Games and Apps for Learning

The number of games and apps available to the public has grown exponentially over the past few years and so have the possible uses of these and the devices they work with.  The use of such resources is increasingly being used in the classroom in a variety of ways and for a multitude of reasons.

Some reasons for using games and apps in the classroom include:

• Increasing motivation and interest in students
• Many games and apps can provide immediate feedback to both the learner and the teacher that will allow for increased monitoring and help notice any needs for the adjustment of instruction
• Often less threatening than more traditional instructional methods
• Provides new and additional ways to review material
• Many of the new technology devices are more user-friendly for children and those with disabilities
• There are games and apps for every subject, as well as apps that can help students with other skills
• Provide the opportunity for more individualized instruction

A major guiding theory for teachers is Bloom's Taxonomy.  The advent of using games and apps in the classroom has given teachers many more options for teaching according to the levels of Bloom's Taxonomy.

Check out this excellent PDF at http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/file/view/Bloom%27s+quicksheets.pdf that explains each level of Bloom's and describes some digital activities that can be used at each level.

Here are some specific apps and games that I like to use for each level of Bloom's Taxonomy.

Bloom's Digital Taxonomy: A selection of games and apps for the classroom on Prezi