AAE441: Video Games and Literacy

Presented by Amy, Nitthiya, Puvan and Sumathi

10 min of Game Play!

1. First log in.

2. Under links,Click on Ray and Tombscape 2.

3. Read the instructions on what you are required to do for each game.

4. As you play reflect on 2 questions:

What are the advantages or disadvantages of the games in terms of developing literacy?

How would you use the game/games as a teaching tool in your class?

To Agree

“Playing video games helps develop sophisticated

operational, cultural and critical literacy skills.”

( Sun , 1996)

Disagree?or

Agree … that they are meaningful..

Reading

Video Games

Writing

Gee, J. P. (2007). What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy.

Semiotic DomainsVideo gaming is multimodal ; another vehicle or tool

Meanings are created

What are the benefits of Video Games?

Develop and

educational tools

Create a and control as players become active and

reflective participants

Allow among affiliated people which develops language and social skills

Encourage players to relationships, strategies and skills; how each action would impact on future actions and other players’ actions

Learners could bring along e.g. social class, gender, interests, motivations

cognitive, spatial

coordination skills

real sense of ownership

interaction

think about

multiple real-world identities

Powerful

video games offer strong identities allow players to think in different roles project their values and desires onto the virtual character by

making use of the resources provided by the designer :

words are linked to the experiences, actions, images or dialogues whereas schools are unable to situate meanings in real contexts all the time

Generate processes Enhances

Effective

decision-making

problem -solving ability

Situated meanings

Science teachers struggled to get students to learn literacy and numeracy

Students commented, ‘We did literacy and numeracy at school and we've never had to use it since.’

Modified a popular computer game, Neverwinter Nights, published by Atari and produced by Bioware.

$25 million was spent on the game

94% of the students achieved key skills http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/6254989.stm

Case 1: In 2005, West Nottinghamshire College, Mansfield, England.

Students were invited to pick a character and go on a quest in which they have to make decisions about what to take and how to progress using mathematics and their literacy skills.

For example, before they set off in their ship they have to fill it with the things they are going to need. This requires them to calculate the area of the ship and how much they can manage to bring.

Those who faced difficulty to progress in the game would come knocking on the staff room door and wouldn't let the teachers go until they were taught how to overcome them

It surveyed almost 1,000 teachers and more than 2,300 primary and secondary school students in the UK.

Results showed: 59% of teachers would consider using off-the-shelf games

in the classroom while 62% of students wanted to use games at school.

55% of students thought videogames would make for more interesting lessons

More than 70% of the surveyed teachers felt that playing games could lead to anti-social behaviour while 30% of students believed that playing games could lead to increased violence and aggression.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5398230.stm

Case 2: In 2006, the Teaching with Games report was commissioned by games giant Electronic Arts (EA) and carried out by FutureLab.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE50819H20090110

U.S. Army uses video games to woo young Americans to join the force…

http://www.mindef.gov.sg/content/imindef/publications/pointer/journals/2006/v32n4/Evolution_of_Modelling_and_Simulation_in_the_Singapore_Armed_Forces.print.html?Status=1

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) uses Modelling & Simulation (M&S) technologies for simulation and training systems

A quote taken from Youtube: ‘…some 9 year old are still afraid of their own

shadow, not to talk about a gun. I am 16 and I love violent video games, love them nice and gory.. When I was 15 I was let to shoot a real gun at a firing range for the first time, and there they said I'm a natural. I did not let them help me with anything, I knew how to handle a gun.. which I learned from games…’

Disagree.. as Video Games IS a waste of time Only entertainment.

Clash of CONFLICTS with schools’ ideal of learning. Important knowledge/ information should be related to

intellectual/ academic disciplines.

discourse of media has an influence over ignorant, passive viewers/ players especially the young audience

Lead to violence and obesity Simply bad influence.

Exposure to violent media will reinforce and increase aggressive behaviour

Some gamers find it difficult to distinguish between real and fantasy

Objective Be clear of the learning outcomes

Assess the content: Select games with no undesirable themes, language

and animation

Evaluate the demands of the game e.g. instructions, skills and prior experience required

Aligns with the syllabus

Required level and nature of involvement:

Active or passive gaming

Choosing the right game for classrooms:

Information : Amount of information given vs. prior knowledge of

the game required

Progressive learning: Range and options in difficulty levels for all learners

http://sheu.org.uk/sites/sheu.org.uk/files/imagepicker/1/eh203mg.pdf

Create opportunity for play Curriculum time may not be sufficient for the use

of computer games. Provide alternative places and time for students to play the game (e.g., at home or in an internet café).

Create a community of practice for students. They can learn how to move on to higher levels in the game, from one another.

Look out for opportunities to facilitate learning, like subtly providing hints on some skills pertaining to a subject.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5398230.stm

Watch Video Clip

Our Conclusion

“ Video and computer-based games represent one technique that may be available to educators, however care should be taken that enthusiastic use

of this tool does not displace other more effective techniques.”