learning from video games article
kayb85
High Score Education
Games, not school, are teaching kids to think.
By James Paul Gee
The US spends almost $50 billion each year on education, so why
aren't kids learning? Forty percent of students lack basic reading
skills, and their academic performance is dismal compared with that
of their foreign counterparts. In response to this crisis, schools
are skilling-and-drilling their way "back to basics," moving toward
mechanical instruction methods that rely on line-by-line scripting
for teachers and endless multiple-choice testing. Consequently, kids
aren't learning how to think anymore - they're learning how to
memorize. This might be an ideal recipe for the future Babbitts of
the world, but it won't produce the kind of agile, analytical minds
that will lead the high tech global age. Fortunately, we've got Grand
Theft Auto: Vice City and Deus X for that.
After school, kids are devouring new information, concepts, and
skills every day, and, like it or not, they're doing it controller in
hand, plastered to the TV. The fact is, when kids play videogames
they can experience a much more powerful form of learning than when
they're in the classroom. Learning isn't about memorizing isolated
facts. It's about connecting and manipulating them. Doubt it? Just
ask anyone who's beaten Legend of Zelda or solved Morrowind.
The phenomenon of the videogame as an agent of mental training is
largely unstudied; more often, games are denigrated for being violent
or they're just plain ignored. They shouldn't be. Young gamers today
aren't training to be gun-toting carjackers. They're learning how to
learn. In Pikmin, children manage an army of plantlike aliens and
strategize to solve problems. In Metal Gear Solid 2, players move
stealthily through virtual environments and carry out intricate
missions. Even in the notorious Vice City, players craft a persona,
build a history, and shape a virtual world. In strategy games like
WarCraft III and Age of Mythology, they learn to micromanage an array
of elements while simultaneously balancing short- and long-term
goals. That sounds like something for their résumés.
The secret of a videogame as a teaching machine isn't its immersive 3-
D graphics, but its underlying architecture. Each level dances around
the outer limits of the player's abilities, seeking at every point to
be hard enough to be just doable. In cognitive science, this is
referred to as the regime of competence principle, which results in a
feeling of simultaneous pleasure and frustration - a sensation as
familiar to gamers as sore thumbs. Cognitive scientist Andy diSessa
has argued that the best instruction hovers at the boundary of a
student's competence. Most schools, however, seek to avoid invoking
feelings of both pleasure and frustration, blind to the fact that
these emotions can be extremely useful when it comes to teaching
kids.
Also, good videogames incorporate the principle of expertise. They
tend to encourage players to achieve total mastery of one level, only
to challenge and undo that mastery in the next, forcing kids to adapt
and evolve. This carefully choreographed dialectic has been
identified by learning theorists as the best way to achieve expertise
in any field. This doesn't happen much in our routine-driven schools,
where "good" students are often just good at "doing school."
How did videogames become such successful models of effective
learning? Game coders aren't trained as cognitive scientists. It's a
simple case of free-market economics: If a title doesn't teach
players how to play it well, it won't sell well. Game companies don't
rake in $6.9 billion a year by dumbing down the material -
aficionados condemn short and easy games like Half Life: Blue Shift
and Devil May Cry 2. Designers respond by making harder and more
complex games that require mastery of sophisticated worlds and as
many as 50 to 100 hours to complete. Schools, meanwhile, respond with
more tests, more drills, and more rigidity. They're in the cognitive-
science dark ages.
We don't often think about videogames as relevant to education
reform, but maybe we should. Game designers don't often think of
themselves as learning theorists. Maybe they should. Kids often say
it doesn't feel like learning when they're gaming - they're much too
focused on playing. If kids were to say that about a science lesson,
our country's education problems would be solved.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
James Paul Gee, a reading professor at the University of Wisconsin-
Madison, is the author of 'What Video Games Have to Teach Us About
Learning and Literacy'.
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.05/view.html?pg=1
Games, not school, are teaching kids to think.
By James Paul Gee
The US spends almost $50 billion each year on education, so why
aren't kids learning? Forty percent of students lack basic reading
skills, and their academic performance is dismal compared with that
of their foreign counterparts. In response to this crisis, schools
are skilling-and-drilling their way "back to basics," moving toward
mechanical instruction methods that rely on line-by-line scripting
for teachers and endless multiple-choice testing. Consequently, kids
aren't learning how to think anymore - they're learning how to
memorize. This might be an ideal recipe for the future Babbitts of
the world, but it won't produce the kind of agile, analytical minds
that will lead the high tech global age. Fortunately, we've got Grand
Theft Auto: Vice City and Deus X for that.
After school, kids are devouring new information, concepts, and
skills every day, and, like it or not, they're doing it controller in
hand, plastered to the TV. The fact is, when kids play videogames
they can experience a much more powerful form of learning than when
they're in the classroom. Learning isn't about memorizing isolated
facts. It's about connecting and manipulating them. Doubt it? Just
ask anyone who's beaten Legend of Zelda or solved Morrowind.
The phenomenon of the videogame as an agent of mental training is
largely unstudied; more often, games are denigrated for being violent
or they're just plain ignored. They shouldn't be. Young gamers today
aren't training to be gun-toting carjackers. They're learning how to
learn. In Pikmin, children manage an army of plantlike aliens and
strategize to solve problems. In Metal Gear Solid 2, players move
stealthily through virtual environments and carry out intricate
missions. Even in the notorious Vice City, players craft a persona,
build a history, and shape a virtual world. In strategy games like
WarCraft III and Age of Mythology, they learn to micromanage an array
of elements while simultaneously balancing short- and long-term
goals. That sounds like something for their résumés.
The secret of a videogame as a teaching machine isn't its immersive 3-
D graphics, but its underlying architecture. Each level dances around
the outer limits of the player's abilities, seeking at every point to
be hard enough to be just doable. In cognitive science, this is
referred to as the regime of competence principle, which results in a
feeling of simultaneous pleasure and frustration - a sensation as
familiar to gamers as sore thumbs. Cognitive scientist Andy diSessa
has argued that the best instruction hovers at the boundary of a
student's competence. Most schools, however, seek to avoid invoking
feelings of both pleasure and frustration, blind to the fact that
these emotions can be extremely useful when it comes to teaching
kids.
Also, good videogames incorporate the principle of expertise. They
tend to encourage players to achieve total mastery of one level, only
to challenge and undo that mastery in the next, forcing kids to adapt
and evolve. This carefully choreographed dialectic has been
identified by learning theorists as the best way to achieve expertise
in any field. This doesn't happen much in our routine-driven schools,
where "good" students are often just good at "doing school."
How did videogames become such successful models of effective
learning? Game coders aren't trained as cognitive scientists. It's a
simple case of free-market economics: If a title doesn't teach
players how to play it well, it won't sell well. Game companies don't
rake in $6.9 billion a year by dumbing down the material -
aficionados condemn short and easy games like Half Life: Blue Shift
and Devil May Cry 2. Designers respond by making harder and more
complex games that require mastery of sophisticated worlds and as
many as 50 to 100 hours to complete. Schools, meanwhile, respond with
more tests, more drills, and more rigidity. They're in the cognitive-
science dark ages.
We don't often think about videogames as relevant to education
reform, but maybe we should. Game designers don't often think of
themselves as learning theorists. Maybe they should. Kids often say
it doesn't feel like learning when they're gaming - they're much too
focused on playing. If kids were to say that about a science lesson,
our country's education problems would be solved.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
James Paul Gee, a reading professor at the University of Wisconsin-
Madison, is the author of 'What Video Games Have to Teach Us About
Learning and Literacy'.
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.05/view.html?pg=1
joanna514
Good article!
Thanks for posting it.
Joanna
--- In [email protected], "kayb85" <sheran@p...>
wrote:
Thanks for posting it.
Joanna
--- In [email protected], "kayb85" <sheran@p...>
wrote:
> High Score Education
> Games, not school, are teaching kids to think.
> By James Paul Gee
>
zenmomma2kids
>>> High Score EducationI saw this article in this month's Wired Magazine. Thanks so much for
> Games, not school, are teaching kids to think.
> By James Paul Gee >>
bringing it here!! It was on my list of things to do.
Conor read it and said he's going to photocopy it and carry it around
to show people who ask questions about his "education." <g>
Life is good.
~Mary
Bronwen
> >>> High Score Educationthat was a great article and I agree! we spent the morning playing the new
> > Games, not school, are teaching kids to think.
> > By James Paul Gee >>
>
Zelda for game cube- its AWESOME- so fun.
- but I don't believe anything "teaches kids to think"- people think, no one
teaches them to do it.
~Bronwen
[email protected]
In a message dated 4/26/03 1:03:25 PM, felesina@... writes:
<< - but I don't believe anything "teaches kids to think"- people think, no
one
teaches them to do it.
You can't teach a tree to grow. You can discourage or prevent it.
And the nature of our culture and of school, I think, especially, discourage
and prevent thinking without consciously intending to. So they end up with
bunch of stunted and deformed trees and would like to figure out a way to
teach them to grow.
But I've seen trees planted in perfect places for them grow HUGELY strong and
big, and I'd rather see my kid planted in front of Nintendo with his roots in
the sewer getting all that rich detritus of life without even thinking about
it than to see him lined up and told not to talk, not to play, not to draw
pictures, not to write notes to his friends, put that comic book away, don't
look out the window, check your answers, don't drum your fingers, stop
playing with your pencil, don't tap your foot, blah-blah-blah, bl
ah-blah-blah, by people who somehow believe they hold the keys to learning.
Sandra
<< - but I don't believe anything "teaches kids to think"- people think, no
one
teaches them to do it.
>>I agree.
You can't teach a tree to grow. You can discourage or prevent it.
And the nature of our culture and of school, I think, especially, discourage
and prevent thinking without consciously intending to. So they end up with
bunch of stunted and deformed trees and would like to figure out a way to
teach them to grow.
But I've seen trees planted in perfect places for them grow HUGELY strong and
big, and I'd rather see my kid planted in front of Nintendo with his roots in
the sewer getting all that rich detritus of life without even thinking about
it than to see him lined up and told not to talk, not to play, not to draw
pictures, not to write notes to his friends, put that comic book away, don't
look out the window, check your answers, don't drum your fingers, stop
playing with your pencil, don't tap your foot, blah-blah-blah, bl
ah-blah-blah, by people who somehow believe they hold the keys to learning.
Sandra
coyote's corner
I really appreciate this post. Brianna bruised her tail bone......let's see it will be two weeks this coming week (maybe Tuesday?). She's basically been in bed
on the heating pad, or ice bag, or in the tub..
She's been watching tons of TV.; playing the game boy, watching Bey Blade and some other shows like that, many, many cartoons.
I know it's ok.
I really do.
I think.
I want her to read - something.....
help
This is all okay, right?
Janis
on the heating pad, or ice bag, or in the tub..
She's been watching tons of TV.; playing the game boy, watching Bey Blade and some other shows like that, many, many cartoons.
I know it's ok.
I really do.
I think.
I want her to read - something.....
help
This is all okay, right?
Janis
----- Original Message -----
From: SandraDodd@...
To: [email protected]
Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2003 3:28 PM
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re: learning from video games article
In a message dated 4/26/03 1:03:25 PM, felesina@... writes:
<< - but I don't believe anything "teaches kids to think"- people think, no
one
teaches them to do it.
>>
I agree.
You can't teach a tree to grow. You can discourage or prevent it.
And the nature of our culture and of school, I think, especially, discourage
and prevent thinking without consciously intending to. So they end up with
bunch of stunted and deformed trees and would like to figure out a way to
teach them to grow.
But I've seen trees planted in perfect places for them grow HUGELY strong and
big, and I'd rather see my kid planted in front of Nintendo with his roots in
the sewer getting all that rich detritus of life without even thinking about
it than to see him lined up and told not to talk, not to play, not to draw
pictures, not to write notes to his friends, put that comic book away, don't
look out the window, check your answers, don't drum your fingers, stop
playing with your pencil, don't tap your foot, blah-blah-blah, bl
ah-blah-blah, by people who somehow believe they hold the keys to learning.
Sandra
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[email protected]
In a message dated 4/26/03 4:44:18 PM, jana@... writes:
<< I want her to read - something.....
help
This is all okay, right?
Less okay for you to be freaking about your perceived need to see her
reading!
Have a drink and read a novel or something until you feel better! LOL!
Sandra
<< I want her to read - something.....
help
This is all okay, right?
>>It's okay for her to be watching tv and playing games.
Less okay for you to be freaking about your perceived need to see her
reading!
Have a drink and read a novel or something until you feel better! LOL!
Sandra
coyote's corner
Thanks. I'm trying to get into an exercise mode. Work off the anxiety.
I know she'll be okay.
I know - deep in my heart - that this is my baggage.....
Thanks,
Janis
I know she'll be okay.
I know - deep in my heart - that this is my baggage.....
Thanks,
Janis
----- Original Message -----
From: SandraDodd@...
To: [email protected]
Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2003 8:24 PM
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re: learning from video games article
In a message dated 4/26/03 4:44:18 PM, jana@... writes:
<< I want her to read - something.....
help
This is all okay, right?
>>
It's okay for her to be watching tv and playing games.
Less okay for you to be freaking about your perceived need to see her
reading!
Have a drink and read a novel or something until you feel better! LOL!
Sandra
Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
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Kelli Traaseth
Janis, also on this subject, my son had a good point.
He used to read all the time, and everyone was so impressed by that. Now,
he plays gameboy or playstation all the time, people are less impressed
with that. He said, " you know I actually feel like I am thinking more
when I'm playing a game. I am doing more with it." I said, "you mean you
are interacting with it more?" "Yeah! I get to be part of it!" he
replied.
When I used to feel a worry, like, "maybe he should be reading something?"
I would stop and think, why is it ok to sit for a long time with a book,
but not with a gameboy?
We have seen wonderful things happening with our son since he's been able to
do what he enjoys. He's such a joy!
Kelli
He used to read all the time, and everyone was so impressed by that. Now,
he plays gameboy or playstation all the time, people are less impressed
with that. He said, " you know I actually feel like I am thinking more
when I'm playing a game. I am doing more with it." I said, "you mean you
are interacting with it more?" "Yeah! I get to be part of it!" he
replied.
When I used to feel a worry, like, "maybe he should be reading something?"
I would stop and think, why is it ok to sit for a long time with a book,
but not with a gameboy?
We have seen wonderful things happening with our son since he's been able to
do what he enjoys. He's such a joy!
Kelli
coyote's corner
Thanks so much for this. I've been thinking about this since I read it.
I love reading. We are surrounded by books!
Brianna likes reading - somewhat.
Brianna is - right now watching TV & playing game Boy.
I'm ok.
Really.
Gotta' run.
My tranquilizer prescription is ready.
Janis ;)
I love reading. We are surrounded by books!
Brianna likes reading - somewhat.
Brianna is - right now watching TV & playing game Boy.
I'm ok.
Really.
Gotta' run.
My tranquilizer prescription is ready.
Janis ;)
----- Original Message -----
From: Kelli Traaseth
To: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2003 9:31 AM
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re: learning from video games article
Janis, also on this subject, my son had a good point.
He used to read all the time, and everyone was so impressed by that. Now,
he plays gameboy or playstation all the time, people are less impressed
with that. He said, " you know I actually feel like I am thinking more
when I'm playing a game. I am doing more with it." I said, "you mean you
are interacting with it more?" "Yeah! I get to be part of it!" he
replied.
When I used to feel a worry, like, "maybe he should be reading something?"
I would stop and think, why is it ok to sit for a long time with a book,
but not with a gameboy?
We have seen wonderful things happening with our son since he's been able to
do what he enjoys. He's such a joy!
Kelli
Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
~~~~ Don't forget! If you change topics, change the subject line! ~~~~
If you have questions, concerns or problems with this list, please email the moderator, Joyce Fetteroll (fetteroll@...), or the list owner, Helen Hegener (HEM-Editor@...).
To unsubscribe from this group, click on the following link or address an email to:
[email protected]
Visit the Unschooling website: http://www.unschooling.com
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]