tag:theconversation.com,2011:/id/topics/teaching-tool-18540/articlesTeaching tool – The Conversation2023-08-17T12:34:54Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2111712023-08-17T12:34:54Z2023-08-17T12:34:54Z3 reasons we use graphic novels to teach math and physics<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542875/original/file-20230815-20-jxi8dm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=10%2C0%2C2393%2C1061&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Graphic novels can help make math and physics more accessible for students, parents or teachers in training.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/education-concept-science-technology-reading-books-royalty-free-image/1201355144?adppopup=true">Metamorworks/iStock via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Post-pandemic, some educators are trying to reengage students with technology – like videos, <a href="https://theconversation.com/video-gaming-can-bolster-classroom-learning-but-not-without-teacher-support-190483">computer gaming</a> or artificial intelligence, just to name a few. But integrating these approaches in the classroom can be an uphill battle. Teachers using these tools often struggle to retain students’ attention, competing with the latest social media phenomenon, and can feel limited by using short video clips to get concepts across. </p>
<p>Graphic novels – offering visual information married with text – provide a means to engage students without losing all of the rigor of textbooks. As two educators <a href="https://www.sarahklanderman.com/">in math</a> <a href="https://www.joshaho.com/">and physics</a>, we have found graphic novels to be effective at teaching students of all ability levels. We’ve used graphic novels in our own classes, and we’ve also inspired and encouraged other teachers to use them. And we’re not alone: Other teachers are rejuvenating this analog medium with a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1353/jeu.2014.0018">high level of success</a>.</p>
<p>In addition to <a href="https://gnclassroom.com/">covering a wide range of topics and audiences</a>, graphic novels can explain tough topics without alienating student averse to STEM – science, technology, engineering and math. Even for students who already like math and physics, graphic novels provide a way to dive into topics beyond what is possible in a time-constrained class. In our book “<a href="http://bloomsbury.com/uk/using-graphic-novels-in-the-stem-classroom-9781350279186/">Using Graphic Novels in the STEM Classroom</a>,” we discuss the many reasons why graphic novels have a unique place in math and physics education. Here are three of those reasons:</p>
<h2>Explaining complex concepts with rigor and fun</h2>
<p>Increasingly, schools are <a href="https://theconversation.com/textbooks-in-the-digital-world-78299">moving away from textbooks</a>, even though studies show that students learn better <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-enduring-power-of-print-for-learning-in-a-digital-world-84352">using print rather than digital formats</a>. Graphic novels offer the best of both worlds: a hybrid between modern and traditional media.</p>
<p>This integration of text with images and diagrams is especially <a href="https://theconversation.com/heroes-villains-biology-3-reasons-comic-books-are-great-science-teachers-143251">useful in STEM disciplines</a> that require quantitative reading and data analysis skills, like math and physics.</p>
<p>For example, our collaborator <a href="https://www.dordt.edu/people/jason-ho">Jason Ho, an assistant professor at Dordt University</a>, uses “<a href="https://maxthedemon.com">Max the Demon Vs Entropy of Doom</a>” to teach his physics students about entropy. This topic can be particularly difficult for students because it’s one of the first times when they can’t physically touch something in physics. Instead, students have to rely on math and diagrams to fill in their knowledge.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"964876541174931457"}"></div></p>
<p>Rather than stressing over equations, Ho’s students focus on understanding the subject more conceptually. This approach helps build their intuition before diving into the algebra. They get a feeling for the fundamentals before they have to worry about equations.</p>
<p>After having taken Ho’s class, more than <a href="https://acmsonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/journal-and-proceedings-2023.pdf">85% of his students agreed</a> that they would recommend using graphic novels in STEM classes, and <a href="https://acmsonline.org/conferences/">90% found this particular use</a> of “Max the Demon” helpful for their learning. When strategically used, graphic novels can create a dynamic, engaging teaching environment even with nuanced, quantitative topics.</p>
<h2>Combating quantitative anxiety</h2>
<p>Students learning math and physics today are surrounded by <a href="https://theconversation.com/think-youre-bad-at-math-you-may-suffer-from-math-trauma-104209">math anxiety and trauma</a>, which often lead to their own negative associations with math. A student’s perception of math can be influenced by the attitudes of the role models around them – whether it’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-parents-with-high-math-anxiety-help-with-homework-children-learn-less-46841">a parent who is “not a math person”</a> or <a href="https://doi.org/10.20429/ijsotl.2021.150213">a teacher with a high level of math anxiety</a>.</p>
<p>Graphic novels can help make math more accessible not only for students themselves, but also for parents or students learning to be teachers.</p>
<p>In a geometry course one of us (Sarah) teaches, secondary education students don’t memorize formulas and fill out problem sheets. Instead, students read “<a href="https://gnclassroom.com/graphic-novel/who-killed-professor-x/">Who Killed Professor X?</a>”, a murder mystery in which all of the suspects are famous mathematicians. The suspects’ alibis are justified through problems from geometry, algebra and pre-calculus.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vATkt9xuA44?wmode=transparent&start=27" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">A peak inside the mathematical graphic novel ‘Who Killed Professor X?’.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>While trying to understand the hidden geometry of suspect relationships, students often forget that they are doing math – focusing instead on poring over secret hints and notes needed to solve the mystery. </p>
<p>Although this is just one experience for these students, it can help change the narrative for students experiencing mathematical anxiety. It boosts their confidence and shows them how math can be fun – a lesson they can then impart to the next generation of students.</p>
<h2>Helping students learn and readers dream big</h2>
<p>In addition to being viewed favorably by students, graphic novels can enhance student learning by improving <a href="http://repository.unej.ac.id/handle/123456789/97529">written communication skills</a>, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jaal.666">reading comprehension</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1598/JAAL.53.2.5">critical literacy skills</a>. And even outside the classroom, graphic novels support long-term memory for those who have diagnoses like <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/21504857.2019.1635175">dyslexia</a>. </p>
<p>Pause and think about your own experience – how do you learn about something new in science? </p>
<p>If you’re handed a textbook, it’s extremely unlikely that you’d read it cover to cover. And although the internet offers an enormous amount of math and physics content, it can be overwhelming to sift through hours and hours of videos to find the perfect one to get the “aha!” moment in learning.</p>
<p>Graphic novels provide a starting point for such <a href="https://gnclassroom.com/">a broad range of niche topics</a> that it’s impossible for anyone to be experts in them all. Want to learn about programming? Try the “<a href="https://gnclassroom.com/graphic-novel/secret-coders/">Secret Coders</a>” series. Want to understand more about quantum physics? Dive into “<a href="https://gnclassroom.com/graphic-novel/suspended-in-language/">Suspended in Language: Niels Bohr’s life, discoveries, and the century he shaped</a>.” Searching for more female role models in science? “<a href="https://gnclassroom.com/graphic-novel/astronauts-women-on-the-final-frontier/">Astronauts: Women on the Final Frontier</a>” could be just what you’re looking for.</p>
<p>With all that they offer, graphic novels provide a compelling list of topics and narratives that can capture the attention of students today. We believe that the right set of graphic novels can inspire the next generation of scientists as much as any single individual can.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211171/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Graphic novels pair text and images to explain complex topics – from thermodynamics to abstract math – without alienating STEM-averse students.Sarah Klanderman, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Marian UniversityJosha Ho, Adjunct Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science, Marian UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/759762017-05-17T00:06:46Z2017-05-17T00:06:46ZAre movies a good way to learn history?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/169574/original/file-20170516-11966-7ci4ib.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Daniel Day-Lewis won the 2012 Academy Award for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln. Is Spielberg's historical drama a good way to learn about the 16th U.S. president?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.fox.co.uk/lincoln">Touchstone Pictures</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Hollywood loves history. At <a href="http://oscar.go.com/news/winners/oscar-winners-2017-see-the-complete-list">this year’s Academy Awards</a>, three nominees for Best Picture (“<a href="http://www.fencesmovie.com/">Fences</a>,” “<a href="http://www.hacksawridge.movie/">Hacksaw Ridge</a>” and “<a href="http://www.hiddenfigures.com/">Hidden Figures</a>”) were “historical” to today’s teenagers – set in or about events that occurred before they were born.</p>
<p>History movies, like most movies, have a huge audience in the U.S. Even Disney’s notorious 2004 version of “<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0318974/">The Alamo</a>” – <a href="http://business.time.com/2012/03/21/the-top-ten-biggest-money-losing-movies-of-all-time/slide/the-alamo/">a box office “bomb”</a> – was seen by millions. That’s far more people than read most best-selling historians’ books.</p>
<p>A lot of these viewers are kids, watching the movies in theaters, at home and even at school. I’ve observed “The Alamo” used by teachers on more than one occasion.</p>
<p>But are motion pictures like these good for learning about history? As a scholar of social studies education and <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Teaching-History-with-Film-Strategies-for-Secondary-Social-Studies/Marcus-Metzger-Paxton-Stoddard/p/book/9780415999564">the use of film to teach history</a>, I offer the response that films can support learning – if used to meet specific goals and connected to the proper subject matter.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RK8xHq6dfAo?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">2016’s ‘Hidden Figures’ was nominated for Best Picture. Will it be used in classrooms some day to teach about this moment in the 1960s?</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The allure of history movies</h2>
<p>Fact-based or fictional, realistic or fantastic, history movies shape the way people think about the past. In a study of how 15 families discussed historical understanding of the Vietnam War era, <a href="https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831206298677">kids and parents both spontaneously drew on memories of movies</a>. “<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109830/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Forrest Gump</a>,” in particular, was referenced by both generations.</p>
<p>It’s not surprising that teachers want to draw on this cultural power, showing movies in class to get students more excited about history. In one study of <a href="http://www.mccc.edu/pdf/cmn107/the%20burden%20of%20historical%20representation%20race%20freedom%20and%20educational%20hollywood%20film.pdf">84 Wisconsin and Connecticut teachers</a>, nearly 93 percent reported that they use some portion of a film at least once a week. While not enough to draw clear conclusions, this study does suggest that history films are likely used quite often in the classroom.</p>
<p>So why do teachers choose to show movies with class time?</p>
<p>People often talk about the <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/pros-and-cons-movies-in-class-7762">stereotype of the busy/lazy/overwhelmed teacher</a> who puts on a movie instead of doing “real” teaching. However, research indicates that teachers actually tend to have good motives when it comes to showing movies in class.</p>
<p>In that study of 84 teachers, most felt that students are more motivated and learn more when a film is used. Case studies also describe <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Teaching-History-with-Film-Strategies-for-Secondary-Social-Studies/Marcus-Metzger-Paxton-Stoddard/p/book/9780415999564">other academic goals teachers have for using movies in class</a>, which include understanding historical controversies, visualizing narratives of the past and studying movies as “primary sources” that reflect the time at which they were made.</p>
<p>In a recent study of <a href="https://www.history.org.uk/publications/categories/304/resource/7132/the-international-journal-volume-12-number-1">more than 200 Australian teachers</a>, many described how movies added audio and visual elements to learning and showcased a more personal, empathetic look at historical figures and events – both aspects that the teachers felt resonated with the learning styles and preferences of their pupils.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/169557/original/file-20170516-11966-kob1uw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/169557/original/file-20170516-11966-kob1uw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/169557/original/file-20170516-11966-kob1uw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=254&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/169557/original/file-20170516-11966-kob1uw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=254&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/169557/original/file-20170516-11966-kob1uw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=254&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/169557/original/file-20170516-11966-kob1uw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=320&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/169557/original/file-20170516-11966-kob1uw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=320&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/169557/original/file-20170516-11966-kob1uw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=320&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">1994’s ‘Forrest Gump’ is a popular cultural touchpoint for thinking about the Vietnam War.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.paramount.com/movies/forrest-gump">Paramount Pictures</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Do students trust movies?</h2>
<p>Most young people are savvy enough to know that movies and TV are fictionalized, but that doesn’t mean they know how to keep history and Hollywood separate. After all, movies and TV shows set in a historical period can be extensively researched and often <a href="http://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/catalog/57hsn7hf9780252076893.html">blend fact and fiction</a>.</p>
<p>In <a href="https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ760285">a study of two U.S. history classes,</a> high school students interviewed claimed that “Hollywood” films are less trustworthy sources of information. Yet in classroom activities, they treated them like any other legitimate source – perhaps because the teacher adds some unintentional legitimacy simply by choosing the film. The teacher “must see some good history in it,” explained one student. “I don’t think he’s going to show something random,” said another.</p>
<p>A case study by education professor <a href="http://education.uconn.edu/person/alan-marcus/">Alan Marcus</a> found that students believed most movies watched in class to be <a href="http://www.infoagepub.com/products/Celluloid-Blackboard-Teaching-History-with-Film">at least somewhat trustworthy</a> – a source of information to gather facts.</p>
<p>The level of trust students have may also depend on their prior knowledge or cultural viewpoints, as in a study of <a href="http://www.infoagepub.com/products/Celluloid-Blackboard-Teaching-History-with-Film">26 Wisconsin teenagers</a> – half of them white and half Native American. The Native American teens found the 1993 Kevin Costner film “<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099348/">Dances with Wolves</a>” to be slightly more trustworthy than their white peers did. The white students, on the other hand, rated the school textbook as much more trustworthy than the Native American teens did.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/169561/original/file-20170516-11956-1oo69a4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/169561/original/file-20170516-11956-1oo69a4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/169561/original/file-20170516-11956-1oo69a4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=254&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/169561/original/file-20170516-11956-1oo69a4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=254&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/169561/original/file-20170516-11956-1oo69a4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=254&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/169561/original/file-20170516-11956-1oo69a4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=319&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/169561/original/file-20170516-11956-1oo69a4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=319&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/169561/original/file-20170516-11956-1oo69a4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=319&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The perceived trustworthiness of Kevin Costner’s ‘Dances with Wolves’ may depend on a student’s cultural background.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Orion Pictures</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Educational challenges</h2>
<p>The complicated relationship between fact and fiction is just one of the many challenges educators face when using history movies in their classrooms. It’s not as simple as pressing “play.”</p>
<p>Among the host of practical and academic challenges:</p>
<ul>
<li>Many history movies are R-rated, with material parents may not want shown in class.</li>
<li>Some administrators aren’t supportive of spending class time on popular media.</li>
<li>Pressure to cover content standards and prepare for testing can leave little time for intensive media projects.</li>
</ul>
<p>The very structure of the school day, in fact, <a href="http://www.iajiss.org/index.php/iajiss/article/viewArticle/116">makes it difficult to fit film viewing into the curriculum</a> – especially if discussion and reviewing strategies are included.</p>
<p>Perhaps the most daunting question is whether movies are actually good for learning history.</p>
<p>In one Australian study, most participating teachers believed film to be useful, but some took the position that <a href="http://www.iajiss.org/index.php/iajiss/article/viewArticle/116">film can confuse students with inaccurate portrayals</a>. “Hollywood distorts history, but kids remember what they‘ve seen more than the facts,” said one teacher.</p>
<p>A psychological research study found that viewing history films <a href="http://psych.wustl.edu/memory/Roddy%20article%20PDF%27s/Butler%20et%20al%20(2009)_PsychSci.pdf">considerably increased factual recall</a> when the film matched historical readings. However, students came away with considerable misinformation when the film conflicted with the readings – because the students remembered the film and not the text. This occurred even when students were generally warned that the history movies were fictional.</p>
<p>With specific warnings about false details, most students were able to remember the accurate information as well as the misinformation. Teachers must set the stage when a movie is introduced, helping students mentally tag which elements are inaccurate.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/169567/original/file-20170516-11956-d5q30w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/169567/original/file-20170516-11956-d5q30w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/169567/original/file-20170516-11956-d5q30w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=316&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/169567/original/file-20170516-11956-d5q30w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=316&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/169567/original/file-20170516-11956-d5q30w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=316&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/169567/original/file-20170516-11956-d5q30w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/169567/original/file-20170516-11956-d5q30w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/169567/original/file-20170516-11956-d5q30w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Zack Snyder’s 2006 epic ‘300’ has some big pieces of misinformation, but the bulk of the narrative elements is more accurate than many people think.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.warnerbros.com/300">Warner Bros.</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>How to learn history from Hollywood</h2>
<p>History movies have potential as learning tools, but that potential isn’t easy to realize.</p>
<p>Teachers need strong subject matter knowledge about the topics portrayed, so that they can frame the movie and its relationship to fact and fiction. Teachers also need to have sound learning goals and awareness of the diverse cultural viewpoints that students bring to the classroom. And they need the time and resources for meaningful discussion or assignments after viewing.</p>
<p>Simply put, history movies – and most other media – by themselves don’t teach.</p>
<p>If a teacher lines up proper film choice, lesson goals, subject matter and class activities using the film, it is possible to really learn about history by way of Hollywood.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/75976/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Scott Alan Metzger does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>History movies may have Oscar potential, but their educational potential is more complicated. Should teachers use Hollywood to teach?Scott Alan Metzger, Associate Professor of Education, Penn StateLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/539262016-02-02T11:01:22Z2016-02-02T11:01:22ZRecreating medieval towns – an example of why Minecraft is a great learning tool<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/109720/original/image-20160129-3905-xh69dl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption"></span> <span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>I recently told a room full of academics interested in using videogames as a teaching tool <a href="https://about.me/iLearningUK">that</a> “to play is the biggest freedom we can have as a child, or as an adult”. The popular world-building game, Minecraft, provides that opportunity at every twist and turn – something Microsoft has emphasised when announcing the release of <a href="http://education.minecraft.net/">Minecraft Education Edition</a>.</p>
<p>After <a href="https://theconversation.com/minecraft-purchase-is-the-first-building-block-in-microsofts-new-strategy-31598">buying Minecraft in 2014</a>, Microsoft also recently acquired <a href="https://minecraftedu.com/">MinecraftEDU</a>, a modified version of Minecraft developed by Teacher Gaming to help teachers use it more easily in the classroom. The latest edition will make this even easier – but what makes this game such a great tool for teachers?</p>
<p>Minecraft is a creative “sandbox” game where the players dig up blocks in a landscape, craft them in to new materials, then use them to create whatever they wish. It allows players complete freedom to explore, build and experiment and is often referred to as “virtual Lego”.</p>
<p>The key to success in the classroom, as any good teacher will tell you, is keeping students engaged. Motivated and enthused teachers are more likely to motivate and enthuse their pupils, who in turn are more receptive and willing to explore, experiment, test and – most importantly – fail, as part of the learning process. </p>
<h2>Building the past in blocks</h2>
<p>In a recent archaeology undergraduate class, we explored the site of the deserted medieval village of <a href="http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/wharram-percy-deserted-medieval-village/">Wharram Percy</a> in East Yorkshire. We did so without leaving the classroom – we recreated in MinecraftEDU using <a href="http://dwtkns.com/srtm">shuttle radar topography mission data</a> available from space shuttle missions, combined with <a href="http://tahoe.usgs.gov/viewers.html">DEM software for viewing 3D models</a> to create a scaled map of the region, imported into Minecraft using <a href="http://www.worldpainter.net/">WorldPainter</a>. From there, landscape detail including ruins, ponds, rivers and forests can easily be added in.</p>
<p>The archaeology students were given a map of the earthworks and a set of artists’ impressions of what might have stood on the Wharram Percy site throughout the medieval period, taken from their textbooks. Using their knowledge of the site and their academic resources, they set out to recreate the site, while reflecting on the limitations that come with working with 1m<sup>3</sup> blocks throughout.</p>
<p>We had two levels of student in the group, those with experience of working with Minecraft and those without. The 18-year-olds of today have grown up with Minecraft as part of their childhood – given there have been more than <a href="https://minecraft.net/">22m downloads</a> of the game we can certainly expect some students to arrive with some understanding of how it works, either firsthand or via family or friends. This exposure makes for a very shallow learning curve for most people, so they can quickly get into the game and get creative. After initial orientation exercises for newbies, they were off visualising and building their ideas.</p>
<p>Were my sessions engaging? Well, after just two hours of building and crafting, the standard Minecraft cry went up at the end of the session: “Just one more block!”</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/109820/original/image-20160201-32231-1xwzvry.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/109820/original/image-20160201-32231-1xwzvry.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/109820/original/image-20160201-32231-1xwzvry.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/109820/original/image-20160201-32231-1xwzvry.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/109820/original/image-20160201-32231-1xwzvry.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/109820/original/image-20160201-32231-1xwzvry.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/109820/original/image-20160201-32231-1xwzvry.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Block by block, the medieval town takes shape.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Creativity leads to understanding</h2>
<p>Using real data to create real environments in the virtual world? For many learners it doesn’t get much more engaging than that. It’s the start of a conversation that can lead to many opportunities to dig deeper into the source material and make connections. </p>
<p>With primary school children we can talk about shuttle missions, satellites, mapping, geography and how we see our world from space. For the secondary school pupils we can talk about datasets, using software to manipulate data, and geographical features and how they originated, as well as the technical challenge of creating something from raw data. Minecraft has the potential to kickstart conversations and different ways of approaching the process of teaching and learning on so many levels, and in a language that is appropriate to the student’s level.</p>
<p>The archaeology students had, from a site of empty earthworks, built several smallholdings complete with cultivated fields of crops in just a couple of hours. We asked students to reflect on their building materials, techniques and other choices they’d made, and gathered these reflections through a simple form which the students completed during the process. Looking at these, it is clear that using Minecraft certainly encouraged them to think about and discuss how the Medieval buildings were originally constructed and what were appropriate materials for the period.</p>
<p>So what makes Minecraft a great learning tool? Creativity, freedom to explore and experiment. It encourages attempts and failure in a safe environment and opens up conversations with students on their understanding of the subject. Overall, by allowing us to play and rediscover the freedom we had as children, it sets us free.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/53926/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Joel Mills does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>More is possible in a virtual world than in a classroom – that’s what makes Minecraft invaluable.Joel Mills, Technology Enhanced Learning Advisor, University of HullLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/435762015-07-09T10:20:14Z2015-07-09T10:20:14ZWhat is behind the magic of Sesame Street?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/87542/original/image-20150706-1004-1eba2kv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Sesame Street isn't only a television show.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/3929959851/in/photolist-6Zh59t-9mDc4Z-ozUa3J-ozW2UV-ozEbwn-ozHToj-4Peosu-oCnYq-4G8WWv-oCoWC-9mLNp2-9mGf75-dJuo1-gSBwhj-dBELAr-6ncrW9-rC2huQ-7VFXjT-oCnKW-DLEga-tQRsWs-2LCoBr-e5Fhvq-7CszK1-oCoZA-7pWKrr-9xKXhz-69YQh7-69Jbug-d4E3aj-qbJeNX-7CsBQm-dXNF8x-dXNF4i-dXUm8j-dXUkUY-dXNEQx-4vGmwJ-bCN25z-zNBVH-d9T1nR-oCnVf-oCnY6-9ctQKS-6ifSmU-2hdC9G-2hhBk3-d3RpA-d8Wdaw-69JGQM">See-ming Lee</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>What is it about the long-time favorite television show, Sesame Street, that has allowed it to influence generations of viewers? </p>
<p>A <a href="http://www.medicaldaily.com/sesame-street-helped-preschool-kids-1970s-perform-better-elementary-school-study-337610">recent study</a> by economists <a href="https://www.econ.umd.edu/faculty/profiles/kearney">Melissa Kearney</a> and <a href="http://www.wellesley.edu/economics/faculty/levinep">Phillip B Levine</a> concluded that children who watched Sesame Street in the 1970s fared better in school than peers who did not tune in to the iconic program. </p>
<p>The study found that children who lived in areas with greater Sesame Street coverage in 1969 were significantly more likely to be at the age-appropriate grade level. </p>
<p>This effect was particularly pronounced among boys and black, non-Hispanic children. The <a href="http://www.medicaldaily.com/sesame-street-helped-preschool-kids-1970s-perform-better-elementary-school-study-337610">study</a> found that the likelihood of these children being left behind was reduced by 16% for boys across race and 13.7% for black, non-Hispanic children, in areas with strong reception. </p>
<h2>Sesame Street’s magic</h2>
<p>As an educational researcher, early childhood educator, psychologist, and dedicated Sesame Street viewer during my own childhood in the 70’s, I am well acquainted with the show’s power to influence children. </p>
<p>I have spent the last 15 years working with children growing up in the context of urban poverty. Presently, I am investigating the educational experiences of preschool-aged children who are homeless. </p>
<p>These experiences inform my perspective on why Sesame Street, in particular, has had such a positive impact on young viewers.</p>
<p>What I am concerned about is the conclusion of the authors of the Sesame Street program study that “TV and electronic media more generally can be leveraged to address income and racial gaps in children’s school readiness.” </p>
<p>Perhaps. </p>
<p>But we should proceed with caution in advocating blindly for an increased emphasis on children’s television and screen time as a potential remedy for America’s persistent achievement gap. And we must understand: why is it that Sesame Street has helped children learn all these years? For this, it is important to understand what makes Sesame Street such a powerful teaching tool. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/87544/original/image-20150706-978-6bwufs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/87544/original/image-20150706-978-6bwufs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/87544/original/image-20150706-978-6bwufs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/87544/original/image-20150706-978-6bwufs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/87544/original/image-20150706-978-6bwufs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/87544/original/image-20150706-978-6bwufs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/87544/original/image-20150706-978-6bwufs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Screen time alone does not lead to learning.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/rrrodrigo/5568613591/in/photolist-9u5APa-dMA9xS-4JoxEU-btyFFU-aqx9S7-fML7j4-4ywxZV-5SJV1j-dP8Aej-98ZZT-5estyE-aNi6HX-847bh6-77ZFWk-544Zow-6avSds-ekzL2J-SqPqV-a3Ly9D-myk9n5-iR3P39-5DWvBP-6vZ8uB-q19xpD-6vZ8jg-a4GtTx-5QTv4g-dsv18W-akVHgj-5XknCU-m18RD9-7TiynP-brnxC1-dyHuGb-5T5nQj-oygoY-nB9K18-4spk66-7QqzBf-7R62qn-81iLjs-8MK4qC-cQvnz3-4k715u-aVHNLc-6z44kr-4f9jgu-6yzN1v-oNqVZQ-ezBor">Marcin Bajer</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">CC BY-NC</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>First, Sesame Street is developmentally appropriate. <a href="http://www.sesameworkshop.org/wp_install/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/SS-Framework-for-School-Readiness_FINAL.pdf">Research</a> on child development informs the show and concepts are presented in a way that is appropriate for young learners. <a href="http://gaining.educ.msu.edu/resources/files/Elkind%201989.pdf">Research</a> shows when instruction is aligned with children’s capacity to understand it, they willingly engage the material and develop self-confidence. </p>
<p>Second, education trumps entertainment. On Sesame Street, children are engaged as partners in learning – they are asked to repeat, respond, and to think about what is occurring on the screen. </p>
<p>Third, Sesame Street honors children’s lives and engages them in discussions about things that matter to them, including diversity and difference. Children see people like them living and learning on Sesame Street. </p>
<p>Moreover, over the years, Sesame Street has not shied away from difficult topics such as death, homelessness, discrimination and incarceration.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yk3SxyPW6lA?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">A Sesame Street show on incarceration.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>As important is that Sesame Street helps children who have not experienced these things relate to them. This helps foster empathy for others. In short, Sesame Street relates to children and helps them feel as if they matter. </p>
<h2>Screen time is not a remedy</h2>
<p>However, increasingly, these crucial elements are being overlooked both in children’s classrooms and in media targeted at them. </p>
<p>Even though children are spending <a href="http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/15/5">many more hours</a> in front of the television than children did during the 1970s, there is much <a href="https://cepa.stanford.edu/content/widening-academic-achievement-gap-between-rich-and-poor-new-evidence-and-possible">greater disparity</a> in academic achievement and other indicators of learning.</p>
<p>The gap in standardized test scores between affluent and low-income students has grown about 40% since the 1960s and is now double the testing gap between white and black students. A <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0099478">separate study</a> found that low-income boys who spend more than 5.5 hours per day using sedentary screen media are the lowest-performing students. </p>
<p>Learning has lost its fun for children. Young children are being <a href="http://curry.virginia.edu/uploads/resourceLibrary/20_Bassok_Is_Kindergarten_The_New_First_Grade.pdf">asked</a> to master content that is beyond their appropriate developmental level. This makes <a href="http://www.unco.edu/cebs/psychology/kevinpugh/motivation_project/resources/ames92.pdf">learning frustrating</a> and leads children to feel insecure. </p>
<p>Frequently, screen time is <a href="http://eprints.qut.edu.au/56494/">used</a> to entertain and/or manage children, shifting them into the role of passive observer. In my work as an educational researcher and clinician, I have found this is especially true for children whose behavior is viewed as challenging, who may be parked in front of a television or computer screen so that others might disengage from them. </p>
<p>Thus, children experiencing challenges in their personal lives are often not supported in developing coping skills.</p>
<p>In building on the findings of this recent study, it is important to keep in mind that Sesame Street made a difference because of its approach, not just because the television was used to deliver it. </p>
<p>Children are willing to tune into Sesame Street and pay attention because it is relevant. When learning occurs in a context that is <a href="http://www.ibe.unesco.org/publications/EducationalPracticesSeriesPdf/prac07e.pdf">relevant</a> to children’s lives, they pay more attention and retain more information. </p>
<p>We should proceed with caution in advocating blindly for an increased emphasis on children’s television and screen time as a potential remedy for America’s persistent achievement gap. </p>
<p>Most of all, we must understand the magic that is Sesame Street in order to replicate its impact.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/43576/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Travis Wright does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A recent study concluded that children who watched Sesame Street in the 1970s fared better in school. Why?Travis Wright, Assistant Professor of Multicultural Education, Teacher Education, and Childhood Studies, University of Wisconsin-MadisonLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.