Hmmmm - let talk about games. Call of Duty - Modern Warfare 2 (which was released two months and two days ago) just surpassed a BILLION dollars in retail sales. It's ENGAGING!!!! Learning through games and simulations MAY be the way to go - huh?
Not too much of a fan of the "shoot 'em up games," but my students are always trying to get me to play Wii Resort with them online.
I have become a really HUGE fan of learning within a virtual environment. For some reason it seems to be both safer and more risk-free. It is a true PLE.
Oh- my kids tried to teach me how to play the Wii at our Christmas party. It was ridiculous how bad I was- but amazing the way they ALL knew how to play and how to teach me how to play. I had 18 kids yelling "Look Mrs. Arcos, it's like this. This is how you do it. Push the yellow button, now the red button, NO, not like that..." Ahhh! They overwhelmed me, but that is the language that they speak and I need to learn it.
Virtual environments.... sounds great- Joe, what are you allowed to access at your school?
Okay Joe - I have a question. How many "shoot 'em up games have you played? I wasn't either - over the last several years have seen more good than not with them. It's like anything else, you have to peel it like an onion - there are lots of layers!
Nyssa, you are so right about it being the language they speak. It connects you with them and shows them you recognize the world they live in as valuable. It also allows you to connect what they know to what you are trying to teach them.
I LOVE Call of Duty - Modern Warfare 2! Part of the reason I love it is because the game presented a challenge. I actually had to find out and learn how to read the map to find my enemies, how to use weapons, how to switch weapons, and even how to debug my enemies camera. I must admit I died a lot in the beginning, but hey that is how you learn, right? The idea of failing (dying in the game) without penalty is what kept me going. It's risk-free. School should be risk-free sometimes. Trial and error is one of the best ways to learn.
Oh, my word! I know absolulely nothing about gaming...This is another world I need to become acquainted with. I don't even know where to start. What advice could anyone give to someone like me on how to "get with it" on gaming...? I have not a clue on how to even start...Obviously, these types of games are not my forte'
Quinn, you are exactly right. The nature of the challenge is what keeps you coming back and the risk free environment SHOULD be a part of school learning. Trial and error is the way we truly learn - learning by doing.
Natalie, you will get a great start in Dr. Siegel's course!
And Joe, I know what you mean. I don't like guns either. I really struggled with allowing my older son to play these types of games. I guess I just came to the conclusion that guns don't kill people - people kill people. If it is something you are doing together and there is discussion about the differences between right and wrong - the advantages and the things that can be learned far outweigh the disadvantages or any negative repercussions.
I have never played this game, but my kids talk about it and watch videos on youtube.com about it constantly.
As a side not, I had my 7th graders create a Google site today to maintain for their time in my class. As part of the learning, I had them each create a gadget page and add as many gadgets as they wanted. All 27 of them added at least 1 game (ironically most of them added pacman) and 90% of them added 2 or more. When asked how many of them added something educational, four of them raised their hand. I asked them to share the gadgets they added that where educational and all of them said either a weather gadget or a calendar gadget.
When I asked my students to think about how Pacman can teach you something, the responses were awesome! One student said that it teaches them how to "make changes" because once they die they get a chance to come back and correct their mistake. Another student said that it taught him "strategy" because he was always trying to time when to eat the "power dots" and get the most amount of points. Pretty interesting to listen to the way these young guys think.
I AM NOT INTO THE GAME SWITH GUNS BUT IF STUDENTS ARE PLAYING THIS STUFF I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME TYPE OF MEDIUM TO LINK EDUCATION AND GAMING THAT IS ENTERTAINING AS WELL AS INFORMATIONAL. BUT WHERE DO WE DRAW THE LINE. I AM LOOKING INTO DOING MY AR PROJECT ON GAMING AND TRAINING ON-LINE. THE INTEREST IS DEFINITELY THERE TO KEEP THE STUDENT ENGAGED BUT S THERE A LINE THAT NEEDS OT BE DRAWN BETWEEN EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND VIOLENCE IN GAMING. THAT'S WHAT IS INTERESTING AND WHAT SELLS BUT IS THAT ALL THAT CAN ENGAGE STUDENTS FROM A GAMING PERSPECTIVE?
I play this game often and I play with my students. I distract them with math questions and then pawn them while they are thinking.
ReplyDeleteIf you play this game, then add me on X-box Live. Coach2win is my gamertag.
Not too much of a fan of the "shoot 'em up games," but my students are always trying to get me to play Wii Resort with them online.
ReplyDeleteI have become a really HUGE fan of learning within a virtual environment. For some reason it seems to be both safer and more risk-free. It is a true PLE.
Oh- my kids tried to teach me how to play the Wii at our Christmas party. It was ridiculous how bad I was- but amazing the way they ALL knew how to play and how to teach me how to play. I had 18 kids yelling "Look Mrs. Arcos, it's like this. This is how you do it. Push the yellow button, now the red button, NO, not like that..." Ahhh! They overwhelmed me, but that is the language that they speak and I need to learn it.
ReplyDeleteVirtual environments.... sounds great- Joe, what are you allowed to access at your school?
Okay Joe - I have a question. How many "shoot 'em up games have you played? I wasn't either - over the last several years have seen more good than not with them. It's like anything else, you have to peel it like an onion - there are lots of layers!
ReplyDeleteNyssa, you are so right about it being the language they speak. It connects you with them and shows them you recognize the world they live in as valuable. It also allows you to connect what they know to what you are trying to teach them.
ReplyDeleteMr. Coach2win, I have a gamertag and I play MW2 with my sons, but I am just getting the hang of it. You would laugh.......a lot!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Call of Duty - Modern Warfare 2! Part of the reason I love it is because the game presented a challenge. I actually had to find out and learn how to read the map to find my enemies, how to use weapons, how to switch weapons, and even how to debug my enemies camera. I must admit I died a lot in the beginning, but hey that is how you learn, right? The idea of failing (dying in the game) without penalty is what kept me going. It's risk-free. School should be risk-free sometimes. Trial and error is one of the best ways to learn.
ReplyDeleteOh, my word! I know absolulely nothing about gaming...This is another world I need to become acquainted with. I don't even know where to start. What advice could anyone give to someone like me on how to "get with it" on gaming...? I have not a clue on how to even start...Obviously, these types of games are not my forte'
ReplyDeleteRena-I don't like guns. That's the main reason why I avoid them.
ReplyDeleteQuinn, you are exactly right. The nature of the challenge is what keeps you coming back and the risk free environment SHOULD be a part of school learning. Trial and error is the way we truly learn - learning by doing.
ReplyDeleteNatalie, you will get a great start in Dr. Siegel's course!
And Joe, I know what you mean. I don't like guns either. I really struggled with allowing my older son to play these types of games. I guess I just came to the conclusion that guns don't kill people - people kill people. If it is something you are doing together and there is discussion about the differences between right and wrong - the advantages and the things that can be learned far outweigh the disadvantages or any negative repercussions.
Great points, Rena!
ReplyDeleteI laugh because so many parents say "How can you get a job in the video game industry?"
Yet, the billions could prove them wrong :)
I have never played this game, but my kids talk about it and watch videos on youtube.com about it constantly.
ReplyDeleteAs a side not, I had my 7th graders create a Google site today to maintain for their time in my class. As part of the learning, I had them each create a gadget page and add as many gadgets as they wanted. All 27 of them added at least 1 game (ironically most of them added pacman) and 90% of them added 2 or more. When asked how many of them added something educational, four of them raised their hand. I asked them to share the gadgets they added that where educational and all of them said either a weather gadget or a calendar gadget.
When I asked my students to think about how Pacman can teach you something, the responses were awesome! One student said that it teaches them how to "make changes" because once they die they get a chance to come back and correct their mistake. Another student said that it taught him "strategy" because he was always trying to time when to eat the "power dots" and get the most amount of points. Pretty interesting to listen to the way these young guys think.
I AM NOT INTO THE GAME SWITH GUNS BUT IF STUDENTS ARE PLAYING THIS STUFF I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME TYPE OF MEDIUM TO LINK EDUCATION AND GAMING THAT IS ENTERTAINING AS WELL AS INFORMATIONAL. BUT WHERE DO WE DRAW THE LINE. I AM LOOKING INTO DOING MY AR PROJECT ON GAMING AND TRAINING ON-LINE. THE INTEREST IS DEFINITELY THERE TO KEEP THE STUDENT ENGAGED BUT S THERE A LINE THAT NEEDS OT BE DRAWN BETWEEN EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND VIOLENCE IN GAMING. THAT'S WHAT IS INTERESTING AND WHAT SELLS BUT IS THAT ALL THAT CAN ENGAGE STUDENTS FROM A GAMING PERSPECTIVE?
ReplyDelete