Letting Students Control Their Own Learning: Using Games,Role-Plays,and Simulations in Middle School U.S. History Classrooms |
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Authors: | Tracy Anne Worthington |
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Affiliation: | Educational Studies, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia |
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Abstract: | The purpose of this article is to synthesize research on the benefits and use of games, role-plays, and simulations, whilst providing examples practicing teachers may wish to use in their classroom. Therefore, the article presents a discussion of key previous research on the use of games, role-plays, and simulations in secondary history classrooms. It also presents a discussion of the benefits games, role-plays, and simulations can have on student learning. This includes discussion of how such student-centered teaching and learning opportunities can improve students' critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaborative skills. Finally, it presents examples of these types of student-centered, inquiry-based, hands-on learning experiences, drawn from the author's previous 16 years of secondary classroom experiences. |
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Keywords: | Secondary social studies simulations role-plays student-centered learning |
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