Computer Games Ch.1

Stupid publishing feature on Blogger...this was meant to post yesterday...

The Debating Game

The introduction of How Computer Games Help Children Learn talks about how computers let us work with simulations of the world which we wouldn't necessarily be able to do otherwise. It also defines epistemology as the study of what it means to know something and therefore epistemic games as ones that are about learning to think in innovative ways. Our world values innovation, not standardization so therefore epistemic games are part of the educational solution. 

Games

Shaffer defines 'game' as collaborative, ongoing and not necessarily connected to winning. He said they should also be personally and socially meaningful and have a set of rules to follow. 

He also says that games allow kids to live in worlds that they are curious about, or afraid of, or want to try out in order to understand the rules, roles and consequences therein.  

The Debating Game 

The Debating Game is a role playing game where students learned to think, analyze and act in a way that is authentic to the 'real-world'. This activity took place before students read about an event in class. A small group of students took on both the pro and con side of a debate on American involvement during the Spanish American war. Other students in the class watched the debate. The teacher served as the mediator and the other students provided detailed, written feedback to the debaters, which made the process authentic. Debaters were expected to use sources to back up their arguments and to follow the guidelines set up by the teacher. This game taught the students to think like historians - not 'if' a source is biased, but 'how' it is and to use that information to shape their arguments. 

My Thoughts

I agree with the assertion that it should be our job as educators to teach children to think. That is my number one goal. Shaffer laid out a solid argument for how 'The Debating Game' does just that. I was very intrigued by the idea as a social studies teacher myself. I've had numerous current events debates, and even some historical debates but they have always taken place after studying a topic in-depth. I am intrigued by the idea of using it as a pre-teaching activity and am anxious to try it myself and see how it goes. 

What I particularly liked about this activity was that it had students analyzing multiple sources of information, reading, writing, speaking, and reflecting all in one activity. What I failed to see was the tie in to computers here. You could use the computer to research or to write the evaluations, but the computer isn't doing anything other than substituting what a pad of paper and a library could do. Did anyone else find that weird? (or maybe I'm just missing something) 

Morrell's Project Proposal

The first content based topic I get to with my students in Plate Tectonics. I'd really like to have my students use SketchUp to construct their final project which will be a model of one of the three types of plate boundaries (Convergent, Divergent, and Transform). Working with a partner, either in their class or not, students would construct the model and using their "base" students would create a stop motion animation of how their boundary works. They would take screen shots when they are done with each step and then use them in a movie creator. The students don't have Macbooks at my school so we can't use iMovie but there are a lot of web-based movie creators that they can use.

I want the students to be comfortable with SketchUp so I will have at least one class devoted to learning the basics. Most likely it'll take the form of how we learned SketchUp our last day of STI2011 as more of a student lead learning process. I also want them to use this program because our our CADD program that they can apply to get into sophomore year. The teacher of that program uses SketchUp as a basis of learning for the more professional drafting software that they use. I feel as though I would be helping my students get a leg up on that type of programing.

During this process I'll be taking pictures and short movies to load on either my school website or a blog that I'll create for this project. As the project moves forward students will have the option to start taking the pictures and videos and loading them to my computer. If I have this on my school site it's run from FirstClass so I wouldn't want them to be able to access my email!

Computer Games Chapter 1

In this first chapter, Shaffer makes the case for authentic learning. An educational progressive, Shaffer argues that students "should be able to pass the test and problem solve". (my emphasis)

The Debating Game is an example of how students use argumentation and content knowledge to "role play". The use of argumentation, a necessary skill, is what makes the game authentic. Students are role playing because they are just pretending to be judges and historians.

Like Kate, as a math, science and newly minted social studies teacher, this concept of teaching and learning certainly caught my attention. This activity makes sense to me and I would like to try this.

I am not so sure that I could sell this activity as a game. My students see games as competition that provide immediate feedback and, in the case of computer games, endless "do-overs". I think the motivation would be feedback from others.

The author lists four types of gamers:
- those who like to succeed at tasks
- those who like to find out as much as they can
- socializers
- those who like power
I wonder how I can move students into the "find out as much as they can" category?


Shaffer concludes this chapter, and all the others, with open-ended questions that an educator or parent might ask when evaluating a game.

- Does the feedback, points or game action, give the student an indication of their successful reasoning?

- Is the game authentic in it's learning?

This chapter caused me to evaluate my learning activities. How many are authentic learning vs learning for facts and what is the balance? I am certain that there are some facts to be learned, spelling rules, for instance, but I am just as convinced that we could do a better job of teaching students to think critically.

(Picture from http://www.bethanylife.org/)

iBrain Chapter 9 - The Future

So where do we go from here? What is the future

They are currently working on computers controlled by brain waves, we have HUDs with interactive controls and lets not talk about motion activated games like Kinect and Wii.

Think back... what a wonder it would have been for all of us to have our own laptop while in class. I keep telling my current students your kids are going to say, "I can't believe you had to carry around that large laptop!"

With laser projected keyboards, remote controlled sized projectors and our smart phones having more computer power then last years laptops the future looks small

but unlike the books author maybe this may not be all bad.

So... in the end what did you think? More important... next year when they ask me what book should we read do YOU have any recommendations

iBrain Chapter 8 - Adapt or Die

The never ending battle to upgrade.  Apple is notorious for putting out a new product then releasing a cheaper faster version a few months later.

"Hello, my name is Keith, I am an early adopter"
Some times getting the latest and greatest works out... the new ipod revolutionized mp3 players, as did the cd burner.  I spent many nights burning files with my $300 cd burner.  However, my mp3 player that hold only 64 megabytes (maybe 1 audio cd of 12 songs) didn't work.

We have all had the experience of trying to decide what to buy at the box store or just buying a new computer because ours crashed.   As a tech guru for my family, friends and colleagues I am always struck by their desire to upgrade to a newer technology rather then truly their need.

Psst... I will tell you a secret all the tech gadget companies plan on obsolescence.
When internet finally hit.. it really is not about your computer speed but your internet.  Most now only need a terminal with a fast internet connect.  Very few are gaming, video editing, or doing other cpu/memory intensive activities on the computer.

This chapter is basically a tutorial on basic computer skills from email etiquette, internet searching, to online safety.   I found it dated since most of us live in this world now.

My students have matured past some of these issues, I remember starting off having to explain about why you don't put picture with your name online.  Now if they are doing it it is on purpose or friends are doing it for them (with or without their knowledge) and they have some concept of the consequences.

* I would point out that the Natives still need to be taught online etiquette skills.  Just because they are natives does NOT mean they know how to properly do things.  Schools are notorious for having students show teacher/kids how to do something on computers.  Yes they may know how to use the tool, but may not know how to use it properly.

iBrain Chapter 7 : Reconnecting Face to Face

Well, I suppose this is what I get for missing the last day of class: the longest chapter in the book.  Haha, just kidding! :)

Alrightie, chapter seven starts off with an example of what is supposed to represent ordinary immigrant/native interaction.  The immigrant is polite, charismatic, and friendly, while the natives are rude, technology obsessed, and don't speak or make eye contact.  The immigrant makes the decision not to save his business via the native's obviously successful business plan because he's unable to relate to the native socially.

There is some very interesting discussion of a part of the brain called the insula, which is responsible for translating sensory experience into emotion.  The authors also discuss how this phenomenon partners with other parts of the brain to help us to experience the world in the varying, personal, specific ways that we all do.  Sociopathic people (those who lack the capacity for guilt, empathy, or love, and often commit crimes with no thought of the repercussions), are generally found to be lacking in function of these specific parts of the brain.

The rest of this chapter is devoted to instruction on how to behave in social situations, how to "survive" without this burgeoning generation's reliance on technology, and how to build self-esteem in the meantime.  It emphasizes reduction of technology time, and an increase of time social time spent face to face with real human beings (not surprising, considering the title of the chapter, I suppose).  I find it interesting, though, that we've been saying that the majority of the book seems to be aimed at immigrants, and yet the sort of self-help chapter is obviously aimed at natives.  I guess that'd be because our parents' generation can't possibly be technology dependent.  This is a stereotype that is present in quite a few places, including advertising!  Check out this Toyota commercial:

Honestly, I love this commercial.  I think it's hilarious.  But at the same time, it paints the natives in a very negative light.  The daughter is spacey, unable to complete reading an entire article, and chooses to spend an absolutely gorgeous day indoors.  The parents are active, social, physically fit, and happy.  This is part of a series of commercials that run in this vein.  The young adults are at home by themselves while their parents go out partying and having fun.

I think, perhaps, that I was not the right person to review this chapter, mainly because I find the tone of the book to be largely antagonistic and biased.  The insinuation that college students need to be provided with classes to learn how to do laundry seems extreme.  If I didn't teach my child to be at least partially self-sufficient by the time she went to college, I would not count myself with the successful parents.  However, there are a couple of charts and exercises on building empathy, self-esteem, and assertiveness that could be helpful either in a classroom setting or in a parenting situation.  There is always something useful to be found!

iBrain Chapter 6 -questionnaires, surveys, battery,

Chapter 6 was a simple read. I found myself analyzing my kids, wife, friends and especially my gadget addicted mother through the questionnaires. I think she's in trouble. I don't know what she would do without her laptop, smart phone, blue tooth, CNN with streaming bar, Direct TV etc. I specifically don't have a generator because I appreciate random times of the year when we are forced to disconnect.