I
chose this quote because I like the implications that gaming can produce long
term learning results. It isn’t the case
of a child memorizing something for a test, and then forgetting it as soon as
the test is handed in. These thinking and
reasoning skills carry on after the game is over. They become a part of the child.
“The computer
game is not treated as a thing in its own right, but rather, as something whose
meanings, functions, and effects are shaped by how we use them and talk about
them in different contexts.”
I
chose this quote because I believe what your students get out of computer games
is what you as the teacher put into them.
If you treat them simply as a device for skill drill then the students
are not going to get much out of them.
If you just put them in front of the game and don’t have any discussion
or interaction with it, then they also will not get anything out of it. On the other hand, if you provide gaming
opportunities that involve thinking and reasoning, or relate the game play to
real life, the students will benefit from the gaming.
“The popular
image of the computer gamer as a “lone ranger” has been made increasingly
problematic by research that has demonstrated that gaming for the most part is
a very social and collaborative activity.”
I
chose this quote because, before this class, this was my opinion of a video gamer. In my head, I pictured someone sitting holed
up in their room, with no social interaction, playing games for hours at a
time. Now I realize that is not the
case. Gaming is actually a very social
game; whether the gamer is playing with a group in the same room, online, or
just talking about it with their friends.
It does involve socialization and collaboration with others.
Additional
Resource
I
chose this video because I have watched other videos of Sir Ken Robinson
speaking and I think he does a great job.
What I really like in this video is how he compares our education system
to the fast food model; everything is standardized and there is no room for
individuality. Instead, he talks about
how each school should personalize education to meet the needs of the
particular students being taught. He
also talks about incorporating technology into those needs. He makes a great point, because no two
schools are the same and no two groups of students are the same. We should be able to look at them
individually and decide what the best way to teach them is.
Source
TEDtalksDirector. (May 2010).
Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the
Learning Revolution! Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9LelXa3U_I
I like that your view of gamers has changed over the course of the semester. While I'm sure there are gamers that do hold up in their rooms, some games provide great opportunity for socialization and collaboration.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, very interesting video. I love the TED videos.
Ken Robinson is my hero! I'm glad that your recognize not all video games are conducive to good learning. Many teachers think simple drill and practice games are preparing students for the 21st century. Not so.
ReplyDeleteI, too didn't think of gamers as "social." However, I am seeing more and more just how social gaming really is.
ReplyDeleteGreat video.... he's a great speaker! This course has changed my view of video games as well. I always loved games, but I always thought of video games as an obsessive, unsocial, unproductive activity. I can now see the power of them to transform learning and teaching under the right circumstances!
ReplyDeleteI was like you; I had cousins who were very much involved in video games and electronics. They were not able to socialize well with others that weren't like them. However, now that they're older, I don't believe it was due to the video games, like I had thought when I was younger. My husband is an avid video gamer and he is very social outside of the gaming world as he is inside.
ReplyDeleteI like what you said about games helping students learn life long lessons. I think that a great deal of traditional teaching is focused on memorization or learning for a test. I see a lot of that as I look back on my high school education. It is important for us to teach students in manner that will allow them to take the learning with them, apply it to their life, and not forget the key concepts that were taught.
ReplyDelete