Effects of Video Games

Video games can tend to get bad reputations.  To every positive in life, there is a negative opposite.  Same applies to video games.  There have been studies that link playing video games to improving social skill, problem-solving skills and spatial skills, for example.  And then there are cynics out there who are trying to link video game play to obesity, violence, and desensitization. You can't win over everybody.  But like anything in life, everything must be in moderation.  For example, eating dark chocolate may help lower blood pressure, but of course if you pig out on chocolate, it's not going to have a positive result.  I kept this in mind while I was reading the articles for this week.  

I wasn't 100% surprised when I read that there was a correlation between playing video games and children obesity.  But which one is the cause and which is the effect?  I thought it was interesting in the conclusion of the obesity study that the researchers played devils advocate on their own work.  They questioned if the direct correlation to girls playing video games and obesity was because the girls were already overweight and therefore casted out by peers, or if weight was a direct cause from playing too many games.  

I'm definitely guilty of sometimes choosing to play Fitness Dash than go to the actual gym.  But in my case, I am an adult, I make my own decisions, and I am aware of the consequences of my actions.  However, some children are not aware of the consequences.  They choose to do what is fun at the moment and they sometimes don't know when enough is enough.  Some kids can get caught up in playing hours upon hours of video games each week.  Think about all of the other activities they are missing out on.  This is how video games get bad reputations.  I think the parents need to step in and limit playing time and when playing can occur.  After sports, after homework is done, after "family time" is when video games should be played, and for a limited time.  I think parents need to step in and know their role in their child's development.

Learning Spaces

What are learning spaces?  What I gathered from our readings this week and from researching the topic on the internet, I see learning spaces as a place that supports both teachers and learners in an educational setting, but not a traditional classroom.  The time and place is something that the learner chooses, at their own will.  This creates a more relaxed and comfortable learning environment, and therefore may increase the motivation to learn.  

In Jones's article, he discusses three learning spaces: mobile phones, iPods, and video games.  It is crazy to think a device that was once invented to make phone calls can now teach you to speak French.  A device originally used to play music is now used to listen to professors lecture or to listen to books.  And video games that were once purely for entertainment purposes can teach you about WWI.  It's amazing how technology has changed over the years.

The other day I was on iTunes and wanted to see what podcasts were available.  I found that most were language learning programs.  I think this type of learning space is a great way for young students to learn a new language.  Most kids today already own an iPod and use it recreationally on their own.  To have them use this device in an educational, but still modern and "cool" way, I think students would be acceptable of the idea.  I remember in college having to go to the Language Lab to listen to outdated cassette tapes of Italian.  It was a depressing and dull place and I dreaded having to go there once a week.  If I were able to use my iPod, at any location of my choice, I would have been more motivated to practice Italian.  

I think the main hurtle that we face with using these new learning spaces is to get old teacher the "digital immigrants" on board and learn how to incorporate them into the curriculum.

Bring On Donutville!

I am now on the last level of Fitness Dash!  My gym members are getting prepared to battle the people from Donutville in a tug-of-war game.  It's interesting because my blog last week showed that I was getting bored and frustrated with the game.  Since last week I made two changes or realizations that have helped me in the game.  One, I finally hooked up a mouse to my laptop. Previously, I was just using the mouse pad on my laptop and felt restricted and slower because of it.  Now I am able to maneuver my character much easier and I'm not straining my wrist anymore.  So, I've gotten a lot faster.  And two, I realized an easy way to earn more points.  Gym members are dressed in either red or yellow clothes and when you place them on a mat, a machine, or in a shower that matches their color, you get extra points.  I knew this before, but wasn't using this strategy to my advantage.  Now, I make decisions based on matching colors.  So whereas before when I thought you needed to move faster to move to new levels, I have learned that it is strategy that helps you move further in the game.  I'm glad I came across this discovery because now I feel like I'm back in the game and I'm excited once again.