SOPHISTICATED SYNONYM STRINGS:

A VOCABULARY GAME FOR MOBILE PHONES

Leona M. GrossCognition & Handheld Devices Project Progress Presentation

July 26th, 2011

What are Sophisticated Synonym Strings?

An educational game designed for students to improve their vocabulary by learning to replace over used, commonplace words with more sophisticated and nuanced synonyms

A game designed to be played on students’ mobile phones

How do you play?

Level 1: Exposure- Students are exposed to definitions, examples and models of new words

Level 2: Practice- Students work on using new words in the correct context by playing “fill in the blanks” games

Level 3: Speed Round- Students are given a word and must string together synonyms for that word from a bank of synonyms. This round is timed.

Level 4: Compete- Students must tap on synonyms for a highlighted word as words fall out of the “sky.” Students must not let words build up and reach the top.

Students can unlock new rounds, which lead to new synonyms, by completing level 4.

Who would play this game?

Middle School students (Ages 10-14) Students who are struggling with reading

and/or writing. (This game hopes to increase the number of words readily available in a student’s lexicon.)

Students who love reading and writing Students who are enthusiastic about

continuing their learning outside of a classroom setting

Students preparing for a standardized test

William struggles with finding the words he needs to express himself

Sammie and Nadya are focused on improving their literacy skills

Alex is looking to learn everywhere she goes

What are my objectives…for students?

Students will: Learn definitions of sophisticated words that

will help them replace over used, commonplace words in their vocabulary

Be able to use new words in the correct context

Recall and use words automatically Be exposed to words that they will need for

success on standardized tests (NYS ELA, SAT, etc)

Realize valuable learning can occur outside of the classroom

Have fun!!

What are my objectives…for teachers?

Teachers will be able to: Encourage students to learn when they are

not in the classroom Allow students more time to practice using

new words Assign fun and educational homework or extra

credit assignments

Teachers and students could move from here…

To here!

The BIG Goal

Find a way to transfer the excitement that I have experienced my students exhibiting when we do word work in my English classroom to more informal, organic and situations outside the traditional classroom setting

Make learning new words an activity students can do anywhere and at any time

Use mobile technology to make learning convenient and fun

Why mLearning?

“Mobile technologies are becoming more embedded, ubiquitous and networked… Such technologies can have a great impact on learning. Learning will move more and more outside of the classroom and into the learner’s environments, both real and virtual, thus becoming more situated, personal, collaborative and lifelong. The challenge will be to discover how to use mobile technologies to transform learning into a seamless part of daily life to the point where it is not recognized as learning at all” (Naismith, 2004, p. 5).

Learning Theories

BEHAVIORIST INFORMAL AND LIFELONG LEARNING

“Activities that promote learning as a change in learners’ observable actions” (Naismith 2004, p. 2).

Stimulus from game + Response from learner + Feedback from game = LEARNING

“activities that support learning outside a dedicated learning environment and formal curriculum”

“Informal learning may be intentional, for example, through intensive, significant and deliberate learning ‘projects’ (Tough 1971), or it may be accidental, by acquiring information through conversations, TV and newspapers, observing the world or even experiencing an accident or embarrassing situation. Such a broad view of learning takes it outside the classroom and, by default, embeds learning in everyday life, thus emphasizing the value of mobile technologies in supporting it” (Naismith 2004, p. 3).

Why use mobile phones?

“Whereas mobile devices including PDAs, handhelds or small laptops are relatively expensive and consequently lack availability especially amongst pupils—the core advantage of mobile phones is the high availability of such devices…It can be emphasized that the majority of the population in general and the younger in particular have a mobile phone available, which they have at hand most of the time” (Holzinger 2010, p. 1).

Why use mobile phones?

Questions and Possible Problems

Will students be as enthusiastic about word work outside the classroom as they are inside?

How often would a student have to play in order to internalize the words?

How would I know that the game actually taught students anything?

Is it acceptable for a game to be used as a reinforcement to classroom teaching and learning?

Sources

Naismith, L., Lonsdale, P., Vavoula, G., & Sharples, M. (2004). Literature Review in Mobile Technologies and Learning. Future Lab Series, 11, 1-44

Holzinger, A., Nischelwitzer, A., & Meisenberger, M. (2010). Lifelong-Learning Support by M-learning: Example Scenarios. eLearn Research Papers, 1-4