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Descriptionofartifact AdobeFlashisanapplicationthatcancreateimpressivegraphicsandinteractivedesigns.In SED671:DesigningEducationalSoftware,theassignmentwastocreateapieceofsoftwaretohelp studentsunderstandadifficultconcept.Igeneratedapieceofphysicaleducationsoftwareforstudents touseduringaninvasiongameunit.Invasiongamesaresportswhereoneteaminvadesthespaceof anotherteaminordertoscore,suchasbasketball,football,soccer,orUltimateFrisbee.ThesoftwareI designedwastohelpstudentsunderstandtheconceptsofgettingopenandmovingawayfroma defenderinagamesituation.ThesoftwareprogramIdevelopedtakesstudentsthroughdefinitionsand simulationsofmovingtoopenspace,changingspeed,andchangingdirectiontogetawayfromthe defenderwiththeintentionofstudentsthengoingoutsideandpracticingtheskillscoveredinthe software.ThiswasthefirsttimeIhaveeverdesignedanythingmorethansimplemotioninFlash.
premisebehindtheprojectwastoteachadifficultconceptbetterafterreflectingonwhatistypically difficultforstudentstounderstand. IstarteddesigningtheGettingOpensoftwarebecausetheconceptofgettingopentostudents canbedifficultforstudentstounderstand.Studentsusuallyknowwhatgettingopenmeans,buttheydo notdemonstrategettingopeningamesituations.Physicaleducationclassesdonotusuallyusemuch technologytoconveydifficultconceptstounderstand.Infact,mostinstructiontendstobeverbal instructionsofwhatstudentsneedtododuringthelesson.TheFlashsoftwareaimsatproviding physicaleducationinstructioninadifferentwayforstudentswhomightnothaveextensiveathletic experience. WhenIusuallyteachtheconceptofgettingopen,Igiveademonstrationofwhatstudentsmight dotogetopen,andthenthestudentsengageinamodifiedgametoreinforcethedemonstration.The FlashAppisagreattooltouseinadditiontotheregulardemonstrationsandgamesthestudentsmight participate.ThesoftwareIcreatedwouldbegoodforstudentstoclickthroughbeforeclassontheir ownorevenasavisualforstudentsasawholebeforethelessonstarts.Anotherwaytheapplication couldbeusedisindividuallywithstudentsasIcirculatetheclass.Normally,Iwalkaroundtheclass observingstudentsplaythemodifiedgamelookingforademonstrationofgettingopen,helpingthose thatstrugglewithunderstandingthatconcept.Beingabletoshowstudentswhatismeantbygetting openinanotherwaywhiletheyareplayingthegamecouldbeextremelybeneficialtostudents.
Reflection Honestly,themostimportantaspectIlearnedfromtheFlashprojecthadnothingtodowith
Flashbutmoretodowithproblemsolving.TheprofessorofSED671askedhisstudentsonthefirst dayofclasstothinkofapieceofcontentthatstudentsstrugglewith.Knowingnothingaboutwriting anythinginAdobeFlash,webrainstormedideas,receivedfeedbackfromtheprofessorandproduced wireframesofoursoontobecreation.Withtrialanderror,startingandrestarting,theFlashsoftware wasindevelopment.Attheendoftheclass,weeachhadasolutiontoalearningproblem,apieceof softwaremeanttoaddressaspecificneedofstudents.AlthoughtheFlashsoftwareIdevelopedwas thefirstattemptataneducationallydesignedprogram,IknowsomuchmorethanIdidatthebeginning oftheclassandhavetheconfidencetocreatemoresoftwaresolutionstoproblemsIfaceinmy classroom. TheentiretimeIwascreatingtheflashsoftwaremystudentswereatthecoreoftheproject. EverytimeIopenedFlash,Ithoughtaboutwhatmystudentsneededtoknowandbeabletodo.I modifiedthewayIcreatedtheapplicationbasedonthepossiblelevelofunderstandingthestudents wouldbeat.Igaveadescriptionandvisualdemonstrationofeachpieceofinformationtomakethe conceptsverycleartostudents.TheFlashassignmentwasagoodreminderofwhyreflectivepractice isimportantinthefieldofeducation.Beforetheassignment,IneverreallythoughtdeeplyabouthowI teachcertainconceptsofphysicaleducationandwhysomestudentsdonotunderstandtheseconcepts. Insteadofdismissingthestudentswhodonotunderstandhowtogetopen,IreallythoughtabouthowI couldhelpthemtoclosethegapsinlearningandtoreachthelevelofunderstandingtheyneedinorder tobesuccessful. Physicaleducationtendstobeasubjectthatistaughtthesamewayeveryyear,usingthesame lessonsoverandover.Reflectivepracticemovesthelearnertothecenterofeducation,wherethey