Learning and Gaming

Chapter 5: Learning and Gaming

1 What is the main argument the author is making in Chapter 5.

Learning in schools should take place in the same way that learning to play video games does

2. What constitutes a theory of learning?

There where, the who, and the what people are learning

3. Why did the author struggle to learn to play Warcraft III? What needs to proceed before good learning principles?

he "failed to engage with it in a way that fully recruited its solid design and learning principles" (Gee 59) . In other words, he wasn't quite into the game as the game intended its players to be. Also, before good learning principles can happen, one must be motivated and engaged for an extended amount of time.

4. How would have the authors struggle with learning to play Warcraft III been interpreted in school?

as a failure

5 What kind of learning experience might be better suited for at risk students?

Have them do simulations and video game type learning. If they gain "experience" with their lessons, then they can move up the levels.

6. Why does the school-based interpretation of "at risk" lead to bad learning?

By the time they are labeled "at risk" the curriculum for them has already been set to be "dumbed-down", it's damaging on their self esteem and there seems to be no alternatives

7. What do schools need to do to function more like a good game?

allow students to take on different identities which will help them get their minds fully engaged with learning in the "world" of school

8. What is different about how good games and school assess learners?

School have one set assessment for everyone. With games, the player can pick and choose when and how to be 'tested' as well as having the option to go back and redo it until they know they have it. 

9. What are the attributes of a  fish-tank tutorial that make it an effective learning tool? How is it different than school-based learning?

They can assess their own learning styles and discover how they learn best! In school, students are all assessed the same way, and if someone doesn't fit into that cookie cutter shape, some adult decides what should be done

10. What is a sand-box tutorial? Why is effective? How is it different that school-based learning?

The player is able to explore the game without being harmed and it occurs in a mostly real situation. This is great because the player can practice and get a feel for the real thing. In school, kids aren't typically given the opportunity to get the feel of something before being expected to get their hands dirty so-to-speak. And, nothing in schools is "non harmful" when failure is a possibility. 

11. What is a genre? Why is it important for good learning?

Genre is a type of something. When a student knows the genre, they have an idea of what will be coming up and they can prepare for what might be expected of them.

12. According to the author, what do learning and play having in common?

You learn as you play!

13. How are the skills test in good games different from skills tests in school?

Many times, in games, you can choose when and how you are tested, or you are even given more opportunity to practice before you are evaluated. Upon doing this, the player can come to a realization on what does and doesn't work and figure out how to fix it. Tests in school are made by adults and assessed by adults, the student plays little to no participation outside of making sure they are just listening to what they are told.

14. How does RoN support collaborative learning?

Simply put: players have and utilize social networking. Whether this means they group up to work on a goal, talk on forums, read magazines produced by other gamers, etc. They are working together, helping each other, and learning from one another.

15. Match at least one learning principle of good games (on page 74) with each the following learning theorists you have studied in 3352:

Dewy: 8. "Basic skills" means what you need to learn in order to start taking more control over your own learning and learn by playing.

Vygotsky: 5. They let learners themselves assess tehir previous knowledge and learning styles and make decisions for themselves (with help)

Piaget: 9. "Experienced" doesn't need to mean "expert"; it can mean that one is well prepared for future learning

Gardner: 14. They give information via several different modes (e.g. in print, orally, visually). They create redundancy.

Bandura: 12. They offer supervised (i.e. guided) fish tank tutorials (simplified versions of the real system). 

Skinner: 1. They create motivation for an extended engagement. 

Formative Assessment

What is formative assessment?

assessment done throughout the learning process to better gage students understanding of the given subject matter

What is the CENTRAL purpose of formative assessment?

To identify where students have a clear understanding, or difficulty in an area of learning.

Connect a best practice in formative assessment to one research-based strategy.

Timing- students should be given enough time (but not too much time) to complete an assignment, test, or assessment in general... likewise, positive or negative reinforcement should be giving promptly and in a timely manor as well. Timing is key! Feedback needs to be done in a timely manor to increase understanding of where they went wrong, or even confirm they were right about something they were unsure about.

Give an example of how a specific assessment can be used formatively and summatively.

A rubric could be used for both. If you want to evaluate a writing assignment, list the criteria so the students understand what is expected, and then use it to assign a grade at the end (summatively)

Give an example from your field placement related to formative assessment and timing.

Every morning, as soon as students walk in the door, they have a journal entry to make. There is a prompt on the board. The teacher checks the journal entries to make sure the students are properly making complete sentences (including starting with a capitol letter and ending with a period) and it's basically making sure they are capable of writing a few sentences consecutively that make sense... and this assesses that they are following directions. As soon as they finish, they read their entry to her, and she later reads them.. by the end of a few days, she has them graded with feedback. 

What are some strategies to help formative assessment be more effective when providing students with feedback?

The article states the following: 

 emphasizes the quality rather than the quantity of 

student work; 

 prizes giving advice and guidance over giving grades; 

 avoids comparing students in favor of enabling individual students to assess their own learning; 

 fosters dialogues that explore understandings rather 

than lectures that present information; 

 encourages multiple iterations of an assessment cycle, 

each focused on a few issues; 

 provides feedback that engenders motivation and 

leads to improvement.  

Name two advantages to high quality formative assessment.

Teachers are able to identify struggling students and therefore better help them. And students can get a sense of confidence and control- when students get feedback, they understand the area and can relate it and make connections.

What are some challenges to implementing high quality formative assessment?

Constantly thinking of, creating and implementing formative assessments can become really time consuming for the teacher. 

Simulations and Bodies

1. What does the author mean when he says, "Learning doesn't work well when learners are forced to check their bodies at the school room door like guns in the old West." 

One cannot learn well when he/she is being forced to engage in an environment that isn't comfortable or natural- learning must take place within your comfort zone

2. According to the author, what is the best way to acquire a large vocabulary?

practice; use it, speak it, every day life should include a wide range of vocabulary

3. What gives a word a specific meaning? 

the context in which it is used. In my clinicals today, the phrase "pick you up" was discussed and the contexts in which it could be used. My host teacher mentioned that you can say "I will pick you up" to a baby and its context is literal. If you say "I'll pick you up after school" -  it just means, I'll be there to make sure you get home. And you can even say "Ice cream will pick you up" meaning to lift your spirits.

4. What does the term "off the hook" mean in each of these sentences?

a. My sister broke up with her fiance, so I'm off the hook for buying her a wedding present. I don't have to

b. Them shoes are off the hook dog. awesome and in style

c. Man that cat was fighting 6 people and he beat them all. Yo, it was "off the hook", you should have seen it!! again, awesome/cool/entertaining

4. According to the author what is the"work" of childhood? Do you agree?

Everyone knows "a child's work is play". I do agree. Take my 4-year-old for instance. When she plays with others, she has to figure out what's right and wrong and fair and what can everyone agree to play on...

5.Why is NOT reading the instruction for how to play a game before playing a game a wise decision?

It's a learn as you go kind of thing. When I learned to play WoW (World of Warcraft) I didn't sit down and read anything, rather, I logged in, made a toon, and figured it out as I went. It's the same with just about anything else in life: you don't learn by reading about it, you learn by living it and doing it yourself.

6. Does knowing the general or literal meaning of a word lead to strong reading skills?

Yes, if you take general sayings in a literal meaning while reading, you're going to be awfully confused as to why you're going to (for example) throw the baby out with the bath water!  

7. What does the author mean by the terms "identity" and "game". Give an example of 3 "identities" or "games" you play?

I'm a gamer- I play World of Warcraft (For the Alliance!)

I'm a mom and an Army wife

I'm a suggie mamma (I'm the mom to 4 sugar gliders)

8. According to the author what is good learning?

Basically, active learning and playing an active roll... knowing which 'game' to play and where (I like to say that I wear many hats, so good learning is knowing when to put what hat on)

9. How does understanding that being able to build a mental model and simulations of a real-word experience is closely tied  to comprehending written and oral language support of change the way you think children should learn in school?

I'm not sure I fully understand what this question is asking... It is important for children to make these mental connections between school and the real world. When they build these mental models and run through these simulations in their minds, it shows understanding. Likewise, if kids can read and write and talk on different levels (using these different identities) they have a higher chance of success. It's all about making connections with real world experiences.

10. Why is peer to peer interaction so important for the language development of young children? How does knowing this support or change the way you think children should learn in school?

Peer to peer interaction is critical...who can better get into a 3rd graders mind and understand how he/she thinks than another 3rd grader?! I already know that this should be supported in school, and I implement this in my clinical classroom. For example, today "J" was having difficulty with some math and I just wasn't able to get the concept through to her, so I grabbed one of her peers and said "Hey, can you help 'J'? She needs a little bit of help with this problem and I think I'm just frustrating her". Need I say more? Nope, because she got it after that. 

Language and Identity at Home

1. What are the features of the forms of language that are spoken in a home environment that align with academic varieties of language?

many times, home language that aligns with academic varieties of language are when we read to our children and when children play (house, school, etc)

2. What are the features of Leona's specialized form of language? 

parallels and repetition in story telling... she clumps together parts of her story and, I imagine, when she was telling this story, it was rhythmic 

3. Why is Leona's specialized form of language not accepted in school?

it doesn't "sound" right and it isn't "proper"

4. Explain the contradiction between the research conducted by Snow et al. (1998) and the recommendations made by Snow et al. (1998).

the Black-White gap in literacy was closing, but he recommends (in my own words) more 'drill and kill' for phonemic awareness and phonics which will bore kids MORE and ultimately widen that gap again  

5. What other factors besides early skills training will make or break good readers?

finding something interesting to read will make or break a good reader! If you force kids to read Basil readers over something they actually have an interest in, it will kill their drive to WANT to read! 

Also, a sense of belonging helps or hurts a reader. If they talk like Leona, they will likely be rejected for being 'stupid'... but if kids like Leona are embraced and their culture is embraced as a cultural capital, then it will HELP!

6. Why do some children fail to identify with, or find alienating, the "ways with words" taught in school?

you're expected to talk and act a certain way at school that isn't "natural" for many kids to do because of their way of life at home. If school would accept these kids with differences and use them as an aid to better learning, things might be a little different in the classroom.