Indiana Reading Journal Volume 44 Issue 1 Volume 47 Issue 1 | Page 26

Integrating Breakout EDU to Enhance Engagement and Learning

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Introduction

Technology is commonplace in today’s classroom. While varying in readiness, usability, and platform, there is a certainty of technology integration as legislation and administration pushes STEM agenda into the classrooms. What teachers often lack, however, is training in the meaningful use of technology within their already packed school days. By “meaningful use,” we refer to the practice of integrating learning tools with research-based pedagogy to achieve a specific learning outcome. Integrating technology in the classroom simply for the sake of having it is poor practice. A worksheet done on an iPad is no different than one completed by pencil. The technology must purposefully enhance the learning experience, provide innovative ways for students to demonstrate their understandings, or contribute to both of those objectives. Taking the time to learn, use, and teach new technology is often difficult for classroom teachers and the same is true in higher education. As teacher educators, we strive to be models for our students in our own use of technology in the classroom, with the expectation that they will then use this knowledge in their own teaching.

What is a breakout session? Why did we choose it?

Escape rooms have become a popular recreation activity in which a group of people enter a room, complete puzzles, and escape the locked room within a specified time. Breakout sessions or BreakoutEDU sessions bring the themed escape room concept into the classroom as students engage in puzzles with academic content. In our particular situation, we chose a breakout session for our final course meeting prior to our final exam. In previous semesters and in other courses, we had used Jeopardy, Kahoot!, and other games as platforms for review. These review methods focus purely on a review of content. As we considered options for planning our review, a breakout session gave us a way to also promote teamwork, collaboration, and problem-solving skills along with reinforcing content understandings. In addition, the novelty of a new approach reinvigorated our teaching. Consequently, we were excited about our lessons, which we found also energized to our students.

Amy Leitze

Literacy Education Instructor

Department of Elementary Education

Ball State University

[email protected]

Rebecca Brown

Elementary Education Lecturer

Department of Elementary Education

Ball State University

[email protected]