Building Working Memory with Games & Apps: Ninja in the Dark & Elevate
In this workshop, our expert LearningWorks Live Instructors team up with kids to learn and play games and apps to improve their Working Memory skill.
Today’s Activity: Ninja in the Dark & Elevate
For this session of LearningWorkForKids’s Working Memory Workshop our LearningWorks Live Instructors and our new Learning Works For Kids Explorers will be exploring the introduction of the thinking skill Working Memory.
We will start with the basics: What is Working Memory? How can it be used? What video games challenge you to use your Working Memory skills? How so?
Let’s learn more about Working Memory together! Learningworks Working Memory Guide
In-session Game: Ninja in the Dark
It’s Game time! Today the game of the day is Ninja in the Dark and we will start off by talking together about how to play Ninja in the dark and a discussion about what you can learn from the game.
After the discussion it’s time to play! All of our Learning Works For Kids Explorers will be able to hop into their own game and individually explore for about five minutes with the learningworks live instructors checking in to answer any questions or provide help if it is needed.
Reflection / Whiteboard Activity
Whiteboard activities include group discussions, polls, and more!
The Instructors and Explorers will discuss the Whiteboard Activity. What was your experience like? How did you use your Working Memory skills to complete the task? What was challenging?
Explorers will be posed with questions, such as: What did you learn today? How can you translate your Working Memory skills to other areas of your life?
In-session App: Elevate
For the app of the day we will show them Elevate. Elevate is an interactive Working Memory training app, with a bunch of fun different trials to test our working memory!
Reflection
The learningworks Live Instructors will lead Explorers through a discussion with questions, such as: How do you think Elevate can help you in your everyday life? Do you know of any similar games or apps?
Assign Homework
See the “Follow-up activities” below to learn more about how your child can practice their Working Memory skills this week!
Games and Apps Used in this Workshop
Game Downloads:
- Android: Ninja in the Dark
- Mac/iOS: Ninja in the Dark
Game Downloads:
- Android: Elevate download
- Mac/iOS: Elevate download
Workshop Schedule
To join the live session, simply select the appropriate date and time below, then click on the Join Live Session button. If this is your child’s first session, please make sure to view and follow our setup instructions.
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Workshop Activities
The LW4K method to using video games as teaching tools relies on strategic teaching principles and our approach of “Detect, Reflect, and Connect.” The purpose of the Detect, Reflect, and Connect steps is to mold the child into an active learner who becomes aware of, engaged in, and contemplative of what she is learning. These steps can enhance motivation and concentration. They also assist in extending learning beyond a particular game or technology and connecting it to the real world.
Detect
Detect or identify when and where they are using thinking skills in video game play.
As the participants start their gameplay of Injustice: Gods Among us the LearningWorks Live Instructors will help them identify how they must use Working Memory as they start learning their characters. They will have to use working memory to become comfortable with their hero while learning their skill set, weapon and control scheme.
Reflect
Reflect or consider how the thinking skills used during gameplay helps them to achieve their goals.
With a short break in the middle of game play time and a reflection at the end once the Injustice: Gods Among Us game play time runs up, we will hop to the whiteboard and chat with one another about how we used working memory. The LearningWorks Live Instructors will ask working memory based questions about the tasks they performed in game to see if they were efficient and using the memory to help them achieve their goals in game.
Connect
Connect or apply game-based thinking skills to real-world activities.
After that discussion about Working Memory in Injustice: Gods Among US the LearningWorks Live Instructors will relate the tasks performed and memory used while doing so, to everyday life scenarios the participants encounter outside of video games, such as in school or at home. The guides will also ask for examples from the participants and discuss as a group.