What type of games can be used in the classroom?
I thought I’d start these strings with the concept of what kinds of games can be used in the classroom to develop reading skills. I talked in my opening posts about RPG’s, so I think that is a good place to start. I just want to make it clear that RPG’s are not the only games that can help with developing reading skills, they just happen to be a game I specialize in. I found this post http://grandtextauto.gatech.edu/2007/01/18/second-person-for-sale/about games in general and how they have an affect on people. In it the author, identified as “noah,” says:
However, in this volume the contributors are not interested in questions such as “What is a game?” This book is not concerned with questions of center and periphery. Rather, we are interested in questions such as “How is this played?”
I honestly believe that the question “how are games played” is at the very heart of my topic of video games in the classroom. RPG’s, for instance, require that the player usually begins by creating their own persona within the game. This requires the players to create a back story for their character, a reason for why their persona exists. Inside the classroom, games that require students to create alter egos and think about things beyond just “beating a game” will help them become better writers. The best part about this is that creating the characters in an RPG is just the beginning of the development. Much like a novel, the story of an RPG unfolds and creates a world for the students to manipulate and interact with. This modeling of how a good story progresses is great for the students to learn how to develop characters in their own writing, not to mention the characters usually develop reflective characteristics of the players, allowing the students a time of self-reflection during the game. The article goes on to develop different types of games (including table-top RPG’s and just plain old Cops and Robbers) and how they affect the students playing the games. The discussion about MMORPG’s that the article points out is something that I will cover later on in a more in depth look, mostly because the MMO revolution is a critical crux for gaming in general.
Dan-
I think including video games in the classroom is a neat idea. I honestly do not play a lot of video games, but I think that most of my future students will be so obsessed with them that I might have to take some of them up in order to be ‘in the know’.
When you talk about creating a character in the RPG. This I think is great because it will let the students use their imagination, which is something that many of the kids lately have a hard time doing (at least in my experience with the kids that I work with at day care). It will also make them excited and very engaged because it is their personal work, their creation, their ‘baby’. They will be excited to talk to others to get new ideas and also try and figure out how to create something bigger or better. The imagination is key.
Also-I like the fact that you tell how students will be able to see a progression as the game goes on. This will definitely help students learn how to create a story based on one or two encounter in a video game which in turn can help them in any story writing situation.
Hey Dan!
This is a really interesting topic. Using video games in the classroom, depending on what you are teaching, can be very helpful in getting student’s engaged. Just like the above response says, “imagination is key”. With today’s society, where technology seems to be taking over and kid’s attention spans are shrinking, it’s important to make sure they can relate to the material that is being presented. I also agree with your idea that, especially with RPGs, where people have to create a completely new persona for the character, is where student’s will be able to take pride in their work and creations.
Great post!
:~: Gina :~: _\,,/
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Sound Of Silence: Deaf Education Today said this on April 17, 2007 at 7:04 pm
I think the creation of RPG characters is a great way for students to learn better writing skills. I know that when I’m playing RPGs, I sometimes have to repeat parts that I did not do so well on just because it doesn’t fit in with how I think my character’s story should go. I always seem to make characters that are good and I am never able to ignore people in need in the games. I always enjoy doing the quests that portray my character as heroic and a champion of the opressed because that’s the story that I have created for that character. There could be some great assignments where students play a game and then write a story based on it. I think that would work out quite well.