This chapter has certainly allowed me to see the positive characteristics of video games. Gee, along with all the new jargon introduced, helped me to see video gaming as something educationally legitimate. We have been programmed to believe that if something is purely entertaining, which video games have been categorized as such, then they cannot possibly be of any educational value. I tend to believe otherwise, not only from this reading, but also from my own recent experience on Club Penguin. Although I realize that many video games exhibit violence, Club Penguin is devoid of such characteristics. It is more of a lighthearted "semiotic domain," whereby children learn how to navigate through a totally new world, cooperate with an unknown group of people who are somewhat in alias, learn how to problem solve on the island of Club Penguin (through many games, etc., i.e. dance contest, cart racing, ) and become familiar with it's design spaces.
Yes, it is difficult for today's school to compete with video games - children no longer want to just sit and listen to a lecture or have us model a skill for them - they want to be involved from the minute they walk into a classroom. Video games have changed the way we have to take on our role as school, teacher, parent, etc., as we move forward.
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