Temple professors are finding innovative ways to keep classroom learning engaging. The Center for the Advancement of Teaching held a workshop about how the future of learning could include more games, play, and technology.
Africology and African American Studies Professor, Sonja Peterson-Lewis, created an original game for her classes called Item-Slam and is already seeing positive results; “I think Item-Slam makes them take initiative over the material rather than seeing the course material as belonging to the teacher.”
Film and Media Arts Professor, Dan Friedlaendere, believes that games engage the modern learner; “it’s a way for students to see larger perspectives and concepts and then they embody them through types of practice through playing the games.”
The Digital Scholarship Center is a resource available to faculty and students that provides innovative learning solutions such as robotics, 3-D printing and scanning, and virtual reality. Students can come here to create and learn.
Temple University senior, Alexandra Kirsch, enjoys coming to the center to experience virtual reality. When she had the opportunity to test out a roller coaster simulation, she described it as a one-of-a-kind experience; “you’re not on this roller coaster but you feel like you are and your mind feels like you are so its kind of like this crazy and different experience.”
The Digital Scholarship Center employees believe that virtual reality can also help students learn. Academic Information Technology Support Technician, Jordan Hample, states; Being able to walk around a building as if you are really there is very different from looking at a handful of photographs.” Matt Shoemaker, Coordinator of Digital Scholarship Service Development, agrees; “It’s another way to help and introduce you to looking at and figuring out solutions to answer your research questions.”
New gaming, playing, and technology solutions are enabling the attraction, retention, and advancement of knowledge in the classroom. Temple students and faculty can experience some of these new technologies by stopping by the The Digital Scholarship Center, located in the basement of Paley Library and welcomes the Temple community to attend their events. It is clear that the future of learning is going to be nothing short of innovative.
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