What a crazy week it has been. However, on the one rare occasion that my television was on, I saw that Microsoft is launching its new Xbox Kinect console. Basically, as far as I could see, this is Microsoft's reply to Nintendo's Wii. With the Xbox Kinect, "you are the controller", how you move your body is how the character or object on the screen moves.
I am seriously excited by this. And I know that this is a blog about technology in the language arts classroom, but with graphics becoming better everyday and new developments occurring as we speak, it is not long before we can use these kinds of technologies for language arts classes. Taking virtual field trips within the Midsummer's Night Garden or within the Willy Wonka chocolate factory, meeting the characters, dancing with Mr. Darcy or fighting the dragon that protects the entrance to the tower where the princess has been locked away for years. Okay, I know you get my drift.
Aren't you just as excited as I am to be living in this technological age. Over the weekend I read that the (considered) top 10 jobs in the world did not even exist in 2004, and that it is suspected that we will see over 20 000 years worth of development (as measured with the development rate of the past centuries), in terms of technology still in this century. This is how fast things change and new inventions and developments occur.
Well until new ways are developed to incorporate the Xbox Kinect into the classroom, I better go write my thesis proposal so that when I play with the Xbox Kinect (which I do not have, but want!), that I won't feel too guilty. Have a good week!
Oops, I apologize for the YouTube video being bigger than the allocated space allows. Now it just looks weird! Perhaps this happened to show the great, big potential technologies like these have for the language arts classroom :)
ReplyDeleteI can understand your excitement about the new gaming system. After following and listening to you when we made our digital story about ISU I told my husband I should have trained to run a marathon before going with you and Brittney. The system does look really fun. We have a Wii maybe I should try using it. I will tell you that I am the boxing champion of our friends and family so if the new x-box kinects has a great game for boxing I might have to try it. I understand this does not have to do with Language Arts, but it is however exciting!!! I hope you are having a good week and good luck with your thesis.
ReplyDeleteI actually had not idea that Xbox was coming out with a motion censored controls. I knew that Playstation was, but this is new to me. I think I'm just as excited about this as you. I think there are so many benefits with this type of gaming system. I was really excited when I read some of your ideas about the possibilities of where this technology could go. I think you should pitch these ideas to gaming systems! I loved it! It would be so cool to explore different settings or meet the characters. Thanks so much for sharing your ideas. I could only hope that this new technology will do some of the things you thought of.
ReplyDeleteWow, I didn't even know about this! It does sound awesome and you gave some cool ideas of how it could be used in a classroom situation. I know that in my school building, the Special Education program just bought a Wii. SpEd students need things like this to help them learn in their own unique ways.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing-I'll have to check it out!!
Thanks for the video -- I haven't watched any TV, so I missed the announcement! What we do know is that if technology comes out like this, there are educators around the globe trying to figure out how we might use it in classrooms! - Hence, Mishra and Koehler's take on TPACK. I think the examples that you pose are ones that might just become reality. It just need the funding behind it!
ReplyDeleteDid you see this PE story --- here in Iowa!!!
http://www.kcci.com/video/25316925/detail.html