EDU 5855: Cultural Studies of Technology for Education.

 

The article titled “Are Video Games Goof for Learning” by James Paul Gee examines the simple question of whether videogames can be a valuable asset to the learning process. Throughout the article Gee provides multiple points as to why video games are a good platform for facilitating learning. Gee outlines the features of a game that are more likely to encourage a good learning experience (pg. 2). He uses multiple learning principals to show how the game features work together for enriching learning potential. Chris Dede’s document titled “The Role of Digital Technologies in Deeper Learning” relates to Gee’s believes about technology and more specifically videogames. Dede’s document looks at how multimodalities are used to better the learning environment for students. Dede specifically focuses on the idea of creating immersive authentic simulations. Both of the articles together outline what features a videogame need to have in order to be effective for students learning.

 

The first feature Gee outlines is empathy for a complex system. There needs to be value in a complex game that embodies empathy. The player has to be willing to participate in an immersive way and has to be able to navigate through the complex system. By participating in this the player will be gaining valuable knowledge that can relate back to the real world and go beyond the virtual world. This feature relates to Dede’s argument of virtual worlds and how virtual worlds are a valid way in which students can understand and learn knowledge. These types of platforms support apprenticeship-based learning and learning for transfer (Dede, pg. 13).

 

The second feature is simulations of experience and preparations for action. Gee argues that video games could be the best way to showcase our complex way of thinking. The have the power to allow people to imagine themselves in intricate situations. “Rather, the view is that humans think and understand best when they can imagine (simulate) an experience in such a way that the simulation prepares them for actions they need and want to take in order to accomplish their goals (pg. 3)”. Players are given knowledge and problem solving skills that can be applied to many different situations.

 

The third feature is distributed intelligence via the creation of smart tools. Gee defines this as a connected between the real world player and the virtual character. The real world player needs to think as though they are the player in the game (pg.4). There is a link of knowledge and skills between the player and the virtual character. This type of structure allows for an immersive game where the real player can embody the virtual player and learn something new through this process. This relates to Dede’s argument about how immersive simulations have the ability for students to learn how to maneuver guidance systems within the game.  Students are able to understand the game and find ways within the game to better their playing experience.

 

The fourth feature cross-functional teamwork relates to the integration of multiple players in a single game setting. Each of the players have their own role and responsibility but ultimately they are playing together to achieve success.

 

Situated meaning is the fifth feature and means that words have different meanings depending on the situation. Gee argues that video games allow for language to be situated (pg.7). He states that in games there are often situations where words take on different meanings and the contexts help the player understand what the meaning is.

 

The sixth and final feature is open-endedness: melding the personal and the social. This relates to the fact that the player must figure out what the goals are of the game and then try to achieve those goals. Often there will be a connection between the real players goals and the virtual players goals. These goals can be personal or social goals.

 

Gee then builds upon his six features and suggests that even with these features present there needs to be a larger learning system that support video games. He states that there are four features of a good game that will encourage learning. Motivation, the role of failure, competition and collaboration and design of games, together help to define if a game is a high effective learning system.

 

            A good game needs to motivate the player, they need to be excited and engaged while playing the game. Therefore while trying to make educational games their needs to be a sense of motivation that will captivate the player and keep them playing. This level of motivation can be achieved in academic games. The second feature a good games needs to have is failure. When failure is accepted in a game then the players are more willing to take risks and try new strategies. By doing so the player has the potential to learn new skills that they may not have had the opportunity to do if the game did not support trial and error. Competition and collaboration is the third feature of a good game. Competition and collaboration are two very important skills that are valuable in the real as well as virtual world. These games provide an opportunity for players to work on these skills and ultimately become successful as a team. The final feature of a good game is the actual design of the game. The design of the game has the potential to be a great base to promote learning. Designs that best promote learning are interactivity, customization, strong identities, well-sequenced problems, certain level of frustration and expertise.

 

Dede brings up a signficiant point about assessment. Even though all of these features may be present in a learning experience how the student is assessed in the education system needs to be changed. “…. The development of more sophisticated assessments is essential for the evolution of deeper learning, and technology offers a powerful vehicle by which to accomplish this (Dede pg.19)”. Technology is capable of enriching student’s success but it has to be valued within the school system to see the significance.

 

A game that Dede would qualify as having immersive authentic simulations and has many of Gee’s features is the videogame titled Dive to the Titanic. This videogame allows you to take on the position of an underwater explorer. The player is given the opportunity to explore the sunken ship and find hidden treasure throughout the ship. While finding the treasure the player is able to learn about the history and events that occurred leading up to the Titanic sinking. The player is also able to learn about what it’s like being able to control a submarine and navigate it through the Titanic.

 

The game is complex and allows the player to embark in an activity that is something new or unique to them. You are able to explore an area that is foreign to you through this virtual world. This relates to Gee’s first feature of complexity, the game encourages the player to be challenged and creates empathy for a particular stimulation. The player has to have the ability to problem solve and navigate through the sea in order to advance throughout the game. This relates to Gee’s second point about preparing for action. Players are able to acquire skills and knowledge while playing. Situated meaning is also present in the game because the language being used in the game is relevant to Titanic and has historical context.

Since you have the ability to travel all around the Titanic and around the sea it is open ended to a certain extent. No one is telling the player where to go, they are able to explore and figure out where the treasure is for themselves. It would also be interesting to see if the game expanded and the player could travel to other ship wreaks and other areas in the sea to explore. The game does not have Gee’s fourth feature of cross-functional teamwork. Since the game can only be played single player there is no sense of creating a shared responsibility, there is no group success in this game. This is one of the things that can be changed to the game to make it more immersive to players.

 

Relating to Dede the game Dive to the Titanic would encourage a positive learning opportunity because it’s a situational game that captivates and encourages the players to explore through their own drive. The game has the potential to improve on its collaborative abilities as well as the open-endedness of the game structure. However, overall the player is able to learn new skills and knowledge through gameplay. 

 

Traditionally games and play were considered separate from learning time. Games and free play were used as a reward once the instructional period was completed. With the shift from traditional teaching pedagogies to modern learning the resources of technology, games and play have also shifted.