In my normal fashion I tried to make it more difficult than it was. I kept looking at the cards thinking it had to look nice and what was I to do about all those different sprites? So finally, I just created the scripts and went with it. Of course chaos ensues if you push the green flag! LOL -
Here's the link to my cards.
Scratch | Project | scratch cards
On a more serious note, I really like the word search game. I see practical application for this game and the one I played with had some serious potential to be better. Using boxes definitions and hints could be given to help find the next word.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Here's my catlib!
At first I thought, why? Then I decided to have some fun. I hope you all enjoy it. This could be a really cool application to develop some digital storytelling in the classroom.
Scratch | Project | CatLibs
Scratch | Project | CatLibs
Journal Week #6
Quote: "As educators continue the quest to
ensure that all students have the opportunity to participate fully in society,
multiple paths for learning must be explored. Although in its infancy,
game-based technologies hold promise in forging new models of learning and
teaching for the formal schooling process. "
Game based learning is not a new thought. What is changing is the technology aspect. I wonder if back in the 1960s educators thought that McGraw-Hill was being radical and "too" progressive when they develped the SRA program. I remember the SRA of my early years as being fun and educational. I could not get through the cards quickly enough.
I believe that the role of gaming will change the face of education, but there will also come a time when the definition of gaming changes, as what was once fun becomes work. Gaming in education is not the end, it is only the beginning.
Resource: I will be using a couple of references. When I read the passage quoted I instantly thought of the "gaming" of my early education. I LOVED SRA cards. They were radical and forward thinking at the time and they were fun! They must have been fun, students wanted to use them, wanted to read the stories and answer the questions which enabled the student to earn rewards. Wow! They were not books, they were not complex or traditional. They were awesome! Here is one blog about SRA. McGraw Hill still offer this reading comprehension system.
Progressive educators have always found a way to engage students and make learning fun. That is still true, to keep students learning and active in the educational process we need to adapt the delivery of the content into a system that is not only educational, but also fun and engaging. We must equip students with the life skills to be successfull. In the 1960s it was good enough to ensure that reading comprehension skills were good, that is just not enough today. We must keep pushing the bar higher.
Works Cited:
McGraw Hill. Website. https://www.mheonline.com/program/view/1/1/109/0076021122/
O'Leary, T. (2012, September 21). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://gamesweplayed.com/2012/09/21/journey-back-to-sra-reading-labs-from-the-1970s/
Spires, H. A., Lee, J. K., & Lester, J. (2008). The 21st century learner and game based learning. Meridian , 11(1), Retrieved from http://www.ncsu.edu/meridian/win2008/21st/03.htm
Game based learning is not a new thought. What is changing is the technology aspect. I wonder if back in the 1960s educators thought that McGraw-Hill was being radical and "too" progressive when they develped the SRA program. I remember the SRA of my early years as being fun and educational. I could not get through the cards quickly enough.
I believe that the role of gaming will change the face of education, but there will also come a time when the definition of gaming changes, as what was once fun becomes work. Gaming in education is not the end, it is only the beginning.
Resource: I will be using a couple of references. When I read the passage quoted I instantly thought of the "gaming" of my early education. I LOVED SRA cards. They were radical and forward thinking at the time and they were fun! They must have been fun, students wanted to use them, wanted to read the stories and answer the questions which enabled the student to earn rewards. Wow! They were not books, they were not complex or traditional. They were awesome! Here is one blog about SRA. McGraw Hill still offer this reading comprehension system.
Progressive educators have always found a way to engage students and make learning fun. That is still true, to keep students learning and active in the educational process we need to adapt the delivery of the content into a system that is not only educational, but also fun and engaging. We must equip students with the life skills to be successfull. In the 1960s it was good enough to ensure that reading comprehension skills were good, that is just not enough today. We must keep pushing the bar higher.
Works Cited:
McGraw Hill. Website. https://www.mheonline.com/program/view/1/1/109/0076021122/
O'Leary, T. (2012, September 21). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://gamesweplayed.com/2012/09/21/journey-back-to-sra-reading-labs-from-the-1970s/
Spires, H. A., Lee, J. K., & Lester, J. (2008). The 21st century learner and game based learning. Meridian , 11(1), Retrieved from http://www.ncsu.edu/meridian/win2008/21st/03.htm
Monday, February 25, 2013
About Me ....My Scratch
A special thanks to Saphire123 for the basics of the game. I hope have as much fun learning about me as I did creating it. There are a couple of things I would like to do to make it better such as adjust the grid and turn the entire square into the background color. I think this would be a fun way to lead students on a hunt for the next word as well. Definitions could be given in a conversation block as well. Great potential.
So, without further adieu........ Scratch | Project | About Me Wordsearch
I incorporated a game into helping you learn more about me, I touched on a few more than three things just because it was so much fun. It was challenging to create the first portion to get the timing to move smoothly so as to not hold up the game. I think it would be fun to create the word search in such a way that it would guide you onto finding the next word. I think the Broadcast controls are what I need to learn to do that.
So, without further adieu........ Scratch | Project | About Me Wordsearch
I incorporated a game into helping you learn more about me, I touched on a few more than three things just because it was so much fun. It was challenging to create the first portion to get the timing to move smoothly so as to not hold up the game. I think it would be fun to create the word search in such a way that it would guide you onto finding the next word. I think the Broadcast controls are what I need to learn to do that.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Scratch Tutorial
You know you are getting old when.......
Something as obviously simple as Scratch elludes you. I'm getting it, but my learning curve is not what it used to be.
Scratch | Project | My project
Cards to come.
Once I hide a sprite how do I make it reappear???? Anyone????
Something as obviously simple as Scratch elludes you. I'm getting it, but my learning curve is not what it used to be.
Scratch | Project | My project
Cards to come.
Once I hide a sprite how do I make it reappear???? Anyone????
Week #6 Journal Entry
Quote: "Using games such as Civilization III in social studies is complex and requires a willingness to think creatively and expansively about the curriculum."
Response: Utilizing video games in any type of education is complex. We have learned about many situations where integrating technology in education is a positive experience for students, but studies also show that there needs to be strong teacher support, creativity, and the ability to think outside the box. Providing access to the technology is not enough, there must be context added to and built upon for gaming and technology to be an effective learning tool.
Resource: Fireaxis Games, the company that makes Civilization III and other similar games. The company was born in 1996 at a high technolgy point in time where games were exploding. The company has undergone many changes, including merging with another company. They continue to develop additions and changes to their series of "Civilization" games.
The development of an "educator" component under their communities is currently falling short of what is needed to make the game easily integratable into education. The company utilizes quote from educators, such as Dr. Kurt Squire, University of Wisconsin, Madison, but these quotes are fluff for the company, not actual not actual support for the teachability and context usage of the product. The company would serve itsself well if it were to offer an educators forum and curriculum support for the inclusion of their games in education. Developing curriculum support would help to lessen the complexity of utilizing this particular game in the classroom setting.
Works Cited
Kurt squires civworld. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.firaxis.com/educators/index.php?page=COMMTF07
Lee, J. K., & Probert, J. (2010). Civilization iii and whole-class play in high school social studies. The Journal of Social Studies Research, 34(1), 1-28. Retrieved from http://dhpp.org/images/researchpubs/lee article 34.1.pdf
Response: Utilizing video games in any type of education is complex. We have learned about many situations where integrating technology in education is a positive experience for students, but studies also show that there needs to be strong teacher support, creativity, and the ability to think outside the box. Providing access to the technology is not enough, there must be context added to and built upon for gaming and technology to be an effective learning tool.
Resource: Fireaxis Games, the company that makes Civilization III and other similar games. The company was born in 1996 at a high technolgy point in time where games were exploding. The company has undergone many changes, including merging with another company. They continue to develop additions and changes to their series of "Civilization" games.
The development of an "educator" component under their communities is currently falling short of what is needed to make the game easily integratable into education. The company utilizes quote from educators, such as Dr. Kurt Squire, University of Wisconsin, Madison, but these quotes are fluff for the company, not actual not actual support for the teachability and context usage of the product. The company would serve itsself well if it were to offer an educators forum and curriculum support for the inclusion of their games in education. Developing curriculum support would help to lessen the complexity of utilizing this particular game in the classroom setting.
Works Cited
Kurt squires civworld. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.firaxis.com/educators/index.php?page=COMMTF07
Lee, J. K., & Probert, J. (2010). Civilization iii and whole-class play in high school social studies. The Journal of Social Studies Research, 34(1), 1-28. Retrieved from http://dhpp.org/images/researchpubs/lee article 34.1.pdf
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Interesting article on video game connected to recent violence
College is supposed to make us think. I would have to say that for me, I have a whole new appreciation for many things and often contemplate issues more seriously than I once did. Thought I would share this piece that came across Yahoo news. This article is talking about Adam Lanza and the Newtown, CT shootings.
What caught my attention was the following quote, "Police also uncovered thousands of dollars worth of violent video games in the Lanzas' home. Police believe Adam may have been inspired by the video games he played in the attack, since he changed the magazines of his weapons more frequently than was necessary,..." Also in the article when they mention that Lanza was diagnosed as having Asperger's Syndrome they are quick to note that persons with Asperger's are not known for violent behavior. Yet the writer is not willing to do the same to dispel the influence of video games.
Goodwin, L. (2013, February 20). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/
What caught my attention was the following quote, "Police also uncovered thousands of dollars worth of violent video games in the Lanzas' home. Police believe Adam may have been inspired by the video games he played in the attack, since he changed the magazines of his weapons more frequently than was necessary,..." Also in the article when they mention that Lanza was diagnosed as having Asperger's Syndrome they are quick to note that persons with Asperger's are not known for violent behavior. Yet the writer is not willing to do the same to dispel the influence of video games.
Goodwin, L. (2013, February 20). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Double Entry Journal #4
Quote:
"Today's youths are situated in a complex information ecology within which video games are only one small, albeit important, part. From this view, video games could no more replace books than television could replace radio; rather, each digital medium settles into its own ecological niche and, as a part of that niche, its own complex relationship with every other medium." (Steinkuhler)
Response:
Youth are inundated with a variety of media sources. Technology is not some unknown, it is a part of their daily lives and many youth would be lost and uncomfortable without access to the various forms of technology such as games, phones, apps, etc. In a room of 15 year olds, if you ask what time it is there will be a rush to pull out cell phones to check the time, not look at their watches. They have become dependent upon technology, but a variety of technology.
Resource:
A blog by Isreal born, software engineer, Eli Bendersky speaks to a comparison between Kindle and real books. The arrival of the E-Reader seemed to signal the death of the book and libraries. This is not proving to be the case. Mr. Bendersky explores the reasoning behind the permanence of the print book and his followers have posted a variety of comments that give value to a print book over an E-book.
When I first became aware of E-readers I was, like many of my generation, put off. I like the feel of a book, the touch, the smell of the pages, and rereading worn books from my shelves is like visiting an old friend. I was not going to try, let alone buy an E-reader. Now, more than three years later I own a Kindle 2 and it is like an old friend. Just one more old friend that sits on my bookshelf. Sometimes I pull it out and charge it up, just to be sure that it is ready for a trip!
Many of the people I talk to who use Kindles (or other e-reader) have a large personal library and have no intention of replacing it with electronic resources. Many of us bibliophiles supplement our personal collections with e-books not reduce it. We are able to acquire books digitally that we have no hope of owning in print, due to the cost.
I know of a few few young people who use E-Readers, but they are not as common as one would think. Libraries now have E-readers available to checkout and offer books for download. A whole new market has evolved for digital texts, yet the print book still remains. Both industries are evolving to accomodate the change in technology, but both will remain.
Sources:
Bendersky, E. (2012, April 26). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://eli.thegreenplace.net/2012/04/26/reading-on-a-kindle-vs-a-paper-book/
Steinhuekler, C. (2010). Video games and digital literacies.Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacies, 54(1), 61-63. doi: Proquest 750429343
"Today's youths are situated in a complex information ecology within which video games are only one small, albeit important, part. From this view, video games could no more replace books than television could replace radio; rather, each digital medium settles into its own ecological niche and, as a part of that niche, its own complex relationship with every other medium." (Steinkuhler)
Response:
Youth are inundated with a variety of media sources. Technology is not some unknown, it is a part of their daily lives and many youth would be lost and uncomfortable without access to the various forms of technology such as games, phones, apps, etc. In a room of 15 year olds, if you ask what time it is there will be a rush to pull out cell phones to check the time, not look at their watches. They have become dependent upon technology, but a variety of technology.
Resource:
A blog by Isreal born, software engineer, Eli Bendersky speaks to a comparison between Kindle and real books. The arrival of the E-Reader seemed to signal the death of the book and libraries. This is not proving to be the case. Mr. Bendersky explores the reasoning behind the permanence of the print book and his followers have posted a variety of comments that give value to a print book over an E-book.
When I first became aware of E-readers I was, like many of my generation, put off. I like the feel of a book, the touch, the smell of the pages, and rereading worn books from my shelves is like visiting an old friend. I was not going to try, let alone buy an E-reader. Now, more than three years later I own a Kindle 2 and it is like an old friend. Just one more old friend that sits on my bookshelf. Sometimes I pull it out and charge it up, just to be sure that it is ready for a trip!
Many of the people I talk to who use Kindles (or other e-reader) have a large personal library and have no intention of replacing it with electronic resources. Many of us bibliophiles supplement our personal collections with e-books not reduce it. We are able to acquire books digitally that we have no hope of owning in print, due to the cost.
I know of a few few young people who use E-Readers, but they are not as common as one would think. Libraries now have E-readers available to checkout and offer books for download. A whole new market has evolved for digital texts, yet the print book still remains. Both industries are evolving to accomodate the change in technology, but both will remain.
Sources:
Bendersky, E. (2012, April 26). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://eli.thegreenplace.net/2012/04/26/reading-on-a-kindle-vs-a-paper-book/
Steinhuekler, C. (2010). Video games and digital literacies.Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacies, 54(1), 61-63. doi: Proquest 750429343
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Journal Entry #3 for week 4 - - -
Quote: "Fifth, the QA project has an explicit focus on engaging girls, a population that too often has been ignored or overlooked in the design of computer-based environments."
Response: This paper comments on multiple occassions about the teams focus on engaging girls and making the experience "girl friendly." I think it is important to not that there is a difference between non-violent and girl friendly. Sonic the Hedgehog was/is a non-violent game, but I would not necessarilly consider it girl friendly. Of course, by making a comment about creating a "girl friendly" environment can lead to the exploitation of stereotypes. Girls are not all glitz, glamour, and pink too toos.
Link: So a random search in Google for "Girls Video Games" brought this link to Leda on YouNow.
This search has opened a door to a whole new world. Yes, girls do play video games and stereotypes of girl gamers are just that, stereotypes. This young lady explores video games and girls in a fun way, while there is no scientific content there is lots of personality and real opinions. Or as she says, "my little rant about girls and gaming."
The bigger intrigue here is that this is considered a Vlog (another new tech term to me). This young lady and many many other young people have an entire YouTube Station where they stream live and interact across the globe. YouNow is an entire subculture and Leda appears to be star in that world.
There is so much I could say here about her, the content, the format, and its relevance to this course. However, an introduction to this world through a link to this video will suffice for now. I'm going to check out a few more of her videos. She is personable, bubbly, knowledgable on gaming, and just a real treat. The giggles and high pitch of her voice can be annoying and what's with the whole "anime look." I know there is a word for it, yet another video subculture.
Enjoy!
Response: This paper comments on multiple occassions about the teams focus on engaging girls and making the experience "girl friendly." I think it is important to not that there is a difference between non-violent and girl friendly. Sonic the Hedgehog was/is a non-violent game, but I would not necessarilly consider it girl friendly. Of course, by making a comment about creating a "girl friendly" environment can lead to the exploitation of stereotypes. Girls are not all glitz, glamour, and pink too toos.
This search has opened a door to a whole new world. Yes, girls do play video games and stereotypes of girl gamers are just that, stereotypes. This young lady explores video games and girls in a fun way, while there is no scientific content there is lots of personality and real opinions. Or as she says, "my little rant about girls and gaming."
The bigger intrigue here is that this is considered a Vlog (another new tech term to me). This young lady and many many other young people have an entire YouTube Station where they stream live and interact across the globe. YouNow is an entire subculture and Leda appears to be star in that world.
There is so much I could say here about her, the content, the format, and its relevance to this course. However, an introduction to this world through a link to this video will suffice for now. I'm going to check out a few more of her videos. She is personable, bubbly, knowledgable on gaming, and just a real treat. The giggles and high pitch of her voice can be annoying and what's with the whole "anime look." I know there is a word for it, yet another video subculture.
Enjoy!
Scratch Game
I have this idea that I want to build an interactive vocabulary game. I was delighted to find the Hangman Game, which was a favorite of my youth. I have some concern about using the concept of "hangman," because of potential concern on the violence of the phrase. (That is not my personal opinion, but part of the bigger picture.) It is unfortunately a challenge in todays educational setting.
As my intention is to utilize vocabulary relevant to coal I believe I will explore the concept of an unloaded coal cart, where a wrong guess would remove a lump of coal from the cart and when the cart is empty you lose.
The Hangman Game I found is located here.
As my intention is to utilize vocabulary relevant to coal I believe I will explore the concept of an unloaded coal cart, where a wrong guess would remove a lump of coal from the cart and when the cart is empty you lose.
The Hangman Game I found is located here.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Journal #2
Interaction - There is a strong interaction in Garden of Time. The nature of the finding hidden items requires a communication between the game and the player.
Production - I am disappointed in the production component of GOT. There is a minimal requirement of thought and effort into building a Garden. While it is necessary to accomplish quests it is actually an insignificent portion. I find the amount of production to be less than stimulating. However, in Farmville2 and other Zynga games they have built the level of production to the opposite extreme. Almost making it impossible to accomplish the objectives in the allotted time with reasonable play time.
Customization - I would have to put this in the same level of satisfaction with Production for GOT. While there is some variety in setting up a personalized garden, it is still limiting. Perhaps the ability to define some skills levels in the games would make it more intriguing. All players face the same level of difficulty in finding objects.
Well-order problems - I feel like I'm being critical of the game, but here again there was no work around. The items the player needs to find are given and those are the items to find, no exception. A way to accomodate this would be to allow a change in items to find, perhaps through a spinner, when an item is unable to be located. The special tools are nice, but limiting.
"Just In Time" and "On Demand" components of GOT are the tool helps. With the option of the infinite availability of finds, but only every 60 seconds the player is never without a lifeboat. Additional helps can be earned or be given. Having used 3 of the four tools the only one I found helpful was the infinite find tool and then it was frustrating to use, I wanted help, not a give away. Although there were instances such as the finding the onion in Carnaby Street or the scissors in London Nightclub would have happened for me without the find.
Pleasantly Frustrating - The last time I played GOT I felt a certain amount of frustration. I hate to be dependent upon the gifts of friends, and needing to depend upon their largesse makes the game difficult to play. This is the case in many social media games, one is continually asked to "share" "ask" and "tell." This goes above and beyond interactivity between different characters and players, but often requires you to go outside the confines of the game to bring in new players for energy, water, or some other requirement of the game. Previously when I played GOT I had not made it beyond Carnaby Street and now I remember why. It is more frustrating that fun.
In GOT (and even in Farmville2) there are a variety of technical programming issues that take some of the enjoyment out of the game. I have played both games on different computers and encounter similar issues so I know that there are hiccups beyond my computer. I do like the way GOT uses different vocabulary for the same items in the same scene, there is active learning going on in the game, but the frustration with technical issues makes it a game I'm not keen on continuing to play.
Production - I am disappointed in the production component of GOT. There is a minimal requirement of thought and effort into building a Garden. While it is necessary to accomplish quests it is actually an insignificent portion. I find the amount of production to be less than stimulating. However, in Farmville2 and other Zynga games they have built the level of production to the opposite extreme. Almost making it impossible to accomplish the objectives in the allotted time with reasonable play time.
Customization - I would have to put this in the same level of satisfaction with Production for GOT. While there is some variety in setting up a personalized garden, it is still limiting. Perhaps the ability to define some skills levels in the games would make it more intriguing. All players face the same level of difficulty in finding objects.
Well-order problems - I feel like I'm being critical of the game, but here again there was no work around. The items the player needs to find are given and those are the items to find, no exception. A way to accomodate this would be to allow a change in items to find, perhaps through a spinner, when an item is unable to be located. The special tools are nice, but limiting.
"Just In Time" and "On Demand" components of GOT are the tool helps. With the option of the infinite availability of finds, but only every 60 seconds the player is never without a lifeboat. Additional helps can be earned or be given. Having used 3 of the four tools the only one I found helpful was the infinite find tool and then it was frustrating to use, I wanted help, not a give away. Although there were instances such as the finding the onion in Carnaby Street or the scissors in London Nightclub would have happened for me without the find.
Pleasantly Frustrating - The last time I played GOT I felt a certain amount of frustration. I hate to be dependent upon the gifts of friends, and needing to depend upon their largesse makes the game difficult to play. This is the case in many social media games, one is continually asked to "share" "ask" and "tell." This goes above and beyond interactivity between different characters and players, but often requires you to go outside the confines of the game to bring in new players for energy, water, or some other requirement of the game. Previously when I played GOT I had not made it beyond Carnaby Street and now I remember why. It is more frustrating that fun.
In GOT (and even in Farmville2) there are a variety of technical programming issues that take some of the enjoyment out of the game. I have played both games on different computers and encounter similar issues so I know that there are hiccups beyond my computer. I do like the way GOT uses different vocabulary for the same items in the same scene, there is active learning going on in the game, but the frustration with technical issues makes it a game I'm not keen on continuing to play.
My Opinion
First I would like to comment that on the surface the 3 presentations make a very symbiotic package. The first two pieces were engaging, they permitted me to multi-task while listening and digesting the information. If I missed a point, or need to clarify what I heard I went back to the piece and moved the timer back. I accomplished other things such as fixing a cup of tea and washing a few dishes, made a few notes (although the paper is now wet), and I understood the content. The third piece, which was a static Powerpoint did not engage me, hold my interest, or leave much of an impact. The power of video was missing.
Based upon the concept that the act of learning builds gray matter and therefore improves the mind it is easy to see that video games of the right type at the right time will improve the intelligence of the average person. This can be proved through research into the Flynn Effect. I would like to think that we could get on a spinning wheel where playing produces dopamine so therefore we want to play more (been there, done that), and the more we play the smarter we get. Is this perhaps why so many gamers are super intelligent in many ways?
I'm not sure how I feel about the statistics of the 1102 kids surveyed. I have seen many instances where children become sequestered in their own world or the world of their computer. I question the reliability of the numbers regarding their likelyhood to interact face to face. Perhaps those numbers do not give a ttrue representation. There is also a demographic issue that needs to be looked at, the same study conducted in the city of New York would be very different than one conducted in Charleston, WV. There would need to be an equalizer for socio economic conditions and ethnicity base.
I have never believed that too much gaming was harmful, but I've always believed that there needs to be time away from the computer. Being only slightly older than the second presenter I remember the games he spoke of - "Where in the World....." was a fun game for all ages and there was a game at the same time that was a history based westward travel covered wagon game that was very popular for students and adults.
I do still believe that computer games can, because of the dopamine enhanced, addictive quality can become a deterrent to a productive life. There is an addictive quality about some games that just make it difficult, if not impossible to walk away from.
Just as not all video games are created equal, neither are all gamers. There will always be exceptions to the rules, but I am hopeful that by the time my grandsons begin to be serious about video games that they can benefit from all that technology has to offer.
Based upon the concept that the act of learning builds gray matter and therefore improves the mind it is easy to see that video games of the right type at the right time will improve the intelligence of the average person. This can be proved through research into the Flynn Effect. I would like to think that we could get on a spinning wheel where playing produces dopamine so therefore we want to play more (been there, done that), and the more we play the smarter we get. Is this perhaps why so many gamers are super intelligent in many ways?
I'm not sure how I feel about the statistics of the 1102 kids surveyed. I have seen many instances where children become sequestered in their own world or the world of their computer. I question the reliability of the numbers regarding their likelyhood to interact face to face. Perhaps those numbers do not give a ttrue representation. There is also a demographic issue that needs to be looked at, the same study conducted in the city of New York would be very different than one conducted in Charleston, WV. There would need to be an equalizer for socio economic conditions and ethnicity base.
I have never believed that too much gaming was harmful, but I've always believed that there needs to be time away from the computer. Being only slightly older than the second presenter I remember the games he spoke of - "Where in the World....." was a fun game for all ages and there was a game at the same time that was a history based westward travel covered wagon game that was very popular for students and adults.
I do still believe that computer games can, because of the dopamine enhanced, addictive quality can become a deterrent to a productive life. There is an addictive quality about some games that just make it difficult, if not impossible to walk away from.
Just as not all video games are created equal, neither are all gamers. There will always be exceptions to the rules, but I am hopeful that by the time my grandsons begin to be serious about video games that they can benefit from all that technology has to offer.
Teens, Games, and Civics
The statistics are overwhelming. I can read the numbers and I'm blown away by what I'm reading. Yet, in my hyperactive brain they have no connection to the real world. I can't help but wonder if a study of 1107 youth is a valid sample to make presumptions about the overall youth population.
I would not discount that games can encourage civic engagement, but in this, like in many areas of technology, I believe the demographics will have a major impact upon the success of any initiative.
It is not surprising that more boys play than girls or that broadband users play more, what is surprising is that their statistics show that daily gamers are as likely to communicate face to face as they are virtually. I'm not sure that I am totally comfortable in agreeing with that.
I do believe that the world of gaming has opened up new communications and has connected people who would not have met otherwise. My cousin, met and eventually married a man that she met online playing WOW. They lived on opposite sides of the country and I have no doubt they would not have met otherwise.
I find it difficult to assimilate the information provided in this slide information. It is dry, boring, and virtually unprocessable for me. There is not enough activity in the content to keep my attention and I find that I am not able to process the content the way I need to. I also might add, that I can bury myslef in a book and get lost for hours, but there has to be a point to what I'm reading. I'm not getting it out of this flat, 1 dimensional presentation. Shouldn't they be preparing something more hi-tech based upon the topic they are covering?
I would not discount that games can encourage civic engagement, but in this, like in many areas of technology, I believe the demographics will have a major impact upon the success of any initiative.
It is not surprising that more boys play than girls or that broadband users play more, what is surprising is that their statistics show that daily gamers are as likely to communicate face to face as they are virtually. I'm not sure that I am totally comfortable in agreeing with that.
I do believe that the world of gaming has opened up new communications and has connected people who would not have met otherwise. My cousin, met and eventually married a man that she met online playing WOW. They lived on opposite sides of the country and I have no doubt they would not have met otherwise.
I find it difficult to assimilate the information provided in this slide information. It is dry, boring, and virtually unprocessable for me. There is not enough activity in the content to keep my attention and I find that I am not able to process the content the way I need to. I also might add, that I can bury myslef in a book and get lost for hours, but there has to be a point to what I'm reading. I'm not getting it out of this flat, 1 dimensional presentation. Shouldn't they be preparing something more hi-tech based upon the topic they are covering?
Are Video Games Making Kids Smarter
This video had some really cool information.
I have never contemplated the amount of time I (let alone my children) have spent playing video games. But that the presenter anticipates he has spent 8-10K hours on one game alone is amazing. I remember the first time I comprehended the number of texts that my son had sent in one month - I was floored. How was it possible to send 5200 text in 30 days?
Gamification is an interesting concept. Many companies and industry use some type of gamification already, such as video training at McDonald's. Times they are chaning. It was often a struggle to do crew training with a one on one setting and the introduction of computer training that training productivity actually went up.
It is surprising to learn that the act of learning increases grey matter. That is incredible. We can actually stimulate our children to being smarter. What did not surprise me was that video gaming stimulates the production of dopamine. It does make total sense.
Just this morning I was watching Thomas the Train with my 3 & 4 year old grandson and I realized that some of their vocabulary use was coming off of the video which they have watched repetitively. They do not have cable and they have a few DVDs that they LOVE, including Thomas. The narration of Thomas is done is a very proper UK English and I see that carrying over in their speech patterns. They are not yet "gaming," but they do tackle small apps on the IPad and I am always impressed at their ability to teach me how to play a new app.
The presenter puts forth the notion that children with ADD or ADHD do well in video games and then find the world too slow. I think that concept makes sense. I am a doodler, I'm never content to just listen to a lecture, I must have my hands doing "something." I carry handcrafts for car rides, listen to music or books on tape while working around the house, and overall have a need to have some type of multitasking going on in my environment. But this concept causes me to wonder if we will ever create such stimulated environment that it will become unhealthy. When will it be too much?
I have never contemplated the amount of time I (let alone my children) have spent playing video games. But that the presenter anticipates he has spent 8-10K hours on one game alone is amazing. I remember the first time I comprehended the number of texts that my son had sent in one month - I was floored. How was it possible to send 5200 text in 30 days?
Gamification is an interesting concept. Many companies and industry use some type of gamification already, such as video training at McDonald's. Times they are chaning. It was often a struggle to do crew training with a one on one setting and the introduction of computer training that training productivity actually went up.
It is surprising to learn that the act of learning increases grey matter. That is incredible. We can actually stimulate our children to being smarter. What did not surprise me was that video gaming stimulates the production of dopamine. It does make total sense.
Just this morning I was watching Thomas the Train with my 3 & 4 year old grandson and I realized that some of their vocabulary use was coming off of the video which they have watched repetitively. They do not have cable and they have a few DVDs that they LOVE, including Thomas. The narration of Thomas is done is a very proper UK English and I see that carrying over in their speech patterns. They are not yet "gaming," but they do tackle small apps on the IPad and I am always impressed at their ability to teach me how to play a new app.
The presenter puts forth the notion that children with ADD or ADHD do well in video games and then find the world too slow. I think that concept makes sense. I am a doodler, I'm never content to just listen to a lecture, I must have my hands doing "something." I carry handcrafts for car rides, listen to music or books on tape while working around the house, and overall have a need to have some type of multitasking going on in my environment. But this concept causes me to wonder if we will ever create such stimulated environment that it will become unhealthy. When will it be too much?
Your Brain on Games
What an interesting video! There were several things that I found surprising, but I was also delighted to find that several of my thoughts on AVG usage were valid.
I was surprised to learn that vision is actually improved with video game play. I have noticed that as I play Sand of Time that I often have trouble seeing some objects, that I actually have to memorize where they are. For me, this is mostly items that are in the shadows. However, I have noticed that after playing a game a period of time I do become more attuned to shade differentials.
The concept of Video conflict resolution is not something I had every really thought of, but it makes perfectly good sense. My son has always been adept at identifying multiple things in a busy scenerio. I refuse to tell him that perhaps that is because of his video game playing.
It was surprising to learn that video games at the right age are beneficial. I believe that I have heard before that older people need to keep their brains active, so this should not be a new concept, but it is good to know that there is some science behind it.
I'm curious to know if it possible to define a particular age at which time AVG play is more beneficial? I would suspect that it is not a chronological age, but a developmental age.
I was surprised to learn that vision is actually improved with video game play. I have noticed that as I play Sand of Time that I often have trouble seeing some objects, that I actually have to memorize where they are. For me, this is mostly items that are in the shadows. However, I have noticed that after playing a game a period of time I do become more attuned to shade differentials.
The concept of Video conflict resolution is not something I had every really thought of, but it makes perfectly good sense. My son has always been adept at identifying multiple things in a busy scenerio. I refuse to tell him that perhaps that is because of his video game playing.
It was surprising to learn that video games at the right age are beneficial. I believe that I have heard before that older people need to keep their brains active, so this should not be a new concept, but it is good to know that there is some science behind it.
I'm curious to know if it possible to define a particular age at which time AVG play is more beneficial? I would suspect that it is not a chronological age, but a developmental age.
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