I do believe video games should be used in schools. It is something that grabs kids attention and can help improve learning. With that being said I feel it should only be used to compliment other teaching. It should in no way replace things we already do in the classroom.
What video games provide and what classrooms seem to lack a lot of the time is the challenge. Gee mentions a lot about what makes a good video game and how there is a challenge, customizable, creates your own story, and many other things. In my opinion it is that challenge that games provide that classrooms lack. For me the challenge is what keeps me coming back to the game. If school had a fun challenge I would keep coming back until I conquered it. Otherwise I am just bored.
I probably will try to incorporate video games into my classroom but if I am not going to the learning principle I would focus on the critical thinking and get students to explore different activities. I would focus on the challenge of each activity and set goals that are reachable in the physical education classroom but aren't too easy to get to. That way students will feel some sort of accomplishment when they acheive the goals.
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It is intresting to think about how you would be able to fit this into a PE setting. The "powers that be" seem to always be harping on kids about getting up and moving and get off the games! I think there may be a way to balance both.
ReplyDeleteI always hear teachers saying that students aren't meeting the challenge, but when I ask about challenge it appears as mundane busy work. I agree with you that we need to develop a more explorative and varied set of challenges based in progressive achievement.
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