As I started reading James Paul Gee’s article, Good Video Games and Good Learning, I was expecting some sort of general look at why playing video games can actually be good for learning. I am a gamer, so I didn’t anticipate any big revelations or ‘a-ha!’ moments about how video games aren’t actually the worst pastime you can have.
However, I was surprised to find the article so inspiring in terms of actual change that could be happening in the education system that so many of us are currently trying to find work in. I’m so intrigued by the idea, not that we should be having more video games, but that we should be using the “learning principles” (p. 34) that video games use to improve the way we teach students.
From Gee’s list of sixteen principles, there are a few that really stood out for me. The first on the list, Identity, is a hugely important concept for high school students. The comparison he makes between an in-game identity and the identity of a scientist or furniture-maker connects also to the idea that being a student is another form of identity that young people adopt while they are in school. The unfortunate part of this is that so much of that student identity is determined by outside forces – some of which can be actively hostile towards young people! How great it could be to have students proud of their educational identity and engaged in improving within it.
The fourth principle is Risk Taking and it put me in mind of the feedback provided to students by teachers. I’m thinking more specifically of English classes where students often submit work that isn’t marked by a simple ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. While I was on my practicum I often felt that there was not enough time to adequately use the feedback I had for students’ writing assignments in order to help them improve their writing. There were times that I had to just hope they would read and absorb my comments so that their next assignment could be better. Yet, the mark they received on that first assignment had consequences that might inhibit a student from doing just that. This is very much related to principle eight, Challenge and Consolidation. The learning that Gee describes sounds to me a lot like an apprenticeship – or, similar to experiences I’ve heard about graduate school. The anxiety of failure is lessened and students are encouraged to master a topic and are given the personal learning space in which to become dedicated to improvement.
There was definitely a great deal in this article that had me thinking twice about educational reform and from what arena the inspiration for it should come. In fact…I think I might head to the library and take a look at Gee’s book!
-Cristina R.
1 response so far ↓
ctwlee // Jul 17th 2013 at 9:30 pm
Cristina ☺
Although I am not a gamer myself, I agree that the learning principles outlined in the article are fascinating and their benefits are not limited to the gaming realm.
My brother, on the other hand, has been an avid gamer since he was young, and I guess you could say I have somewhat been a vicarious gamer for fifteen years!
When I was going through the learning principles, the ones that stood out for me as integral to the classroom were also Identity, Risk Taking, and Challenge and Consolidation. (Hooray for C(h)ristina power!)
High school is such an important time for students to discover who they are and to form an identity of which they can be proud. Of course, our sense of identity and who we are as a person transforms as we embark on different journeys throughout our lives. So, for our students to learn about the importance of having an individual identity and to know how to grapple with it on their own accord is extremely valuable.
In terms of risk taking, one of my greatest goals during my practicum was to create not a risk-free environment, but a safe environment in which to take risks. I think I was able to do that, and everything else came together after I had established a sense of community in the classroom. Often times, there is very little room for students to take risks in class, for fear of negative evaluation from peers, and on assignments as you have mentioned. However, we should take advantage of the fact that because there are no necessarily “correct” answers in English, students can actually feel free and safe to formulate their own well-supported opinions.
Lastly, I strongly believe in the value of Challenge and Consolidation. It is one of the most important aspects of differentiated instruction—to enable all students to acquire content through various avenues regardless of differences in ability. As you have said, it ties in closely with the notion of risk taking in the classroom, because students need to feel a sense of security before they move to the next step.
I’ll stop rambling and let you get on with the book!
Christina
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