Beyond Bait: Video Games and Literacy

Maggie HommelUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

This will not be about:

Will be about:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1403972206/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link

http://i30.tinypic.com/2rgh0ee.jpg

Why Librarians Should Care…

97% of U.S. teens 12-17 play video games

Source: Pew Research, “Teens, Video Games and Civics” 2008

87% of 8-18 year-olds have a game console in their home

8-10 year old boys are the biggest gamers- 73% play on any given day

PEW Research Center, “Adults and Video Games”

Could video games be good for the brain and cognitive development?

James Paul Gee

Eric Klopfer, MIT

Marc Prenksy

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http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://gambit.mit.edu/images/credits_eklopfer.jpg&imgrefurl=http://gambit.mit.edu/credits/&usg=__QPOBXSj25F9uP_S1FPxby6gMo8o=&h=193&w=200&sz=12&hl=en&start=2&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=73N2xyazWyXlIM:&tbnh=100&tbnw=104&prev=/images?q=eric+klopfer&um=1&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&tbs=isch:1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1578519497/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://elisaspadaro.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/marc_prensky.jpg&imgrefurl=http://elisaspadaro.wordpress.com/2009/11/21/piacere-siamo-i-nati-digitali/&usg=__stRESV9S0I206XAW94Xc_HpwEjU=&h=4366&w=4320&sz=1904&hl=en&start=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=4uHlsvjQitd0VM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=148&prev=/images?q=marc+prensky&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&tbs=isch:1

Why Librarians Should Care

Video Games = Bait?

Or something more…

Not All Games Are Alike…

Complex Games

Simple or Mini-Games

Defining Literacy

Read & Write (functional)

Comprehension

Discuss / Write About

Flow

Critique /Analyze

Video games can enhance at each level

Defining Literacy

Multimodal

Defining Literacy

Social

Defining Literacy

Situated

Defining Literacy

Technical

Video Games and Literacy

Content vs.

Critical Learning

28

2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2

Semiotic Domains in video games▪ Text is essentially a set of symbols that readers

decode▪ All symbols are embedded in specific “domains”▪ Imagine reading a rule book about basketball

without ever seeing, playing, or hearing about a game

Design Grammars

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Video games teach how to learn, navigate, and interpret semiotic domains

Intertextuality

Transfer

Are Video Games Narrative?

Yes: embedded stories No: stories peripheral

Source: Johnson, Steven. Everything Bad is Good For You (2005)

Books vs. Video Games

Embodied Experience

Narrative Desire

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://shouldbereading.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/randomsjuly08-005.jpg&imgrefurl=http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/2008/08/04/currently-reading/&usg=__HgTR_tJ46hmAABjOujGBrxOuAJ0=&h=2304&w=3072&sz=3821&hl=en&start=17&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=GLsYAvkz8-MLaM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=150&prev=/images?q=reading+twilight&um=1&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&tbs=isch:1

Stories IN GamesStories ABOUT Games

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://emr8.com/portal/images/2S8/Gaming_Uncharted2b.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.emr8.com/portal/view.php?id=161&usg=__hWYCqe9I5AEGDx_913p9z3JiY2Q=&h=1200&w=1600&sz=445&hl=en&start=8&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=RWpkw7t6vpwlTM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=150&prev=/images?q=uncharted+2+plane&um=1&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&tbs=isch:1

AASL 21st Standards for the 21st Century Learner

Interpreting Analyzing

Critiquing Synthesizing

Arguing Relate to own life

Attend to detail

Real Game Examples

Myst (rated Everyone) http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8npW85PW0s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8npW85PW0s

Real Game Examples

Final Fantasy XII (rated Teen) http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCJJALqGQHM&feature=PlayList&p=977479D95F542BBF&index=2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCJJALqGQHM&feature=PlayList&p=977479D95F542BBF&index=2

Real Game Examples

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Teen) http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=69EBDlnDw2k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69EBDlnDw2k

Real Game Examples

Portal (Teen, Part of Orange Box) http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TluRVBhmf8w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TluRVBhmf8w

Library Applications

Wofford College Shared Worlds http://sharedworlds.wofford.edu

http://sharedworlds.wofford.edu/

Fan Fiction @ Englewood Public Library (CO) http://eplcoolcafe.wordpress.com/tag/fan-fictio

n/

http://eplcoolcafe.wordpress.com/tag/fan-fiction/

Free Web 2.0 Tools http://www.digitalstoryteller.org/ http://www.voki.com/

http://www.digitalstoryteller.org/

http://www.voki.com/

Clubs and Discussion Groups http://www.etc.cmu.edu/etcpress/node/2

79

http://www.etc.cmu.edu/etcpress/node/279

Questions?

Maggie Hommelmhommel2@uiuc.edu

Beyond Bait: Video Games and Literacy

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