IDENTITY PLAY: ID EGO and SUPERMARIO

Lets start with the second question first. How do

the characters and setting in literary works compare 

(books vs. games) and how do we react to them? 

First I'll address the aspect of setting. In a game the

setting or world is a first hand experience for the 

player (reader). The player sees the world and 

they become part of this interactive world that is 

much less removed from reality. On the other hand, 

the reader of a novel for example does not have

the same first hand experience. The reader has in 

effect become more removed from reality in that the 

author of the novel describes a scene. The reader then

constructs the scene in their minds eye and fills in all

the blanks from pieces from their own experiences.

The description in a novel becomes subjected to the

readers interpretation. This is not so with the player

what you see is not subject to interpretation.

Gee's concept of  the three  identities is valid for both

the novel and the game.  Although their are similarities

and differences in relation to taking on character 

perspective in a novel and being the character in a game.

First, as for virtual identity you the reader and the gamer 

both become the character. In a novel I can become a 

character in the story. My mind  creates a world by which

I am Gandalf in the novel the Hobbit. Interaction in the 

novel becomes limited and it is a second hand experience.

In the game of the same title I can become Gandalf as well.

But it is a first hand experience I have a constructed world

that I as Gandalf can interact with. The experience in the

game becomes an almost first hand experience.

For both the novel and the game the real world identity 

stays the same. We as reader and gamer stay the same.

I am who I am and I can be no one else.

A question that could be asked is how does a novel

effect the reader as apposed to how does the game 

effect the player of the game. Also how do both the game

and the novel effect each other.

As for the final identity, the projective identity the 

reader and the gammer differ. As the reader of a 

novel  you can't as Gee states, "see... the virtual 

character as one's own project in the making...." I 

read about the character and try to figure out the 

symbolism the author wants to convey. I am Gandalf 

only with in the confines of the authors story line.

There is no real part of me in the character. This is 

apposed to the character identification in the game. I

am both Gandalf and me in the game. I am a part of 

the virtual world that the author has created. I interact

with the world and I can change the story. I have in 

effect became a hybrid both Gandalf and myself.  

This leads me to the second part of the question.

Do you think the identity play allowed in many games

is beneficial or harmful? 

I don't know for sure. I think that we need to research 

this aspect of human psyche with great vigor. We have

a great opportunity to further mankind with the use 

of an electronic curriculum.  

I do agree with Gee when he stated that..."virtual identity

of a child or person who plays 'the character' (you) is

the 'hero' (center) of the story and in that sense the 'good 

guy' no matter how bad he or she might be from another

perspective." I don't know if this can be seen as a kind of 

second hand sociopathic experience where the player 

practices the behavior. Bad in effect becomes good. And

consequences don't matter. Or can it be an avenue for the 

release of pent up anger through role play. Can it be a 

way for a socially timid child to gain confidence without 

risking much a psychosocial moratorium. I do know

that each child/person is different and I do believe

that it could be all of the above and more.

LET THE GAMES CONTINUE #2 Lego Indy

Ok, Im getting much better, my hand and eye seems to 

have become one. I beat two levels in the story mode

and my nephew showed me how to play in the free

play mode. I think I have been playing a bit too much. 

It becomes too time consuming to beat the levels and 

I have the kind of personality that has to beat the 

game. 

I love solving problems.  All kinds of them.

I also like beating systems. And have always

been a risk taker. 

I believe that I am ready to take (me, myself and I), I

mean my three identities to a different type of  game.

The Ongoing Learner Principle is in full effect. What's 

next?

A side comment:

My 5 year old students who also play the game were

given a educational treat. I brought in to class a series

of technology legos. The whole class learned to design 

and build a host of technological devices like cars, 

krinckle paper making machines and structures. I only

wish I had an X BOX in the class. But do have several 

alternative ideas.

  

LEARNING LIGHT #2 lightening, electricity and lasers

On the surface Lankshear and Kobel see that the majority contend
that the new literacy is the advent of new communication technologies
into pop culture and the social ramifications of the them. With the
advent of digital electronic media we read, write and communicate
faster. Digital electronic media also gives us the options to
communicate and express our thoughts and ideas using several
different devices. But also, Lankshear and Kobel note the invention of
Fan Fiction (fanfic) and Manga comics.These genera have little to
do with technology but rather they have more to do with the
combination of graphics with text. Weather like in the case of
fanfic, they use existing iconic characters in pop culture and
literature then write new scripts for them. Or like in the case of
Manga comics the authors combine the pictures and the text
in a new format.

This is where the title of this weeks blog comes into focus.
I see all literacy as light. The flash of the light may be slightly
different, none the less, the relationship of picture to text (the light)
is there.  Semiotic domains... {symbolic representations}... Gee, is the
driving force of all literacy.

Lightening represents the innate organic function by which
we as humans process the pictures that we create in our
minds that both enable us to express our thoughts and ideas and
give meaning to out side thoughts and ideas.

Electricity and lasers are the delivery systems by which we
communicate thoughts and concepts. Electricity is the picture/ text
and their combination from cave pantings to writing, to printing on
paper to printing on the web. The lasers are the delivery system by
which the thoughts and ideas are delivered from scribes to mass
printings to the electronic.

As for seeing any signs of life in the school I work in. The patient is
in a coma. I see no signs of life.  As for the district I work for they
run the hospital that has the best facilities to keep the patient
comfortably numb in a comatose state.

LET THE GAMES CONTINUE

I'm still playing Lego Indiana Jones. Its getting easier to play 

but what a gaming wimp I am. I found out that not one but two 

of Pre-K students are playing the same game. A game that is 

is rated everyone 10+. The funny thing is that the students 

hum the indy theme song and they take math counters and 

small interlocking toys imitate the game. They swing on 

the whip they, chase each other (figuratively) and act out

some of the scenes in the story.  

why adults like or dislike video games?

It is a matter of social acceptability first and for most. Do the 

people that effect my life see something ( video games ) the 

same way that I do. Or is it that they influence me into their

notion of social acceptability. Either way it doesn't change

the fact that video games have..."good principals of learning 

built into its design are...." Gee   I am of like mind with Gee 

when he contends that video games should be thought of as 

another form of literacy. Just as all mass communication

genre TV, radio, internet, etc. should be taught as a literacy. 

(more about this later)

...Semiotic domains... {symbolic representations}... Gee is

spot on as to the popularity of video games. The first leap from

invention of oral language into mass communication was the 

invention of a written language. This was all representational.

Cave painting was the most concrete way to communicate in a 

way that would create meaning for the reader. Later came the 

invention of an pictographic language as represented by the 

Egyptian hieroglyphics. The Phoenician language used graphic signs 

to represent sounds which over time became less concrete.

Phoenician evolved to become less concrete and more symbolic.

This alphabet later evolved into the letters used in the 

Indo-European family of languages. Today a modern example is 

the Chinese language which is made up of thousands of characters.

As technology progressed we created more effective ways of

delivering the picture in our mind or thought, the fact stays the same 

that we learn and communicate through pictures. Video games are 

an excellent way for people to learn.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN

Well it has been a very long time since I played any kind of video games.

It started with pinball "skylab" was the name of the game and it was in the back 

of Joe and Mary's luncheonette. I pumped a lot of coins into it.

then came a whole host of coin operated video games in several arcades from Cape

May to North Bergen and even 42ed street in the city. I really liked to play and I 

was not so bad either. And I even played pong on the tv ( didn't like it as much).

This was all during my grammer and high school years. Good by 70's and mid 80's.

I became Rip Van Winkle, in relation to video  games the late 80's to the mid 90's.

I woke up 2 years after the kids were born and I introduced them to pc game put- 

put saves the zoo. I played the lots of games with them and through them.  I didn't 

play for my self

In 2009 I was awaken to rejoin the game. I bought an X-BOX 360 for my own 

personal use. And I tried the game "End War".  It was much to complicated for an 

old fart like me.  After reading the manual and several long sessions, I realized that 

I was the equivalent to video age child. So I thus played a child's game Lego's 

Indiana Jones for children 10+ . This just so happens to be the same game as one of my 5-year old students is playing. He sings the song and makes Indiana figure out of 

Legos.

So I liked it. Instead of watching tv or reading I played every day this week.

So I stink and haven't  beat the game but I see what Gee was talking about.

With a little tweeking  of Social Studies, Math, Reading  and problem solving 

could be learned by all. And dam it could be fun. 

I still have to learn the necessary skills to beat the game. I know that I am rusty.

young children and media

..."92% agree or strongly agree that children learn from television,..." "[63%] disagree with the statement that 'Playing video games is harmful', and 66% agree with the statement that 'Children can learn skills from playing video games.' It may be the case that work by educators such as James Paul Gee (2003)...."p 48 

With statistics like this how is it that the educational community has not come up with a standardization and standards for teaching "media literacy". p 57

We all as educators and parents have seen our children glued to all the different forms of media and mass communication. They breath in the latest in pop culture through the use of all sorts of different devices. And create and spread new pop culture and ideas through these very same 

devices and media. In many cases, the device itself has become the object of pop culture as exemplified by the introduction of the Nintendo wii and the i-pod. 

Since this is a part of modern society, it is the educational communities' obligation to: one

study the phenomenon, two create standards for teaching the various mediums and devices

and three create curriculum to teach the standards. In keeping up with the technology we as educators can maximize the student's ability to learn and function in society.

 

how do i learn

I learn a lot of different ways: 

i learned welding, pottery, carpentry, and metal work by looking then doing

i learned painting, drawing, creating and teaching by it being a part of me

i learned about early life by listening mom and sometimes dad

i learned everything else by reading, writing, from every one who i touched and who touched me

i learned i still have so much more to learn 

article brain, mind,exp., school ch4

wow what an educational rush, i had to read it several times  and i think i have to read it several

times more to understand it fully. i would like to touch on something that was not addressed by the authors. the pre natal questions does learning start in the womb. does mother effect the learning by her emotional state, the food she eats or health condition while pregnant. does listening to classical music or mom's songs or dads voice effect the learning process . does it mark the start of the learning process. 

learning is

THE QUESTION IS DOES THE INSTITUTION OF "SCHOOL" USE THE BEST METHODS TO FOSTER  TRUE LEARNING?

NO, AND I SITE THE EXAMPLE OF THE PEDAGOGICAL MESS (HIGH SCOPE) THAT WAS SHOVED DOWN OUR THROAT WITH IN PRE-K PROGRAM IN THE JERSEY CITY PS.

THIS IS A METHODOLOGICAL MYTH THAT WAS COOKED UP IN THE STATE OF MI AND REALLY DOES NOT ADDRESS THE LEARNER THAT HAS EITHER BEEN BORN IN JC OR CAME TO JC FROM THE 4 CORNERS OF THE COUNTRY OR THE WORLD.