Hey guys and gals!
I hope you all are having a terrific September and start of Fall! Gaming season has begun and I am sure most of your students are well aware of this. Last week saw the launch of Gears of War 3 and this week, DICE is letting loose an open beta for their game Battlefield 3. I personally can't wait as Battlefield is one of my favorite series for its innovation and design. But, one thing I would like to talk about is the reputation that people who play games often get of being overweight, junk food gobbling, sun fearing nerds. While that isn't (for the most part) true, there is definitely a correlation between being a hardcore gamer and being unhealthy. Several studies have been published and contradict one another as to whether gaming is directly linked to obesity. Some push towards an overall state of inactivity, while others claim that gaming has little to nothing to do with childhood obesity and obesity is instead caused by socioeconomic status and genealogical factors.
While I can neither claim nor disclaim any of these studies and theories, I bring to you today a great website that I recently found that urges gamers to get up, get out and get active. The name of the website is GamerFitNation. GFN touts itself as the place where gaming and health come together and they do a fantastic job at it. Started on April 6th, 2010, this website aims to help gamers become more aware of their physical and mental health and well-being. They have multiple updates daily on the latest gaming and health news and also have guest articles by Gamer MDs. Gamers can come here and look up new gamer friendly workout routines and recipes.
Now the reason why I feel we as educators should be looking at physical and mental health of our students is because when students are happy and healthy, they tend to perform better. And, as I firmly believe as a Social Studies teacher, we shouldn't only be encouraging academic growth, but also a growth in the entirety of our students character. One of my main themes here at Gamer:Teacher is character development and it is a theme I will constantly revisit because of how important I feel it is. So please take a minute and look at all that GamerFitNation has to offer our students. I know you won't be disappointed in what you find there.
Until next time-
Gamer:Teacher
Musings of a teacher who games, or a gamer who teaches.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Video Games Can Help Male Students
Hello all!
I hope you're enjoying your week! I was just surfing the web and came across an interesting article from Public Radio International and thought I would share it with you.
In the article titled, "Boys don't do as well as girls in school- video games can help", it starts off with the (shouldn't be) shocking statistic that in 65 countries, boys test scores in literacy is dropping compared to that of their female counterparts. The author speaks with researcher Ali Charr-Chellman who thinks that the problem isn't with boys but rather with schools: " The problem is that schools no longer welcome the competitive, physical culture of boys, and boys are getting the message that school is not for them." Charr-Chellman goes on to state that in order to better reach boys, schools should start integrating things that are interesting to them like video games. Its an interesting read for sure, and while I don't disagree with what Charr-Chellman is saying, I don't fully agree with it. Expect a post from me in the coming weeks about the gamification of society and schools.
Here is a link to the article: Boys don't do as well as girls in school- video games can help.
Until next time!
Gamer:Teacher
I hope you're enjoying your week! I was just surfing the web and came across an interesting article from Public Radio International and thought I would share it with you.
In the article titled, "Boys don't do as well as girls in school- video games can help", it starts off with the (shouldn't be) shocking statistic that in 65 countries, boys test scores in literacy is dropping compared to that of their female counterparts. The author speaks with researcher Ali Charr-Chellman who thinks that the problem isn't with boys but rather with schools: " The problem is that schools no longer welcome the competitive, physical culture of boys, and boys are getting the message that school is not for them." Charr-Chellman goes on to state that in order to better reach boys, schools should start integrating things that are interesting to them like video games. Its an interesting read for sure, and while I don't disagree with what Charr-Chellman is saying, I don't fully agree with it. Expect a post from me in the coming weeks about the gamification of society and schools.
Here is a link to the article: Boys don't do as well as girls in school- video games can help.
Until next time!
Gamer:Teacher
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
NPCs: Most Pleasantly Ignored
Hello all!
For many of you, today is the first day of school and I would like to firstly wish you the best of luck on your new school year! It is going to be exciting and renewing and at some times disappointing, but at all times rewarding.
Today's blogpost is taken from an issue I've seen growing considerably in my PLN (Personal Learning Network- Learn more here). That issue is of Critical Thinking. Are we teaching students valuable enough critical thinking skills? Or are we instead feeding them all of the information and expecting them to digest it and regurgitate it back to us? Well, me being the hyper-intellectual that I am (humor) have found a parallel in the gaming world. That parallel friends, is the NPC.
The NPC or non-playable character is often filler for the game. The player takes control of their character and runs around causing havoc or saving the day while the NPCs are randomly loaded, unloaded and re-loaded onto the screen with minimal action or dialogue. They are typically being run over, hit, kicked or most pleasantly, ignored by the player.
You may ask yourself, "Self, how does this equate to learners and education?" and I would tell you to A. Stop talking to yourself and B. quite simply, when learners aren't given tasks that test and exasperate their skills and are instead spoon fed information for, I don't know, say a huge standardized test, how are they any better than these NPCs? Learners are given set parameters which they are not to exceed for fear that we as teachers will be uncomfortable and that then robs the students of developing these important skills. Teacher your students to take the reigns, teach them to ask questions. Facilitate their learning and for once do not be the sage on the stage, but instead the guide on the side. Learning should be messy, so let's all get dirty together and teach students how to test limits. Teach them how to break the mold of what we expect and instead teach themselves how to reach.
Go here for 10 tips to encourage critical thinking among students: Edutopia
Find me on Twitter and expand your PLN: @chopork
For many of you, today is the first day of school and I would like to firstly wish you the best of luck on your new school year! It is going to be exciting and renewing and at some times disappointing, but at all times rewarding.
Today's blogpost is taken from an issue I've seen growing considerably in my PLN (Personal Learning Network- Learn more here). That issue is of Critical Thinking. Are we teaching students valuable enough critical thinking skills? Or are we instead feeding them all of the information and expecting them to digest it and regurgitate it back to us? Well, me being the hyper-intellectual that I am (humor) have found a parallel in the gaming world. That parallel friends, is the NPC.
You may ask yourself, "Self, how does this equate to learners and education?" and I would tell you to A. Stop talking to yourself and B. quite simply, when learners aren't given tasks that test and exasperate their skills and are instead spoon fed information for, I don't know, say a huge standardized test, how are they any better than these NPCs? Learners are given set parameters which they are not to exceed for fear that we as teachers will be uncomfortable and that then robs the students of developing these important skills. Teacher your students to take the reigns, teach them to ask questions. Facilitate their learning and for once do not be the sage on the stage, but instead the guide on the side. Learning should be messy, so let's all get dirty together and teach students how to test limits. Teach them how to break the mold of what we expect and instead teach themselves how to reach.
Go here for 10 tips to encourage critical thinking among students: Edutopia
Find me on Twitter and expand your PLN: @chopork
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Character Classes and Your Students.
Hello all!
Well, school has officially begun here in my home district, and many of you are counting down the days until you're back in the classroom. A lot of excitement and honestly, fear about what this next year will bring is surely swirling around in your brain! If you're a new teacher, like me, you may wonder how you'll do in your first classroom, how seriously the students will take you, what the parents will be like. And if you're a vet teacher, you're probably checking and re-checking lesson plans and looking at student performance from last year. All of this is great and I'm excited for all of you to go into your first classroom or return to your classroom. However, what I'd like to talk about today is character.
More specifically, what kind of character are you preparing your students to become So much outside pressure and influence now pervades the school halls that its hard to know if and how you yourself as the teacher are influencing your students. And yes, this is a teaching AND gaming blog, so let me get to the base of what I'm speaking about: Character classes.
In video games, and many card and board based games, you are invited to take upon yourself a "Character class." What this dictates are certain characteristics and abilities you are in possession of if you play that character. Most often you find these in RPG based games, but more and more these principals are sneaking their way into multiplayer centric games. In games, you set your character up with specific load-outs to ensure that you are prepared for any "battle" situation. In RPGs, you may find yourself playing as a Mage, Soldier, or Assassin. In multiplayer games, its more gun oriented: Sniper, Assault or Close-Quarters Combat.
How does this lend itself to classroom instruction? Well, that's kind of up to you. How are you preparing your students for school and life situations? Are you preparing them to handle these situations from a distance as a Mage or Sniper would? Are you preparing them to rush into the fire like an Assassin or Close Quarters Combat soldier would? (I understand assassin's are stealthy--For the sake of argument, you win. But stick with me!) Or are you preparing your students to be more middle of the road when it comes to obstacles? Neither this, nor that but prepared nonetheless.
The middle school I am currently subbing has implemented this new program called "advisory". In this program, the students come to their homeroom teacher for 30 minutes once a week to discuss what is going on in their lives and at school as well as any additional pressures they may be facing. We as teachers can take this time to speak to students either as a group or give them individualized attention. It is a pretty great program that I hope the students can appreciate.
Until next time-
Gamer:Teacher
This isn't a topic that can easily be covered in one post, so I hope to continue talking about character on this blog. As brief as this was, I hope it gives some idea as to how students are being prepared for the real world.
Well, school has officially begun here in my home district, and many of you are counting down the days until you're back in the classroom. A lot of excitement and honestly, fear about what this next year will bring is surely swirling around in your brain! If you're a new teacher, like me, you may wonder how you'll do in your first classroom, how seriously the students will take you, what the parents will be like. And if you're a vet teacher, you're probably checking and re-checking lesson plans and looking at student performance from last year. All of this is great and I'm excited for all of you to go into your first classroom or return to your classroom. However, what I'd like to talk about today is character.
More specifically, what kind of character are you preparing your students to become So much outside pressure and influence now pervades the school halls that its hard to know if and how you yourself as the teacher are influencing your students. And yes, this is a teaching AND gaming blog, so let me get to the base of what I'm speaking about: Character classes.
In video games, and many card and board based games, you are invited to take upon yourself a "Character class." What this dictates are certain characteristics and abilities you are in possession of if you play that character. Most often you find these in RPG based games, but more and more these principals are sneaking their way into multiplayer centric games. In games, you set your character up with specific load-outs to ensure that you are prepared for any "battle" situation. In RPGs, you may find yourself playing as a Mage, Soldier, or Assassin. In multiplayer games, its more gun oriented: Sniper, Assault or Close-Quarters Combat.
How does this lend itself to classroom instruction? Well, that's kind of up to you. How are you preparing your students for school and life situations? Are you preparing them to handle these situations from a distance as a Mage or Sniper would? Are you preparing them to rush into the fire like an Assassin or Close Quarters Combat soldier would? (I understand assassin's are stealthy--For the sake of argument, you win. But stick with me!) Or are you preparing your students to be more middle of the road when it comes to obstacles? Neither this, nor that but prepared nonetheless.
The middle school I am currently subbing has implemented this new program called "advisory". In this program, the students come to their homeroom teacher for 30 minutes once a week to discuss what is going on in their lives and at school as well as any additional pressures they may be facing. We as teachers can take this time to speak to students either as a group or give them individualized attention. It is a pretty great program that I hope the students can appreciate.
Until next time-
Gamer:Teacher
This isn't a topic that can easily be covered in one post, so I hope to continue talking about character on this blog. As brief as this was, I hope it gives some idea as to how students are being prepared for the real world.
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