Cats and portals: Video games, learning, and play (Gee, 2008)
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Gee argues that common forms of play, including video games and popular card games, effectively promote learning of real-world skills (including cooperation, problem-solving, and mastery of jargon) that are applicable to learners’ future endeavors after they leave school. He emphasizes that many of these games provide ‘tools’ that help players discover new ways of engaging with possible worlds beyond the real world. He notes that some of the things we define as play are similar to what is being taught in schools, but because they are not considered work, learners enjoy taking a deep dive into the subject matter and become ‘Pro-Ams’.
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Although Gee writes from the perspective of a linguist and makes compelling points about play being a strong motivator for players to master complex language, the paper lacks concrete suggestions for how educators might apply this knowledge to their teaching. He assumes that students are unable or unwilling to learn the terminology required to master school subjects because they view it as work but does not provide an explanation for students who perform well without having developed a passion for each subject.
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Gee brings a constructivist perspective to the topic of learning and play, with prior knowledge of the real word informing players’ exploration of the digital world; how does behaviorism fit into his ideas?
Games as distributed teaching and learning systems (Gee & Gee, 2017)
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In this paper, Gee & Gee suggest that distributed teaching and learning systems, which have only very recently in human history begun to exist in a virtual world, are as effective as the conversations with the world that humans have been having for thousands of years. They argue that digital games, as an interest around which affinity spaces are developed, can initiate deep learning around a myriad of topics related to the game. The authors place an emphasis on learning through social interactions with members of affinity spaces, as both teacher and learner depending on context, and note that the learning ecologies and interests of individuals can lead to different degrees of and areas of learning.
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Although they do note that criminals may develop and maintain highly sophisticated affinity spaces, Gee & Gee assume that the individuals interacting in affinity spaces act solely with the intention of communicating ideas about the topic around which the community is built. When interacting with others in a virtual space, there is a risk of engaging with those who purposely spread misinformation or push an agenda; it would be worthwhile to discuss how this could affect learning in the affinity space.
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In this paper, Gee & Gee use Portal as an example of the many different topics that can spark interest in learners depending on their learning ecologies; what elements of game design make a game such as this appealing to a wide array of different learners?
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The authors of both articles agree that engaging with digital games and the communities of players can initiate deep learning; however, Gee (2008) focuses on the new tools afforded by the medium and Gee & Gee (2017) focus on the social aspect of learning. Both papers suggest that much of the learning that stems from playing digital games happens outside of the classroom and is informed by each learner’s interests and passions, but there may be a place for the use of digital games in formal learning as well.
References
Gee, J. P. (2008). Cats and portals: Video games, learning, and play. American Journal of Play, 1(2), 229.
Gee, E., & Gee, J. P. (2017). Games as distributed teaching and learning systems. Teachers College Record, 119(11).