5364+Week+5

=**Week 5- Understanding Student Psyche Using Technology**=

To me, the common thread among the readings and videos this week was motivating and reaching students through technology, using assessments, video games, and spreadsheet programs. The video that really stuck out for me was the video, **//Big Thinkers: James Paul Gee on Grading With Games//**. This professor really understands the way digital natives think! I was blown away by his rational way of thinking, especially regarding the student's use of textbooks in the classroom (references only after students begin to explore concepts). His thoughts on video games basically being an ongoing assessment, getting harder and harder through levels, was right on the money.

I think of myself as being born in a time right between digital natives, and digital immigrants, I was born right between these worlds. I still remember getting my first Atari for Christmas when I turned 6,a Colecovision at 8, and my first Nintendo video game system when I turned 10, and being so good at it that I would beat the boys in my neighborhood. Then came the first VCRs- my mom and dad needed me to program it for them, as well as my grandparent's, and my aunt and uncle's VCR. I never read the instruction manual first! I just plugged everything in and would see how far I could go with it. My family was in awe that I could figure it all out and would show me off to the neighbors, who would then get me to program their VCR. This really made me feel good about myself and would motivate me to keep learning more. If I got stuck or wanted to learn more about the system, I would open the manual. One VCR was no different than the next. This is no different from what students are doing today. Teachers need to harness these gifts in students to let them showcase what they are good at. With students and teachers working together, the possibillities are endless!