math problems with traditional operations- addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division- so to a young child, I believe it would feel more like a challenging game than math work. 

Screenshot: iCivics Lawyer Office

iCivics is a great app teachers can use to teach history/social studies and it's free. Instead of having to write and memorize boring lecture notes, students get to be part of the action. Some of the game options include creating a campaign to become President, opening a law office and learning about our rights, and learning how to cast a ballot by identifying your beliefs and researching candidates. Once again, the design is visually appealing and easy to use. Students can create their own avatars to use in play. I like this app because it gives clear directions that guide the student after they make decisions. Since the students make the decisions, the game can be played multiple times with different outcomes. I think this is a great game that will connect students to important issues in our government/society.

GeoGuessr is the final app I researched for this activity. Students are virtually placed in various places around the world. Google Street View allows students to explore the area they are in. Using identifying markers such as iconic landmarks, street signs, flags, and language students can guess where they are on the map. There is an option to filter destinations to a specific location, such as the USA or a specific city. This would be a great lesson to familiarize students with the map and the similarities and differences between countries around the world. The app information says it is for 4+ years old, but I feel like it would be appropriate for older elementary students around third grade and up. I knew some of the landmarks but it was difficult trying to pinpoint some locations on the map, especially with street names in foreign languages. A downfall of the app is that you can only play a limited number of free games for free. Altogether, I like that it's interactive and students can make connections with our world rather than just trying to recall redundant facts about it.