Alt title – on education, games, gamers, and life
Games and the educational potential of games seem major interests for many of the faculty and students I know. These folks are ed tech types. This interest is somehow unique and not common among other groups of educators – the other professional circle I frequent. I must say my personal position is more aligned with the latter than the former perspective.
I get the “games are motivating” claim. At least this seems true for many. I can’t really claim I get interest in games. I think I have three versions of Call of Duty and have invested less than 5 hours in the entire collection. Perhaps it should be noted that boring is a personal reaction and not inherent in the activity.
I have read much of what Paul Gee has written about gaming. The name is likely familiar only if you are an advocate of learning from games. I find some of Gee’s observations to be interesting – it is gaming that bores me, not the analysis of why games fascinate others. It may be the analysis of what voluntarily engages people is of far greater value than the topic providing the opportunity for this analysis.
Consider the video embedded in the page that can be accessed via this link. I think it appropriate to give credit to other bloggers who make the effort to identify resources so I am not embedding the video here. This is Gee talking about gaming.
So, I propose we may learn from the gaming experience without having to be gamers. For example, a lesson from the video – gamers will read the manual when the game provides the background necessary to allow the manual to be understood.
Educational translation and application – students will read and process the book if they can identify the connection to relevant life experiences. I don’t translate Gee’s message to be find a relevant game. If learners do not have relevant life experiences or are not sufficiently motivated to recall relevant experiences, I don’t see games as the answer. At least for me, why heap boredom on top of boredom?
How about attempting to provide relevant life experiences? Simulations make sense to me. Simulations are substitutes for experiences that are impractical – dangerous, expensive, time-consuming. Sometimes personal experiences can be arranged and substitutes are not necessary. Often, life provides opportunities for observing, for capturing images and sounds, and for collecting data. History exists in the opportunity to discuss the past with grandparents. Biology lives in your parks and garden. Foreign languages are as close as a skype call to the right person. These are the situations we should consider when imagining uses for technology.
What about the book? When these observations and data are puzzling, it is time to read the book.