Learning Game “Responsibility Launcher”, Case Study Example

Abstract

This manuscript outlines a social studies teaching intervention embodied in the learning game Responsibililty launcher. Responsibility launcher is a customized framework ready to be applied in classroom settings. It can be adapted to student’s needs through its interactive platform. Schools need to be equipped with functioning computers, Internet access, and Adobe Flash Player 10, which is available as a free download. The games takes approximately 15-20 minutes to play.multi computer classroom lab gives the best reposnse. When students work as partner they learn to be integrated as well as understand that in society people need people to achieve goals (McCall, 2011). Learning game Responsibility launcher – A manuscript for mock publication

Introduction

Social ethics is a very important quality to society and social order is designed to enforce this value. In our contemporary American society civic awareness among youths has gained the attention of politicians, educators and the social media. It is believed that social studies teachers can make a huge impact in increasing civic awareness among this high risk population. These teachers are very innovative and effective communicators for translating culture. As such, the purpose of this document is to evaluate the usefulness of video games in creating civic sense among our precsious resource, ‘American youth.’ Consequently, an exploration into Responsibility launcher will be undertaken to assess its usefulness in transmitting civic knowledge.

The situation

The assumption among researchers is that by increasing civic awareness citizens will be empowered to live exceptionally better quality lives. Social studies teachers are expected to be intiators for sensitizing our children towards what it means to be useful citizens through citizenship transmission education. America has a rich civic rights culture. African Americans, especially, are militant in their perspective of what it means to be free and teach freedom rights to their offspring.

Therefore, designing techniques to transfer knowledge regarding instituions such as government, politics, family, healthcare, law, social services and education must be emnbraced if we are to create a more productive society. Consequently, our youth must be exposed from a very early age to useful to information that would render them viable to survuie in today’s society where modernization and social changes impact every aspect of human existence.

Hense, It is within this conceptual framework that social studies teachers must adapt strategies that would facilitate the process. Importantly, games such as Responsibility Launcher have been designed to assist them in their role of to enhacing citizenship transmission education through modelling, interacting with classmates and problem solving that would prepare them for both a now and next genration society.

Highlights of the game

Responsibility launcher is an online interactive game created by iCivics. It has various fun filled features, which are capable of creating civic awareness. The device proposes a number of options that require the player to find solutions related to their civic rights and duties. These are common issues citizens encounter on a daily basis as they move thtough society. Solutions options for scenarios presented are offered.

The main objective of Responsibility launcher is to create awareness of civic rights and duties among children thereby empowering them with characteristics beneficial towards becoming decent citizens in their country. iCivics is an online interactive game site designed particalrly to attract students. It emerged from under Sandra Day O’Connor’s vision who is a retired Supreme Court Justice.

It is time effective in that student only have to expend about 15-20 minutes of their time. A notable advantage is that due to the short tiem frame incurred in completing each task it is hardly likely that students become bored while executing the steps. civ While playing Responsibility launcher students have the privilege of launching anvils related to characters emerging in the device. Solutions to each problem are given as anvils and the text of such anvils are very simple and short making it easy to follow. This aspect of the game emphsizes its usefgullness in teaching citizenship transmission.It can also be used to reinforce social studeis content taught in class room during lectures utiliznf alternative teaching strategies. When using Responsibility launcher the social studies teacher is provided with a curriculum unit guide, which can be aligned to classromm instruction.

Features embodied in the games allow students to interact with the internet audience as within a pleasant fun environment. There is effortless communication of Information. Precisely, iCivic enables internet connection instruction from a tradition perspective. This feature is notably absent with the digital age development. As such, the game connects to students and teachers from both traditional and contemporary levels (McCall, 2011).

iCivic website has three sections with a wide rage of 100 lesson plans and 16 units altogether. There are also 12 informative video. According to how the game is structured it allows teaher and students easy access to coincide classromm activites with game time interactions for the best outcomes. In a society where creativity and critical thinking are the hallmark of intelligence, this game provides a wide scope for this development in social studies students involved in its performace. It was observed that without proper channeling many youths will ignore citizenship education. Therefore, the introduction of game such as Responsibility launcher canot be overemphasized.

Students will understand the importance of citizenship and will also become aware of the benefits of being a good citizen . As students get an opportunity to learn about civic rights, obligations and responsbilities in the form of a game, it will be easier to remember information this way, rather than trying to memorize them. They would have an opportunity to face various issues and find solutions.

Besides providing an opportunity to play a game iCivic also affords an excellent guideline for teachers to explore various smethods of teaching social studies. Insiduously, creators of this game are providing a curriculum unit that covers all areas of development of civic rights under four lessons. The first lesson realtes to early days of slavery through into 1950’s and 60’s of civil war and reconstruction. Then it describes post war legislations and state of life in the Jim Crow state. It further extends towards modern civil rights movement activites and culminating with a game strategy for students to explore. Lessons embody utilizimg primary documents, activities, readings, and other devices to introduce key events and concepts in the civil rights movement of America.

For example, the first lesson relating slavery experiences teachers are asked to examine the history of slavery in America. Slavery is one of the biggest infringement on civil rights. As such, it is paramounth in our history. Preciely, in developing an understanding premise of slavery period students need to be instructed regarding its emergence and expansion during the 19th century. Teachers are instructed to describe compromises and conflicts that occurred before the Civil War and slavery abolition.

The Process

A step by step process is provided with lessons to help teachers with the method adaoppted for each segment

• In the first step students anticipate questions which the instructor may ask.
• Secondly, are asked in the game to identify one factor about slavery in America.
• Thirdly, they are told to relate the incidenct to their partner. Next the teacher allows students to share their views on the subject, after to reading two pages from a text. The first page is read aloud in class.
• Fourly, When important topics like freedom and equality, teacher stops and discusses with students.
• Fifith, teacher asks students’ opinion of freedom and equality. Typical questions are, do you think that you are enjoying these rights? how dom you perceive enjoying or not enjoying these rights? Are maintaining rights essential in a society? Can a society survive without freedom, rights and equality?(iCivic, 2013).

Various perspectives on the topic are discussed, making sure that teachers are only asking questions and answer which are contained in student’s side of the game. The teacher can if necessary offer a case of interest and them follow up with related questions.When completing this sections the teacher can give a brief summary of students’ views and provide an analysis. This could be followed up with a similar actv ity on the same day or another day’s lesson.

There are various ways of conducting the game. Teachers can introduce a true and false answer sessions adaaptiing a mental testing method whereby students are asked to their bring notes for the next day for class discussion/clarification. This aids in recall and analysis.. Quotes can be read out in class and the Examples of Pro-Slavery Thinking chart on the second page of reading could be completed. Students are asked about each quote and the thinking pattern applications, recording them on paper. Group activities are more effective methods of memorization. Each group can be given 10 minutes for discussion and 10 minutes for writing. They can also be asked to write a composition on most hated aspects of slavery and its impact on civil rights and duties (iCivic, 2013).

There is a worksheets component of the iCivic device. They are distributed among students. It can be noted that activities are of two types one reviewing reading material and other in which new concepts are introduced providing working methods for students. Then the class of slavery can be closed by asking about the change in understanding of slavery they gained from class and activities. They can be asked about one factor of slavery they knew before class.

The objective of these class activities on slavery is to explain the concept of slavery and its impact on Americans allowing students think and understand the importance of civic rights and duties as well as creating knowledge about the expansion of slavery accross differenct territories. It embraces an exploration into the compromises and conflicts such as Compromise of 1850 and Missouri compromise. Besides, an awareness is created among students regarding various activities that influenced slavery such as the Dred Scott and Nat Turner implications. The socialstudies teacher then explains has impacted the American society leading tom Jim Crow and civil war. A further description of various movements responsible for the abolision of slavery. Students are also made aware of inconsistencies that regarding various amendments making slavery illegal (iCivic, 2013).

In the Constitution unit civics is perfectly connected to history through games, lessons and web quests. This helps the students to get a wide variety of methods of learning. Teachers are very well aware of that each student is different. Therefore, learning patterns also differ from one student to another. iCivics has perfectly managed to provide fairly best methods to teach all kinds of students successfully. The frustration of colonists under the rule of England is the first chapter in teaching students.

Policies of England were not at all acceptable to them and they began to reacting. This is then gradually developed for discussion on Articles of Confederation. It also discusses differences of opinion among Americans about the methods in which government is to be run. Teachers will be able to teach students about the organization of the constitution and how characteristics of some branches of government are defined under articles. At the end of the unit a web quest is given and this provides the opportunity for students to apply their knowledge in a real life situation like a case in the Supreme Court.

In order to cover the feeling of a real time assessment iCivics provides this module as a video game. Students are offered in-depth knowledge about Constitutional provisions related to civic rights and duties to become successful in this case that is under Supreme Courts consideration. The teacher is able to overlook the students’performance.

Students are asked to play five games. Time for each game is different. Hence the correct number of answers will be used to grade the performance. For correct answers 20 marks each will be awarded. It is not possible to explain all lessons for this space won’t be enough to tackle all of them. Therefore, it will be better for teachers and parents to check the games and lessons.

Today’s society demands more than merely memorizing lessons or information and requires that such information is spewed back to various tests of multiple choice (Tobias & Fletcher, 2011). In fact it is necessary that the student be made capable of handling various situations that require knowledge of civic rights and duties. Thus, there are several intellectual tools that are to be taught to children than mere feeding and memorizing of information. iCivics helps social studies teachers to achieve this goal.

The lessons of civics are developed in such a way to enable various aspects like to cooperate working, document analysing, making compromises for rushing to a common goal and using of critical thinking for solving complex situations requiring civics knowledge. This website helps the students to think with respect to their acquired area of knowledge. By playing these games students will be able to pick up all the nuts and bolts that are necessary to keep the citizen of America going.

Best section to make people realize about their rights and duties is interactive video games (McCall, 2011). When they are asked to face a situation for which answer can be given by mere awareness of civics they will think about it. If they had undergone any civic classes they will analyze and try to remember each and every point to answer the situation. Thus the video games also provide with a facility of rethinking.

Students are able to participate in their society confidently during the game and it creates a feeling that they are actually facing such situations. This is made possible with the help of interactive tools. One of the best methods to start describing constitution is by explaining three branches of government. It will be always better to start classes with this unit. Games are usually organized under these three branches which makes it easier for students to follow.

People not classifed under legislature, judiciary and executive are placed in a fourth category called citizenship and Participation. The objective of the game is too simple, to create a bill which is popular among voters and capable of passing voting from the legislature. Such a bill must not be vetoed by the President and which is capable of hold up in the Supreme Court. Students are forced to compromise their bills, select the correct number of amendments, restructure their bill and thinking about their own knowledge reflections etc. Thus civics are taught to children in right manner by ensuring participation from students itself, which is not possible in regular classes.

Do I have a Right also is somewhat similar to this while considering its interactive ability to keep children learning through playing. Players are provided one virtual law office which is focused on Constitutional law. Assistance is asked for by clients in cases they wish to win and always keep moving in and out. Lawyers are hired for providing assistance and the best option is to choose those lawyers who are focused on amendments of laws. Then if the player feels that his choice of lawyer is correct he will match it with the client to whom the lawyer matches perfectly.

For every given case that a player wins he gets some monetary reward that can be used for hiring more lawyers or can purchase furniture necessary for the office. Critical thinking is also demanded by this game and along with that it establishes a connection between the purpose of the amendments and student player for this will help to keep the virtual business of iCivics open. A single video can do million times more benefits than mere words if pictures can create benefits worth thousand times. .

Though civics education of youth in the United States is still a matter of concern for me I am of the opinion that new refocuses and angles will help to solve the majority of present day problems. With a new angle and refocus media is seemed as the best means to excite students (Tobias & Fletcher, 2011). It is this excitement that is to be made use of. Those who are excited about a topic will be interested in researching on a topic and will take effort to know more about civic rights and duties of America.

Conclusion

Department of education has begun budget restrictions regarding social studies education expansion. This could alter the extent to which citizenship transmiison prograns will be executed within a given school curriculum. Responsibility launcher is expected to empower students through interaction to face the social world with confidence since excellent role models may be difficult to find much more emulate. In evaluating the social context within which societies function departments of education ought to place priority on social studies education. Children ought to know what constitutes social order and social ethics because it is very important in being law abinding citrizens (McCall, 2011).

. While the game, Responsibility launcher, may not be capable of solving all disorders associated with civic responsibility awareness issues among students and American youth at this point in time it is very useful. Importantly, it is not costly to operate. Generally, the social stuides teacher has direct contact with students and are coversant with probable social needs. Responsibility launcher provides an atmosphere for teaching skils without a teacher being there all the time.It provokes crticial thinking. The social studies teacher functions as a faciltator to the game offering clarifications where necessary (McCall, 2011).

Responsibility launcher is a customized framework ready to be applied in classroom settings. It can be adapted to student’s needs through its interactive platform. Schools need to be equipped with functioning computers, Internet access, and Adobe Flash Player 10, which is available as a free download. The games takes approximately 15-20 minutes to play.multi computer classroom lab gives the best reposnse. When students work as partner they learn to be integrated as well as understand that in society people need people to achieve goals (McCall, 2011).

References

iCivic. (2013). Slavery: No freedom no rights. Retrieved May 5, 2013, from www.icivics.org: http://www.icivics.org/teachers/lesson-plans/slavery-no-freedom-no-rights

McCall, J. (2011). Gaming the Past: Using video games to teach secondary history. Routledge ISBN 978-0-415-88760-1.

Tobias, S., & Fletcher, J. (2011). Computer Games and Instruction . Charlotte: NC Information Age Publishers ISBN 978-1-61735-408-3.