Saturday, February 9, 2008

AWNM: Play Period 2

Fishbowl with Live Blogging
February 15, 2008
8:25-9:24 am MST

Dan Maas:
Dan is the Chief Information Officer for Littleton Public Schools as well as a parent of a LPS student.

Cathy Nelson:
Cathy is a teacher librarian from Myrtle Beach, SC. She writes her own personal reflections about technology integration in the classroom at technotuesday.edublogs.org. Her blog is designed to offer helpful hints, tips, and tricks to teachers who are integrating technology in an authentic manner.

Chris Lehmann:
Chris is the Principal of the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia, PA. Previously he served as a Technology Coordinator/English Teacher/Girls' Basketball Coach/Ultimate Coach at the Beacon School, a fantastic progressive public high school in Manhattan.

266 comments:

1 – 200 of 266   Newer›   Newest»
Cathy Jo Nelson said...

Hello--I'm Here

Karl Fisch said...

Hi Cathy - we'll start in a minute.

Cathy Jo Nelson said...

Greetings! Sound is a little choppy

Cathy Jo Nelson said...

Better

Karl Fisch said...

Cathy - are you getting audio and video okay through MeBeam?

Caitlin said...

I like Mark's question. Do you think that it was right for the Army to make a game of war?

aaronw said...

yes... they make war ya know

aaronw said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
maddief said...

Okay, about the army making video games; I find this an extremely effective and manipulative way of drawing in young adults. They feel like they are actually fighting "bad guys" and then they will want to join the army when they become older.

nicolek said...

I don't think that it was wron because even if the army wasn't the one to make a video game about war, a different company would have and those games probably wouldn't have been as realistic and could give kids the wrong idea about the army.

amyw said...

I think this game is just a ploy by the army to enlist more people. If you can play an army video game and see how "cool" it is, then you will want to join.

alexd said...

I agree with what Mark is saying. I think that making games like that is making war seem too glorious and I think that it will give kids the wrong idea about what war is like.

aaronw said...

well we've been taught here that terrorists and whatnot are bad guys maddie, just like how they're taught that we eat children... it's all based on ow you're tauhgt

stefo said...

What do you all think about play in the school? Do you notice in the classes

phoebef said...

caitalina- i think that the intentions are good in the game, but the kids may take it wrong, and think its fun to be in war. they dont quite get the intensity of war. its is impossible to portray that....you have to be there

amyw said...

alexd---Exactly! It makes army life seem so great and like killing is heroic.

clarao said...

Yeah I agree that the game kind of glorifies war.

chelseas said...

I think that the video games made by the military are a good idea. If this is what recruits people to serve in the military, then this is good. I also agree with Nick that it shows kids to not shoot any of the civilians, or anyone on their team.

Liap said...

Ii don't think it's right to make a game of war. It's not a game. People die and lose arms and legs and have horrible injuries. Even though the games may show some war realitty, they can't show you the pain involved and the loss that you feel, or the psycological effects of the army.

maddief said...

I do not think that it is necessarily wrong to try and draw in people through video games. In WWII they used poster as propaganda; in the 21st century they use video games. The propaganda is simply changing with the times. The army however, should limit who can play the game. They should not have small kids playing it, because then they will go around pretending to shoot people.

aaronw said...

amy- ever since saving private ryan, i doubt that people think war is amazingly "cool" they just want to serve their country

Caitlin said...

It sounded like the Army was desperate, so they did whatever they could to recruit more people.

amyw said...

If the army makes a video game about war, then it WILL glorify war.

aaronw said...

what about halo?

Alyssa S. said...

I agree with Nicole. If another company had made the game, it would have created a totally different picture of war for the kids who the Army is looking to recruit.

amyw said...

Why do you guys think that so many people think play is frivolous?

Cathy Jo Nelson said...

Karl video is good, audio wants to chop out a bit

amyw said...

aweber---What are you asking about Halo?

KatherineM said...

I think the army video game is fine. Like Jose said, it gives insight to what it's like to be a soldier and does teach some good lessons. I really don't know anything about this game, but the way Jose is making it out to be sounds perfectly okay.

Cathy Jo Nelson said...

Simulations are great in helping us develop teamwork skills

clarao said...

I don't want to say that it is bad to have the game because it's more realistic than other video games and doesn't focus on only on the heroic part of war. Still, it s very manipulative.

Liap said...

Chelsea-
I dissagree with you. I think that recruting kids to fight in the army is a problem. They shouldn't keep expanding our army. They should instead work towards peace.

Dan Maas said...

Is play relevant to learning? Or does play really just take time away from homework?

Alyssa S. said...

Caitlin A.- I don't think the Army was desperate, I think they were actually being smart businessmen. They realized how to reach their target audience and they developed a way to reach them.

meganu said...

I agree with maddief. It is effective to make games about war to interest young children, especially boys. I know with my brothers, they are obsessed with all of their war games, they enjoy killing eachother and their fellow troops. When they aren't playing the video game, they pretend they have guns to shott eachother. When I asked them if they like shooting people and they actually want to kill people, they said 'yes, it's fun!' I don't know if my brothers are just psychopathic but that was their reaction to war video games.

Cathy Jo Nelson said...

Its frightening, especially in light of the incident in Northern Chicago. Im waiting for them to say its the fault of video games today

chelseas said...

Phoebe and Caitlin-
I think that the initial intentions were good, but many kids can take it the wrong way. I think this glorifies wars. Also, I'm sure that the game doesn't show the bad things that happen to people who are wounded or fighting and are injured in real wars. I don't think that kids are getting the true picture of what war really is like.

Javonm said...

Yes I think it was okoay for the army to make a game about war because I feel like these games don't just teach for joining the army but I think it is teaching life skills that are important to everything, for instance teamowrk as it has been mentioned in the inner circle that that is an important skill the game shows and I think it is acquired as you play the game.

markg said...

dan maas- I think play is not relative to learning unless the learning is the play.

Cathy Jo Nelson said...

I stink at games too!!!

Alyssa S. said...

What are some ways we incorporate Play in our education and learning?

amyw said...

I think that most video games glorify violence, war, etc. A lot of video games out there really deal with violence, mostly. It's like what we were talking about with Fahrenheit 451---our society is becoming obsessed with violence and just constantly sitting in front of the TV playing video games.

Liap said...

Mr. Maas-
I think that without play in learning, people would feel like learning is work, because they associate learning with worksheets and tests.

clarao said...

So would any of you consider the game to be more like for playing or for experience?

Caitlin said...

Stef-
I think that there is play in alot of classes. I am in intro to drama, and pretty much the whole entire class period we play games. It is one of my more exciting classes, because of the things that we do in there. I think that if teachers used play in their classes, then they might keep the kids attentive, and involved in their class.

nicolek said...

Stefo-
I really think we need to have play in school. For example a couple days ago we played that game that was like rock, paper scissors. It didn't really have anything to do with what we were learning but it got my mind thinking and it allowed me to get all of my energy out and by the time we were done I was ready to work. But in some classes, just as soon as the bell rings they have us taking notes and I find it so much harder to focus and harder to pat attention

Brian c said...

is it O.K. for the armoy to make a violent game when there are tons of games that already do that? I mean, at least the army can make it how it really is and not glorify and over-enhance it.

maddief said...

I agree, Lia. Playing a video game about war is safe; being in an actual war isn't. Kids can get the wrong idea and think that if they actually join the army they won't be hurt. When they actually find themselves in a hazardous situation though, they might not be able to tell that they are danger. They'll think that all they need to do is press a restart button and then they'll be back in action.

Cathy Jo Nelson said...

I have 2 teens who play a good bit and they do not like me to watch b/c I overreact at what I see. I yell OMG that was NOT just on the screen and part of the game!

aaronw said...

amy- what i just said :) that about halo

alexd said...

Dan- I agree that if too much play is incorporated into learning, it will distract kids from school. However I think that there is a perfect balance of play and learning that is extremely beneficial.

kristenw said...

amy - people think play is frivolous because it's not work and if it's not work it must not be as important

SerenaL said...

Katherine-

I disagree. In a game, you can get killed thousands of times and still be fine. In real life, it only takes one moment and everything is lost. It's also sort of like saying how great it is, and you can't learn what war is like just from a game. When the veteran people came to talk to us, they gave us a taste of what war is like. But we still don't know, we are like wow that sucks but we weren't there so it's sympathy not empathy.

And liap- yea that is my point exactly. We wouldn't need a huge army if we weren't fighting all the time and decided to like talk it out instead or something.

amyw said...

Mr. Maas---I think that if you take breaks and have a little fun in between doing homework, it makes you more productive and do a better job. Whereas if you just sit there and do homework for hours, your mind will start to wander and you'll be so bored that you won't do a good job. It has to be taken in moderation though, or else it will take away from the learning.

Dan Maas said...

If I think of my favorite learning experience... it was a game we played in Middle School Social Studies when we "colonized the new world." What is it about playing that can help learning? WOuld you rather play or learn?

Javonm said...

Dan- I think that play is relevant to learnign and that through our first play experiences we have learned some of our most important life qualties, teamwork, sharing, making friends,getting active, all of those important skills occur early as kindergarten, when playing.

meganu said...

Dan- I think that play is totally relevant. If someone works non-stop, then they wouldn't develop as much creativity as someone who has a balance between work and play would. When someone has a chance to actually take a break from work and play, they develop a greater sense of creativity, it's their own free time to do pretty much what they want.

chelseas said...

Lia-
I agree with you about keeping peace, but if there were a time when we need to have an army, like if we were attacked or something, we would have no army to fight back. If we had somewhat of an army, then we would be able to fight back and protect our country.

clarao said...

I feel like the game might teach bad habits like being careless since no one dies for real in video games.

Cathy Jo Nelson said...

All games are not war, killing, blood and guts. Some games teach participants to strategize and take advantage of skills of teammates.

Unknown said...

Alexd- I agree also about the whole thing with having too much play. I think that a lot of it also matters on the age of the kids. Younger kids wont be serious at all if you incorporate play, but they need it. Teenagers can handle it a little better and they can learn from it. It depends on every person.

amyw said...

Do you think we have too much, too little, or just enough play in schools?

nicolek said...

I agree with what Stef is saying in the inner circle. There are some games that can help learning so much such as for little kids that teaches them letters and numbers before they even step foot in a classroom. I think that these are the type of games that Daniel Pink was talking about

kristenw said...

dann - I think play is important in learning because when your doing strait homework it's hard to keep focus but if you take some time out for a little play when you come back to your homework your mind is like refreshed. Also games that are educational are also very big in our society.

nicolek said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
MollyS said...

clara-
but if video games are the new way to recruit, what does this say about the people that are going to be joining the forces?

Caitlin said...

What sort of message do video games pose when the games involve shooting?

Liap said...

SerenaL-
i agree. As a nation, the US of A is addicted to violence. There is violence everywhere we turn, and we are almost constantly in a war or conflict all throughout our history.

Dan Maas said...

Here's a story about play: My son played Caesar III and one day told me all about the Roman pantheon, how the ancient civization built roads and aquaducts... he even explained that a prefect is both a fire-fighter and a police officer. He was 5 years old... did he learn something from this game?

aaronw said...

amy- i say not enough. except in mrs. cornnils class, for eveyone who has that

SerenaL said...

danm-

If I'm not listening to music or like constantly moving, I can't focus at all. I have to be multi-tasking to get anything done. (Then again my mom thinks I have adhd) But either way I think play is neccesary to have something to look forward to after you do your homework. You can't just be working all the time, you get to stressed out and that usually makes people unable to work at all.

amyw said...

Even though some video games teach good skills, I still think that our society is much too caught up with them. I've met people who pretty much only talk about video games. And I understand that everyone has their things, but still. Something that's not even reality is taking over the real world. And I find that kind of disturbing.

Alyssa S. said...

Mr. Maas- I think that the aspect of play that helps us learn is the expierence. I did a project in elementary school like that, and since I was able to interact and see the challenges that people in the past faced. Since it was personal I could remember and understand it a lot better.

NickB said...

Just a random thought, My cousin told me about how videogamers are trying to create a pro leauge with regonal teams (Like the denver ...s). What do you think of this?

maddief said...

Mr. Maas, Play is absolutely necessary in learning. Kids will pay more attention if they want to learn, and Play makes education more fun. Students need a break from teachers cramming facts down their throats through power points. When students are allowed to learn through activities that stimulate happiness, they will be more likely to remember what they learned through the activity than some notes they took from a textbook. However, too much Play can take away time for homework if it does not relate to the assignment.

KatherineM said...

Serena, that's true, but I think playing this army game is way better than many other video games. For example, my cousin was playing a video game where all he did was go around and kill people, which just sounds horrible to me. At least the army game is more meaningful than others.

clarao said...

molly-
Well I don't think everyone that joins the forces is affected by video games- they just make violence seem more ok.

Unknown said...

chelsea- when our country has a war then a lot of people are going to jump in and fight against the enemy to protect their country. If they hadn't, then we probably wouldnn't be a free country today.

phoebef said...

mr. mass- i think that in order to play you have to be able to learn. when little kids play "make believe" they use knowledge of their world, and what theyve learned to make it more fun. Kids wouldnt be able to play "cowboys and indians" without knowing what cowboys or indians were.

Liap said...

Kristen-
I agree! It is so hard to just do homework, because eventually you get bored and destracted, and can't absorb as much information.

alexd said...

Amy- I say definitely not enough, I think that kids would learn better if there was more incorporated.

chelseas said...

Mr. Mass-
I think that play is so important in schools, as well as life, because we learn better through experiences. Also, there are a lot of people who learn better by doing, and are visual or tactile learners.

stefo said...

dan: It sounds like your son learned alot! That is what mostly Pink it talking about. Take play and use it in learning

nicolek said...

Dan maas- I know that when we do skits and play games in school it helps me remember and understand the topics better rather than just hearing my teacher talk about it. It is very simliar to story, we can use both to enhance our learning

amandah said...

Caitlina-
I think that the sort of message a video game sends when it involves shooting would have to be violence.

meganu said...

Caitlina- I think that video games involve shooting, they send a negative message. Like I said earlier, my brothers love the idea that they can actually shoot someone and not feel sorry at all. If they ever joined the army, I would feel sorry for the enemy because my brothers have learned not to care if they are shooting and killing someone.

Javonm said...

Someone made an interesting point earlier about a different definition of play at work. I think another form of play is just being happy at work. I think that being able to go to work and just enjoy what you do and not feel like it is work or learning, but just a new event each day.

amyw said...

Nickb---I think it's yet another example of how video games are dominating our society.

markg said...

dan maas- I have played a game like that as well. I was called pharoes.I remember tellin my mom when i was 12 about sewage systems and irrigation. I was deffinatly learning about many things through this game...

MollyS said...

clara-
i agree... do you know if everyone that enlists in the army 'gets in'?

Alyssa S. said...

What are some ways we can incorporate Play more in our education?

Cathy Jo Nelson said...

COOL topic for research paper. I dont mind watching others play, but I just cannot develop a comfort level in simulations. I struggle in Second Life where there is not even an expectation for me to do anything other than interact and socialize.

kristenw said...

dan - I think your son definitely learned from the game he played, but what I'm wondering is what made him remember those facts?

amyw said...

And why it's so hard to just sit and do homework is because people's attention spans stray after about 20 minutes.

clarao said...

amanda-
I depends about your perspective on the video game. Some people might just look at it as shoot and kill, but some people might enjoy the strategy.

Dan Maas said...

So is the leanring from play limited to simulations? Do sports teach us things? Examples?

aaronw said...

dan- thats cool. what about pharoah?

maddief said...

LOL Cathy, I know what you mean. My brother plays some video games that cause my mom to react like that too. Some of the material in video games is pretty violent.

Amy, it's true that our generations are becoming more violent. I know just from personal experience that my parents abhor blood and violence, yet I can sit there and watch a scene of massive destruction and barely even cringe. What does that say about our generation's feelings toward violence?

phoebef said...

meganu- i think that there is a huge difference between killing people in video games, and killing them in reality. you can easily detatch yourself from a video game, but you cant in real war.

Unknown said...

molly- they have to take a physical and be fit enough before the US will let them enter.

Cathy Jo Nelson said...

Play allows you to develop confidence and experience in a non threatening way! No real risk of failure--just learning to be better, more experienced, and finally GOOD at something--even a game. Totally applicable to real life.

chelseas said...

Alyssa-
I think that we should be able to have a choice on assignments. If we want to act it out, draw it, or write it, I think that we should be able to choose.

amyw said...

meganu---That is exactly what I've been saying! Video games totally send the wrong message. And like clarao said earlier, they teach carelessness.

kristenw said...

lia - exactly like when I do homework I usually do some, text some haha, do some, eat, do some more,etc. I don't think I've ever just done my homework strait through

Cathy Jo Nelson said...

in the beginning when we are new at something it is always cumbersome and feeling weird. Play allows us to develop a comfort level.

Caitlin said...

One of my dad's friends played everyday, when on his lunch break he would pull out his little mini golf, and putt around. He was a very hardworking person. I think that by playing he was ready to work, instead of stressing himself out. Maybe if people played at the work place, they would be less stressed, and their work would be done quicker and they would accomplish alot more. I think that play would be beneficial in this way.

clarao said...

Kristen-
I feel like if I just did homework straight through it would go really slow.

meganu said...

phoebef- Well yes but there is still a sense that killing is fun.

SerenaL said...

I am focusing on Play for my WRP. In my research, I found this thing about how doing the things that you like to do inspires you at work. Like, if you draw a lot in your free time, then it gives you more creativity in your job, and you might be inspired to like create something because of the new perspective. Any comments?

Liap said...

I agree with what Louise is saying in the inner circle about McDonalds and the play place. When I was in 2nd grade, my teacher took us to McDonalds and let us play in those little tunnels if we got 100% on a math quiz.

nicolek said...

Cathy Nelson-
I agree that I sometimes feel uncomfortable when we do "play" activities. Even outside of school when people just want to do things for fun, i usually don't participate, but I'm not sure why I don't. I think that as we get older we are expected to stop playing and be more serious and once we reach a certain age, it becomes hard to start playing again.

Unknown said...

chelsea- that would be so cool if we could express ourselves in different ways for projects. I really don't like when you have to follow exact guidelines for a project. Sometimes I wish that they would let us have a free for all.

Dan Maas said...

I think Cathy has nailed something... play lets you learn in a non-threatening environment. That is failure is not punished, but in fact is used to help you develop. In a sense, playing allows you to struggle without penalty. What does that suggest to grading practices? Do you feel safe to fail and learn in your classes?

maddief said...

Yeah, you're right Kristen. People think that Play is unimportant and should be put behind work.

phoebef said...

mr. mass- that is a very good point. i think that participating in a sport is one of the most important things a kid can do. it teaches social skills, disapline, whats good for your body, and simply the actual sport itself.

amandah said...

Clara-
Thats a good point but you are still killing and injuring people. This can encourage violence especcially in little kids.

I have a cousin who is 2 and he watches video games like wrestling and he now hits and hurts everyone.

amyw said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
KatherineM said...

I think play is extremely important in learning. If there's something fun involved with a lesson, it definitely makes me much more interested in the subject. Having a good balance of both play and work is very beneficial to learning.

Louiseb said...

Dan Mass-
I think that play is deffinitly not limited to simulations. I play Lacrosse and that has taught me many things. I have learned so much more about working as a team. Also, strategy has become such a big part of my life, because I needed to come up with the best strategy to win the game.

Unknown said...

megan- isn't that the problem with video games? They make kids want to go out and kill people sometimes. The guys who committed the shootings at Columbine played violent games excessively.

amyw said...

kristenw---I'm the same way. I'll do some homework and then take breaks in between (checking emails, texting, etc.). I literally can't just sit down and do all of my homework.

phoebef said...

meganu- yes, but its more the thrill that comes from something foreign and forbidden. its like the feeling people get from tp-ing....its the thrill, not the actual activity that matters.

clarao said...

I agree with what a lot of you have been saying. Play in school can often be incorporated with what we are learning, and when we interact more with what we are learning, we are more likely to remember it.

maddief said...

Megan, that's really scary what you said about your brothers. Is that how everyone who plays violent video games feels? That killing is okay? If that's the case, we're going to be in big trouble in the future if war breaks out.

chelseas said...

Mrs. Nelson-
I agree with you about how play allows us to develop different comfort levels. We can learn through different experiences, and can learn from our mistakes. We also learn how different experiences effect our results and outcomes our futures.

Cathy Jo Nelson said...

@nicolek which is probably why I won't do anything except a line dance at receptions, etc. LOL
Just WAY out of my comfort zone now.

meganu said...

lizc- Exactly! I think kids would have a bigger problem with shooting and killing people if these video games never existed.

KatherineM said...

Amy-Same with me! I can't do all my homework without any breaks in between. I have to go do something fun, or else I just won't be able to focus on my homework.

kristenw said...

clara - ya same, ok so in the beginning of the year my social studies teacher taught us this whole method on how to do hw and he told us to switch off sides of the brain work. Like you should do Launguage arts(a right sided subject) then math(a left sided subject) and so on and i thought that was interesting

nicolek said...

In most of my classes, I don't feel safe to fail at things. For most things, its all about the grade and I think that if we did more projects and play it wouldn't be so grade centered

Alyssa S. said...

Mr. Maas- I think that sports can help us expand our knowledge. This summer I started playing softball and I had to work really hard on my hitting because I had a baseball swing. So, as I was changing my swing, I realized things like the projecile and speed of the ball and how that affects the hitter. So, I think sports can teach us more than things like teamwork, they can also help us in our education too.

amyw said...

And like on off-hours, why do we go to Starbucks, King Soopers, hang out with friends, etc.? Because it's fun and lets us escape from the school day (if only for an hour). I know I look forward to off-hours because not only do I do homework, but I have some fun too.

Unknown said...

megan- why would they have bigger problems with killing people if they had never seen that kind of violence before?

MollyS said...

In the circle we were just talking about play in the workplace, I didn't get a chance to get this into the conversation but I thought I would say it here. In Fahrenheit 451, the businesses seem to be all play (the firemen just sitting around playing cards when they aren't burning things) and the people just sit there having fun. Also in The Santa Claus 2 he brings toys to the teachers at a borning school that isnt happy and fun, and they all come out of their shell nad have fun!

Cathy Jo Nelson said...

Games are just downright ENGAGING and when we are engaged (interested, enjoying) we learn. When we are not, we do not learn. Simple. Engagement. So what keeps us engaged? Games certainly do.

meganu said...

maddief- I know! I've seen other little boys like my brothers and it scares me. I think if we continue on making war video games more violent and appealing, then we're going to be in big trouble in the future if a war begins.

kristenw said...

maddie - ya but actually work and play are both just as important and hopefully one day our society will realize this and change our learning and work

Unknown said...

amy- if we look forward to off hours shouldn't we be able to look forward to classes too? They need to incorporate more play in the classrooms so that kids are more motivated to go. There are kids that ditch all the time.

amyw said...

phoebef---EXACTLY! It's the thrill, not the actual game (although how killing and blowing people up could give anyone a thrill, I don't know).

maddief said...

Mr. Maas, I think that students feel like they can't fail in the classroom. Today, everyone feels like they are labeled by a grade, and if that grade slips, so do they. If we were allowed to learn from our mistakes instead of living in fear of being failed, we would develop much more character and right brain thinking.

Javonm said...

Serena that is an interesting point I would believe it I catch my self making little drawings and spinning my pencil and doing little things while I sit in my desk space to keep my mind constantly going and I feel like it helps to inspire me on a test or recall a certain fact or explanation I need to know for that moment. Now when I think about people on projects and you see that those poeple are giving a presentation and they get docked point for fidgeting or looking around etc. when it may just be a tactci of play they use to utilize their body and mind and help them remeber a specific topic wihtout looking directly at the poster.

phoebef said...

megan and liz- video games wouldnt have been invented if people didnt see the thrill in them. video games dont cause the shooting, the shooting causes the video games. im not saying that its good to kill people or anything, but just becuase someone plays violent video games doesnt mean they think its a good idea to kill people. the people the commit school shootings obviously have some problems mentally.

Liap said...

I agree with what Stef is saying, running is a way to learn how to get through the tough times and the learning, you just have to work hard until you get better.It hurts while you're doing it, it is so much easier to run the next time.

clarao said...

kristen-
I think we might have the same teacher, and he made a lot of sense. You should rest one side of your brain and use the other for a while.

Alyssa S. said...

Nicole- I agree. I understand that the learning is important, but the grade is still the most important thing to me. I think Play would help me change that around and make the understanding more important than the grade.

aaronw said...

liz- off hours are awesome, so no. but sometimes you really want to go to class for some reason

Caitlin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
MollyS said...

liz-
Really? So then those certain people who sit around and play video games who want to play, get hooked by the game and not be allowed in becuase they aren't fit? That would stink...

meganu said...

lizc- They would have a bigger problem with it because they wouldn't actually have been shooting and killing people, even if it was just for fun. They wouldn't have experience aiming a gun or knowing exactly where to shoot to kill the enemy.

KatherineM said...

Maddie- I do not think that everyone who plays violent video games feel that killing is okay. The same goes for violent movies. I don't have interest in these video games or movies, but people I do know that play all these video games or watch these movies definitely would never say that killing is okay. I suppose that's why games and movies have ratings. If a person is not mature enough to handle the movie or game, they shouldn't be able to play or watch it.

chelseas said...

Mrs. Nelson-
I think that this is a great point. When we are engaged, we really do learn more and I find that it tends to stick more in my head. I think that play really allows kids to keep engaged with what they are learning.

SerenaL said...

megan-

I don't think video games really have much to do with it. My brother plays grand theft auto all the time which is like purely just killing people and mugging them. He would never actually kill anyone, he just does it for the thrill and like endorphens (like phoebe said a while ago) Most of the kids who result to violence had bad past experiences, such as problems with parents or some sort of disorder like bipolar, manic depression, and chronic depression, and sometimes they just don't have anyone to talk to, it's usually just an extreme cry for help. I'm not saying that it's right, I'm just saying that I doubt violent video games have much to do with it.

kristenw said...

amy - ya haha that's why I think it's important that we switch classrooms and have some kind of break in between classes so it's not like nonstop learning.

Cathy Jo Nelson said...

oops i did not mean to close-trying to move the tabs closer so the toggle can be done control tab

nicolek said...

Mollys-
but in Fharenheit 451 they did have all play but there was no meaning so even though they had fun all day, they didn't get anything done

amyw said...

liap---You're right! With running you just have to push yourself because even if your lungs and burning and your legs are screaming at you, it will be a lot easier next time. And it's worth it because you feel so great afterwards---knowing that you exercised, and the adrenaline pumping...it's great.

Unknown said...

megan- if they didn't have experience then they wouldn't do it.

meganu said...

phoebe- I know, I didn't mean anything like that. I'm just saying that these video games have influenced young kids. It gave them the idea that it could be fun to shoot and kill people.

maddief said...

Kristen, one can only hope! :)

About little kids being affected by witnessing violence, I babysit this one kid who thinks it is cool to try out his karate skills on everyone. His dad lets him watch action movies and now his son thinks that violence is okay. It really is pretty worrying when you see how aggressive kids are becoming.

aaronw said...

the civil war reenacment was awesome

meganu said...

lizc- They still might do it, I just think it interests them more when they actually have done it.

Cathy Jo Nelson said...

I remember in high school and college and even in grad classes and conference sessions--I tried to get in the ones where I knew I would laugh, enjoy, interact, and have fin--the "engaging" ones where risk takers would play with the the attendees

Liap said...

Clara and Kristen-
I have the same teacher and his methods worked for me, but then I heard that some of the subjects he said were not the side of the brain he said. Does anyone know if this is right?
History and English- Right side
Science and math- Left side

kristenw said...

clara - o ya haha it totaly made alot of ense and now I try to do that when I'm doing my homework.

KatherineM said...

I agree with what Stefania said in the inner circle. I also did cross country, and I'm not a great runner, but I learned a lot from the sport. I won't remember everything I've learned in geometry for the rest of my life, but the lessons of teamwork and determination I learned from cross country will stick with me forever.

Brian c said...

On the topic of team sports, what about individual sports? Do things like bowling or golf teach you the same things that, say, football does? Think bigger than pysical benefits.

meganu said...

serenal- Well with those kids who HAVE had bad past experiences, wouldn't seeing these video games encourage that shooting and mugging people is ok?

amyw said...

meganu---That bugs me so much. Like someone said earlier, video games are giving their two year old cousin the idea that it's fun to hit people and stuff like that. This summer, I met one of my best friend's friends, and all he could talk about was how awesome Halo is and how cool it is to blow people up on video games.

aaronw said...

good point by clara: the teachers use the competitiveness of students to give extra points, etc.

Unknown said...

megan- I am so comfused where you are coming from. I think that we are arguing over the same thing.

kristenw said...

lia - I do think that is right

Cathy Jo Nelson said...

Games do not necessarily assess like geometry class. IN gaming "do-overs" are allowed!

maddief said...

Aaron, when I did the civil war reenactment, it was scary to see how into it some of the kids became. It was just a simulation, but some of the kids were drawn into the fighting. How do simulations take us away from reality?

clarao said...

lia and kristen-
I have also tried switching sides of the brain like that and I think it really helps! It keeps me more focused.

aaronw said...

good comment and observsations by DanM... marks face turned into a huge smile when I said the civil war thing, and people talked about Young Ameritown

Liap said...

Brian-
No. Team sports help you with human to human relationships And self- determination, where individual sports have no need to learn to work with your team, but it does help you to be self-sufficient.

phoebef said...

brianc- i think that individual sports do teach people some of the same things, and some different things as well. I am a figure skater, and even though it is an individual sport you syill have to deal with the other people around you. You have to learn how to develop and deal with different types of relationships.

amyw said...

liap---That's right. Supposedly if you do, say, English homework then math homework, you'll do a better job because you're switching from right-brain to left-brain and not just overusing one side of your brain.

MollyS said...

Nicole-
So does that mean that play, or design or symphony, especially empathy, or any sense doesnt have any value if it doesnt come from the heart? It must have meaning?

meganu said...

lizc- I think we might be. All I'm trying to get at is that violent video games might not make someone go out and shoot people, they just have some sort of influence.

meganu said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
chelseas said...

Mr. Mass-
I think that motivational benefits help us get through different and hard situations. I also agree with Step and that when you have someone cheering you on, it is much easier to get through something.

meganu said...

amyw- Yeah that bugs me too.

Alyssa S. said...

Maddie F.- I don't think that simulations take away from reality so much as show us the side of reality that we don't want to face. I bet that the way most people reacted in the reenactment is the way they would react in a real situation such as that.

kristenw said...

I really like the inner circle conversation about games being about competition. So my question is:

Are grades used for competition in schools???

Unknown said...

megan- that is pretty much what I think to. lol

nicolek said...

I really like what they are talking about in the inner circle. I think that doing things more as a group in school. Because right now it feels like we are all on our own, getting our own grades, making our own future, learning our own things, but maybe if our classes could work more as a whole to teach each other and make sure no one gets left behind we all would learn better and make stronger bonds between each other

SerenaL said...

javonm-

Good points, that all makes sense. If you look around the room right now, everyone is moving. tapping their foot or hand, shifting in their seat. I think that moving like, helps people think. The mind and body are connected. People are constantly learning or observing, and I think that like makes them have to move. This isn't really based on fact but it seems plausible. Maybe that is how we "play" in class. We can't just like get up and start running around so we have to make little movements just to take a break from stuff.

maddief said...

Amy, it is worrying how kids become so obsessed with killing in video games. We joke around and laugh saying, "Ha, that guy just blew up!" but does playing theses games make us think that killing in real life is okay?

aaronw said...

maddie- it may have been scary then, but now if you look at 5th grade boys, they are obsessed with war and stuff... i was, i bet every boy in here, even the older ones were

Javonm said...

I think play is sometime percieved as phsycial activity, or some form of it such as excersising, sports, video games, etc. I think that another form of play is expanding your creativity. I think that when we get a project like the WRP where we get to play with our project and do whatever we want to it I feel like that is a form of play.

clarao said...

amy, lia, and kristen-

Do you guys think that it would also help to switch from something that involves a lot of writing to something that involves less when doing homework?

Unknown said...

kristen- grades are definately a lot of competition. Some people want to be the best in their class and that is competetion. They want to do better at their school works and things.

amyw said...

I've always thought that if you're really trying and you aren't the best, that's good! At least you're trying, struggling through it, and accomplishing something. This applies to real life too. Even if you don't get a Most Improved trophy in real life, you'll still know that people appreciate that you're really trying, and you'll feel a sense of accomplishment. And that's like your reward, even if you don't actually get a trophy.

Caitlin said...

How could laughter and joyfullness be incorporated into the workplace? And How would this help workers?

kristenw said...

clara and lia -
ya I think that anytime you are swithching activities your brain gets refreshed and you can think better

Liap said...

Kristen-
That's a good thought. I know a lot of people who feel a need to get better grades than an older sibling or a friend, which drives them to do better in school. However, they are also a way to motivate yourself to do better and better.

Unknown said...

I think we all needs laptops to carry around all day so that we can incorporate these new skills in all of our classes.

meganu said...

Kristenw- I think grades are definitly used for competition in schools. Students are rewarded for getting above average grades. Even competion between schools occurs. Almost every school wants to get better CSAP scores than the others.

Alyssa S. said...

Kristen- I think that as far as grades go, some people can make good grades a competitive game. Those kids make school their life, and study a lot. But I think that competitive people may not do well in school, they may only show their competitive side in sports or other things.

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