ETEC 643 Reflections: My Views on Gaming

Confession- I’m not a gamer. I never have been, and probably never will be.

While I’m a digital native who grew up with a computer and video game consoles at my access, I never had an interest in gaming as a hobby. I had an old-school GameBoy (think thick, black, and pixelated screen) that my cousin gave me as a hand-me-down, but I only used it to play Tetris on occasion. Call it sibling rivalry, but my brother always commandeered our Nintendo 64 and Game Cube, never really giving me a chance to play. Taking this class, however, has given me a new appreciation for gaming and its place in education.

Because I teach K-6 computer classes and am a technology resource teacher, I’m always reading articles about gaming in education. When I began my position two years ago, I wanted to change the norm of the classes from kids playing archaic CD-ROM games to a more skills-based focus that integrated learning technology into the general classroom. Early on, though, I realized that educational games still have a purpose in my class. My job, then, is to develop a curriculum that balances games with skills.

The guest speakers and tools we’ve experienced this semester have really cemented the importance of gaming in my position. Design thinking, augmented reality, QR codes, coding, and mobile learning are all applicable topics for me to consider as I work to improve my curriculum for next year. I’m looking forward to our game design project, as our topic is very applicable for my students.

Below are some links to (surprise) some TED-Talks that have helped shape my current views on gaming and its place in our society.

Jane McGonigal- "The game that can give you 10 extra years of life"