Gee, J. P. (2008). Cats and portals: Video games, learning, and play. American Journal of Play, 1(2), 229.

Gee discusses that learning can result from playing well-designed games that combine elements of “problem games” and “world games’, just as cats learn from play and exploration of their environment. Games like Portal provide players with tools to discover and manipulate the possibilities in the designed environment to solve problems. Serious play often does not appear academic as exemplified by World of Warcraft parties that require players of different specialities to coordinate and collaborate in a team just like in the workspace, or Pro-Ams who learn useful skills through their passion for games.

Gee provides evidence for serious play to be educational which is great for those who enjoy games, but the challenge is the resources needed to find well-designed games for learners who have individual preferences for games or who have no interest in games at all. I also wonder about the transferability of skills and knowledge learned in games and whether learners can apply them effectively to other situations, especially when the designed or real environment has different rules.

What are the criteria to assess whether an available game is suitable for educational purposes or is it better for educational games to be designed as a standalone genre?

Gee, E., & Gee, J. P. (2017). Games as distributed teaching and learning systems. Teachers College Record, 119(11).

This article uses the notion of “conversations” learners have with themselves, with each other, with the physical world, and with a virtual world where embodied learning experiences can happen by interacting and feedback from each environment, leading to better understanding and improved responses. Learning in virtual worlds and games can happen in affinity spaces where people with the same interest come together to discuss various topics related to the common passion, creating part of a distributed learning and teaching system (DTAL). The authors argue that DTAL offer dynamic, broad, accessible, and interest-driven learning experiences for participants, while acknowledging it could also widen inequities and might not be offered to those who might benefit.

While the authors mention some limitations of DTAL in that not all can access their benefits and the gap between socially and educationally advantages widening, such challenges can be immense and are downplayed. Language, literacy, access to tools, and time to explore affinity spaces are just some of the hurdles learners must overcome before being able to benefit from DTAL, which can be alleviated or overcome through institutional learning where learners can build a foundation before venturing out into DTAL.

What is the appropriate amount of time institutions should allow learners to explore their own passions through DTAL and what could the logistics look like in a secondary school setting?

Bridge

The two articles outline the potential of video games as a learning tool for learners to explore topics they are passionate about and do not encounter in schools, which can result in knowledge and skills transferable to the workplace. Both articles seem to focus on the best-case scenarios for serious play without providing much insight on the students who might lack motivation, focus, or resources to access such ways of learning.