4th blog post - my thoughts....

All I have to say is WOW (and not WOW as in World of Warcraft!). I mean, I have never really studied gaming in any concrete way. I've always loved games and been interested in games, and really could see the potential of games in learning environments, but this week's videos/presentation have really opened my eyes to new possibilities. I never thought about setting up my classroom like it was a game - I had never heard of the term gamification before. I am really interested to see what this man, Ananth Pai did with his classroom (as referred to in the 2nd video), I think I might get that book by Lee Sheldon that I found last week.

I teach adult learners (typical age: 28), most of whom come to my class and don't want to be there. The vast majority of my students are mandated to be there, all in order to gain workplace skills with a goal to get a job and keep one. About half my students need their GED, and a third want to continue their education by going to college or a vocational program. I teach A LOT of different types of things... everything from basic math to computer networking. The first thing I try to do is instill a sense of curiosity in them. I find my hardest challenge is to get them to WANT to learn. I attribute this mental "block" to them never having a good example of learning that is fun. Learning is supposed to be fun. It is fun. Bad systems of learning are bad.... and unfortunately, I think a lot of the students I work with had a bad (outdated?) system of learning which skewed their whole idea of it.  What I'm getting at is that I can see the potential of gaming systems being used in my classroom (and other classrooms) that can make learning fun (and relevant) again!

I was most impressed and inspired by the second video. I wrote down the 5 elements that increased fluid intelligence because, although I had never named them this way before, I have instictually been using them in my work:

1. Seek Novelty
2. Challenge Yourself
3. Think Creatively
4. Do things the hard way
5. Network

I still think of curiosity as the gateway to learning.... and, now, these 5 things as the process of learning. I think I'm going to put these on a poster!

I also wanted to mention that I have had a tough time getting around the idea of violent video games. I am glad for the third presentation because it really challenged my idea of a what video games are. It made me think (remember?) that there are a large range of video games, and I am happy to be reminded of this.

The first video made me think about the possibility of creating games that would help specific problems people/youth might have and that developers are working with researchers to make games like these. I hope that there is a market for those types of games.  It made me think about my son, who has a really hard time adjusting to change and dealing with strong emotions. I could imagine a video game that would slowly (and progressively) expose him to situations that need the player to adjust to change... I wonder if that could help him learn to control his emotions during those times in real life. I read an article (it was one of my fellow student's doubly entry resource last week) about ways to prevent PTSD through gaming - in which soldiers who were about to be deployed would play video games that slowly expose them to situations of intense situations and would help them deal with PTSD in the long run. I'm going to look into age appropriate games for my son that might be able to help him with his issue adjusting to change.

Great videos/presentations this week! Really enjoying this class - it is challenging my preconceived notions of gaming (and making me a believer).

Teens, Games and Civics- Pew Research response

3 things I learned:

• Daily gamers are just as likely to spend time face to face and communicating with friends.
• The majority of most popular games are not violent, and the most popular gaming types are racing and puzzle games.
• Three quarters of teens who see anti-social and uncivil behavior in gaming regularly see others respond.

2 things I agree/disagree with:

• I agree that the industry rating systems do not work. Interesting because 72% of parents say they "always" or "sometimes" check a game rating before letting their children play the game. 55% say they "always" do. I wonder about these numbers because I think sometimes parents want to think they are more diligent about following the ratings system then they are. The survey also found that 32% of teens said that one of their 3 favorite games was rated Mature or Adults Only. As far as I could tell, there was no information about what percentage of teens had played or owned a video game that was rated M or AO.
• I totally agree that teen gaming is social... and not just teen gaming, I rarely play games by myself. 

1 (well, actually 2 :) question(s) I have:

• This research made me question how gender stereotypes play a factor in gaming. I had questions about girls playing online. The research showed that girls were more likely to play almost exclusively online with people they know. I wonder if this is because parents/adults are more concerned about girls being "victimized" online. I also question if this is the case, or if boys and girls are equally as likely to be victimized online (bullied, propositioned etc). I was also taken by the research finding that parents are more likely to monitor boys and young children's gaming behavior rather than girls - again, another stereotype that boys are the only ones who have problems with video games. Also, the research showed that girls were less likely to have civic gaming experiences.... which I thought could  be a case of self-fulfilling stereotype in which teenage girls aren't supposed to be interested in civic engagement at that age because there are few media images that encourage that.

• Another question I had concerning civic engagement - the research stated that frequent civic gaming experiences is related to greater levels of civic engagement... I wonder if that's because the type of teenager who is interested in those types of games also has an interest in civics to begin with. Is this a case of the cart being put in front of the horse?

Are Video Games making kids smarter response

WOW. That video was so inspiring and has my brain a buzzing! I'm going to do my best to answer these questions but I might be all over the place a bit:

3 things I learned:

•  I'm already out of touch but the kids are alright and I need to get into the game with my kids! This class really has me interested in playing more video games.....
• What the Flynn effect is - that human intelligence is rising every year. I need to learn more about this. 
• Gamification is a word and is being used to change the way we are living. Interesting because reward/motivation systems are very powerful, and I can see how this could really be beneficial. I'm still a bit nervous about how this could be used to fuel corporate profits (especially after taking the critical media literacy course last semester). But it also makes me excited about the possibilities.

 

2 things I agree or disagree with:

• The speed lottery is a great idea! 
• I'm not sure if I agree that our world is too slow.... I'm not sure that was the right language to use to get across his point. I am just thinking about the media bombardment that we seem to have as a culture. The constant advertisements, the 24 hour news cycle, the instant access via smart phones to mass amounts of information.

1 question I have:

• I want to do more research on gamification, and on Ananth Pai, who transformed his 3rd grade classroom using games.... how'd he do it? It also seemed interesting to me that he used both games and learning styles to determine the best course for each student. I use a learning styles assessment in my class, and have had a lot of success tailoring lessons to individual needs... I could see the usefulness in combining the two.

Your Brain on Video Games Response

3 things I learned:

• Average age of gamer is 33
• Vision in gamers is better than the average person
• Media multi-taskers are terrible at multi-tasking tests in the lab.

2 things I agree or disagree with.

• I agree (and really like) the analogy between gaming and wine. I thought it was the clearest explanation of how something could be good for you that is also questionable. I'm also taken by the analogy because I am still skeptical of the wine benefits - but I choose to believe it because I'm a strong believer in moderation (and I like wine). Its relaxing, which is the same way I understand video games are for others.
• I am often guilty of media multi-tasking myself, and I am definitely surprised by the results they have found about multi-tasking because it seems so counter intuitive. However, I wouldn't disagree with the results because for one, they replicated an initial study and found the same results, and two, I often feel that I have gotten worse at multi-tasking than I was 10 years ago. I have started to blame my age as the reason for this, but I am now interested in knowing more because I wonder if its due to my media multi-tasking. That gives me some hope that I can do something about this, because I used to be really proud of being able to multi-task!

 

1 question I have:

• What are the studies that show how different video games have different effects on the brain - have they been done yet? I'd be interested in learning more on that front.

Double Entry Journal #1

Game Design & Learning - Double Entry Journal #1

Quote:

Even when players are not modifying games, they play them with goals in mind, the achievement of which counts as their “win state”. Players must carefully consider the design of the world and consider how it will or will not facilitate specific actions they want to take to accomplish their goals. One technical way that psychologists have talked about this sort of situation is through the notion of “affordances” (Gibson 1979). An “affordance” is a feature of the world (real or virtual) that will allow for a certain action to be taken, but only if it is matched by an ability in an actor who has the wherewithal to carry out such an action.

(Gee, 2005)

Response:
This article really stretched the limits of how I thought about popular games. I've always bought into the general notion that popular video game-playing was learning how to "problem-solve," although, I've always felt that explanation lacking. This article did a really good job of fleshing out that idea and presenting it in a concrete (and semi-scientifically backed) way. I'm glad for that. I choose this quote because I am still struggling to find examples of how exactly to use the principles of video gaming that the author so clearly laid out in a way that makes students' understand that learning is the goal. Which brought me back to goal setting. I think a lot of young people (and adults) struggle with setting goals for themselves. These games are (in my mind) teaching problem solving, but the goals - the "win-state" - is usually pre-programmed into the video game. In the real world, the individual sets their own goals.... and usually gets lost in a plethora of choices (and opinions).

I was surprised to find this article changing my understanding of the connection between popular video games and learning. I was very happy that this article didn't shy away from discussing popular (and sometimes controversial) games such as Grand Theft Auto, World of Warcraft and Thief: Deadly Shadows. I think what most suprised me about this article is that it didn't just talk about traditional "education" games but discussed ways that entertaining games are used for learning.

Additional Resource:

http://hechingerreport.org/content/qa-with-lee-sheldon-turning-the-classroom-into-a-multiplayer-game_6066/

I was looking for a concrete way to use the model of video games as a learning system in the classroom - This article is a Q&A with a guy who did it! Fascinating!

Citations:

Gee, J. P. (2005). Retrieved from website: http://www.academiccolab.org/resources/documents/MacArthur.pdf

Game Design and Learning Introduction

Hello! My name is Vanessa and I live in Pocahontas County, WV.  I am an Adult Basic Education Instructor, I teach a job readiness class called SPOKES and GED classes. I really enjoy working with adults, but I also enjoy working with young people. I have led youth media workshops, focusing on video documentaries, and plan to continue doing so as I continue my education.

  

I have been interested in games as a learning tool for a long time now, and see it as especially relevant in my GED classes. Although there is a lot of resources out there for this purpose, I am a very creative person and really want to be able to give game design a shot....  I hope to get out of this class the framework for good game design and the opportunity to create one.

 

I would be a Gamer if I had the time. l love board games, and tend to play those more than anything because they are party games that I do socially. I like puzzles and trivia games. I also like to play Words With Friends and other word games on my ipod. I play games that activate my mind in challenging ways. I'm also a friendly, but uber-competitive person, so games allow me to tickle that side of my personality too. I'm interested in video games because they seem to be "immersive experiences" that I suspect would appeal to me the same way movies do. I haven't, however, had a chance to really experience these types of video games because I am turned off by the over-emphasis on violence, and as a result haven't been exposed to games that might appeal to me. I can also be pretty obsessive when it comes to these kind of things, so I am hesitant to invest the time (and money) into something that may take over my (already limited) free-time.... so it might be for the better :)

    

 I am conflicted about kids and video games. I am a believer in embracing technology and helping to mold how it effects our society, but I am also cautious. My son is 8 years old and he loves computer games. I try to steer him to educational games, but inevitably he wants to play the games that are more fun and pretty redundant. He can get pretty obsessed by them and if we don't keep a close check on the time he spends on the computer, he would turn pale from the lack of sunshine. I keep a very close eye on his exposure to violence, for one, he is a pretty sensitive kid and just doesn't handle that well, but I also don't want him to be so inudated with those images that he becomes insensitive to it. I am worried about the day when he wants to get a Playstation or some game system because I fear the only video games available have some violent element to them. Where are all the dramas!?

This article about how video games effect kids from the LA times cites research that calls into question the link between aggression in young people and violent video games.

 

Three world events that happened the year I was born? Strange question - Why do you ask? 

 I was born in 1979 the same year that:

 

1.) The Iran Hostage Crisis began.

2.) The Three Mile Island nuclear accident happened.

3.) Pac-Man was released.

 

Looking forward to the class! 

 

 

 

Final - Double Entry Journal

Philosophy of Education

Education is important for people to gain a better understanding of the world around them. Education is necessary to create an informed citizenry that will actively engage in their community and has the capacity to influence the future for the better. Furthermore, education allows people to become self-directed, lifelong learners who are better able to determine goals and action plans for their individual lives.

The role of the teacher in education is to facilitate activities that challenge a student to examine the subject matter in an interesting and critical way. I plan to do this by creating a culture of curiosity and inquisitiveness within my classroom. I will do this by modeling curiosity - allowing spontaneous explorations of random topics of interest. I will utilize digital technology and the Internet to help in this exploration.

I believe the ultimate role of the teacher in education is to teach the student how to become an independent, self directed, and life long learner who takes responsibility for their own education. I do this by placing emphasis on and teaching goal setting activities.

I believe the role of the teacher and student is collaborative. The teacher should hold the student responsible for their own learning, and they should TRUST that the student is capable and willing. While the student should TRUST that the teacher is capable and has their best interest at heart. The role of student is to take responsibility for their own learning. I encourage my students to ask questions  and be curious. I feel establishing trust between a teacher and student is tantamount to my philosophy of education.  I agree with John Dewey's belief that education depends "on the development of relationships among students, between students and teachers, and between students and the community. It was schooling for democracy." (Goodman, 2003)

Within a community the role of a teacher should be be as an advocate for the student’s learning.  A teacher should model positive, proactive, responsible community engagement. I plan to seek out community opportunities and members to bring into my classroom that will benefit my students.  I, as an active citizen, will model community engagement by asking questions, challenging preconceived notions,  and participating in public forums.

I can think of multiple ways a Critical Media Literacy curriculum can help promote my philosophy of education. Media has a loud voice within a community - even small ones - and by teaching students how to read and make media, they are empowered to create an alternative voice. "Critical media literacy not only teaches students to learn from media, to resist media manipulation, and to use media materials in constructive ways, but is also concerned with developing skills that will help create good citizens and that will make individuals more motivated and competent participants in social life." (Kellner & Share, 2005)

The development of critical thinking and higher order thinking skills are crucial to an informed citizenship, Critical Media Literacy helps develop these skills. A report entitled “Measuring the Acquisition of Media Literacy Skills” examined a study conducted to measure the effectiveness of an intense one-year Media Literacy curriculum. “Results suggest that media literacy instruction improves students’ ability to identify main ideas in written, audio, and visual media. Statistically significant differences were also found for writing quantity and quality. Specific text analysis skills also improved” (Hobbs & Frost, 2003)

I believe Critical Media Literacy helps students become engaged, active citizens in society. It teaches students to question power dynamics and bias. It teaches students how to create media to present alternative viewpoints.  Ultimately, it helps students understand the world around them, and gives them the tools to become change agents so they can create a better future.

Sources: 

Goodman, S. (2003). Teaching youth media: A critical guide to literacy, video production & social change. NY: Teachers College Press.

 Hobbs, R., & Frost, R. (2003). measuring the acquisition of media-literacy skills. Reading Research Quarterly, 38(3), 330-355. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/415182

 Kellner, D., & Share, J. (2005). Toward critical media literacy: Core concepts, debates, organizations, and policy. Discourse: studies in the cultural politics of education, 26(3), 369-386. Retrieved from http://gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/kellner/essays/2005_Kellner-Share_TowardsCriticalMediaLiteracy.pdf




Additional Resources:

1.) http://marcprensky.com/writing/     This is a web page with writing by Marc Prensky, who I first read while studying how to engage "digital natives" in learning activities. The first article is highly recommended.

2.) http://www.ithaca.edu/looksharp/   This project has great media literacy lesson plans and resources for teachers. I came across this resource while doing research for this class one week.

3.) http://mediasmarts.ca/teacher-resources/find-lesson  A resource for Media Literacy lesson plans from Canada.

4.) http://mediaeducationlab.com/curriculum/materials Easy to follow lesson plans to teach media literacy. Created and/or compiled by Renee Hobbs.

5.) http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/college-bound-9-12  More lesson plans and resources on this website - but particularly thought about this lesson plan as a way to teach the IC3 computer literacy certification my students can earn.