Topics for Today
1. GAMES!
I'm a gamer. I play Boggle, Monopoly, Bar Trivia, Capture the Flag, softball and many other kinds of games with my friends and family. These are not the kinds of games that are being talked about in our readings for Technology class. Video games and online games, like World of Warcraft are the kind of games that Jane McGonigal talks about in her Ted Talk. One reason I love Ted Talks, is that there is a seemingly infinite amount of topics that are covered. Jane comes on the stage and starts talking about how we as a society need to play video games more. This goes against what I thought and what I have heard other teachers say. However, I was almost convinced after that 20 minute talk. Not just because she mentions "The Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell, but also because she told a fascinating story about Lydians and how dice games saved their civilization. While I am still skeptical, I do think we can learn a lot from games. Towards the end of the Ted Talk I started to disagree with her theories, but I would like to learn more.
When I started thinking about how games could change the world I thought of competition. I don't think we use competition effectively. We compete in sports and I think it drives people to practice more. Couldn't we compete for social justice? Couldn't we compete to see who could build the most schools? I think the answer in "no" we don't value those things or they don't make for "good TV". And I think that when I have seen attempts at "social just competitions" it always looks forced or not well thought out. We are a society of baggage, our history has blemishes (understatement) that can't (in my opinion) be fixed with games. On an individual level, healthy competition is awesome. I want to be better than I was or I want to be as good as _______. Maybe we can change the framework of competition overtime. Maybe in our classrooms we can use language like "practice" and "fundamentals" to talk about kindness, or being a global citizen, or striving for social justice. These are areas of our life that need fundamentals and practice to be successful. Maybe the games that Jane talks about will be useful to the children of today because they would be life long learners of social change. For me, I think about her games like I think about fire drills, the sense of urgency isn't there, but it is useful practice.
I think games have given me lots of skills. I like competition, I don't mind losing, but I always play to win. I learned about teamwork, quick thinking, critical thinking, and strategy. All of these things have helped me and will continue to help me in the future. There are definite skills that come from video games too, and I am optimistic about the evolution of games, maybe they will change the world.
First of all, I really enjoyed your post. I especially enjoyed when you said, "I think about games like I think about fire drills, the sense of urgency isn't there, but it is a useful practice." This really summarizes how I feel about the whole video game issue as well. I think video game type stuff can be helpful but I'm also not convinced it will change the world. You are right--there are "definite skills" that can be used in the classroom and can help kids in their futures. Your post really made me think, so thank you!
ReplyDeleteI also really liked Jane McGonigal's description from Herodotus of the Lydians' dice game. It made me think of Caesar's statement after he had crossed the Rubicon (to attack Pompei and cause a bloody, internecine, tragic civil war): "The die has been cast." Did Caesar perhaps really throw a die to decide whether to take this enormously consequential action? An epileptic, it is possible he had brain damage in his prefrontal cortex or elsewhere inhibiting impulse control and decision-making. He was known for inappropriate social behavior once in control of Rome, and the throw of the die might have been because he simply could not make a decision. He actually only attacked Pompei defensively in the end. His pardoning of enemies and meeting many of them unprotected--all reflected the inability
ReplyDeleteto make wise choices. I was intrigued to hear her account of the Etruscans, who have always been a historical mystery. To think that dice played such a critical role at both ends of Roman history, is extremely thought-provoking...
But what I like most about you blog is that you pinpoint *ability* as the outcome of gaming. I am very unsure, by contrast, that the outcome is knowledge.
I am going to take a slightly different track here. You spoke about sports and competition and I must say, that I do agree with you. But not for the same reason as I think you are speaking about.
ReplyDeleteI believe sports and competition, especially with kids is not so much about the kids and learning the valuable lessons of working together, striving for excellence, problem solving and overcoming obstacles but instead for some ribbons, medals and trophies.
In many cases, if not most, it is about a parent needed to prove something and living through their child or children. My children compete and sometimes they win and sometimes they lose, but the only thing that is important to me is did they do their best. If they were successful did they win with honor and if they lost, did they lose with grace. Both very important life lessons!
What I find intriguing about video games is the kids get to express themselves and in many cases, the parents don’t care about the outcome. But there is a hierarchy in the gaming world and the kids know they want to succeed. It does not really matter who you are or what you do it really is about did you get to that level or beat this game. One thing I really like about video games is friends are made across social boundaries. My oldest plays football, hockey and lacrosse at pioneer, but he also is a gamer at the A2 libraries. He has friends fro all different social levels and they all have a blast when they get together.
Perhaps the best thing about games is if you don’t feel like the hero, you still can be the hero…and just maybe some of that will rub off and give that one kid who everyone ignores the right motivation to solve problems on a global game board. After all, Jobs and Gates, in reality were just computer nerds!
Your take on this issue has gotten me to see it in an entirely new light!
DeleteWhat you say about kids working together and that games make friends across social boundaries has made me think about another possible use of games in the classroom: as a way to create community.
Obviously, the time available for this type of thing is probably very small, although we have learned about how putting in an investment of time in the beginning of the year pays off throughout the year.
Now, I want to be on the lookout for non-violent, cooperative, multi-player games.
"I play Boggle, Monopoly, Bar Trivia, Capture the Flag, softball and many other kinds of games with my friends and family. These are not the kinds of games that are being talked about in our readings for Technology class"
ReplyDeleteYou hit upon a point here that resounds with me. We have always played games together. Laughing, competing, teasing, winning and losing - family games and sports have provided us the opportunity to share time together.
Take a look at the kid in McGonigal's video. The image that McGonigal used to display the intense concentration and excitement that gamers experience also displayed something else. Look at the background. It's simply black. No one and nothing else exists but the screen and the player. Gone is the opportunity for real human connections. In my mind I see frames of individuals in darkened rooms, soda cans and chip bags scattered aimlessly, each person enjoying their tenuous cyber-connection - yet ultimately alone. Is this what we really want? Is this how people solve problems in the future? I hope not. The value of board games and sports is just as great as that of video games. However face-to-face games provide a broader field of academic and social development opportunity than video games which isolate and insulate us from human interaction.
There are some gains to be made from virtual play, but they don't outweigh the gains of real play. Real play teaches us how to get along in the real world - we can't let video games take that away from us.