FAT gamers PHAT games

The link between childhood obesity 

and the use of video games and the 

watching of television is as the 

Vandewater study contends is of 

no significant relevance. (Vandewater 

2004)

The child's body mass index in my

opinion is directly linked to genetics 

and environment. The child will eat

as their parents eat or as they are 

allowed to eat. Diet is also, in my

opinion based on economics. The 

parents have to drive to the supermarket

to buy wholesome foods and have the

money to afford them. Inner city

children or parents of substance

abusers in many cases rely on  

the local deli. And as we all know 

hey are not stocked with wholesome 

foods. 

Is their a link between violent aggressive 

behaviors and the playing of video games 

or (Phat games) as I like to call them?

I don't know for sure, in a scientific sense.

My gut reaction is to say, their has to be.

But my feelings don't mean much in

the world of empirical research.  

The journal "An update on the effects

of playing violent video games" 

(Craig A. Anderson* 2003) is in my

opinion not a valid study. I see  the 

survey of existing literature as an 

attempt to fit a round peg in a square 

hole. The survey of literature is flawed

it blends the watching of violent videos 

with the playing of violent video

games. I see it as comparing oranges 

with grapefruits both are citrus fruits

but both taste totally different. In the 

case of video and video games they

in my opinion employ different types 

of literacy. The similarity is that they

are both viewer on a video screen.  

It also makes an dubious attempt to 

link school violence with the playing

of violent video games. By stating , "For

many in the general public, the 

problem of video game violence first

emerged with school shootings by avid 

players of such games...",then Anderson

by listing thirteen citations to link 

violent acts with the playing of video 

games has in effect fooled the reader

into an false sense of validity. And upon 

reading the rest of the survey I believe

that it was written to demonize the gamer.

I don't have the time to pick it apart 

line by line.

The other case study was both very 

scientific and very interesting. "Violence

exposure in real-life, videogames, 

television, movies, and the internet:

is there desensitization?" (Jeanne B. 

Funk 2004)  I gained a much greater 

understanding. The desensitizing effect 

that violent incidents and experiences

either through real or virtual experiences 

on emotional and cognitive functions is

a sobering thought. " Emotional and 

cognitive desensitization to violence 

decrease the likelihood that violent
behavior will be either censored or 

censured...." This statement should 

become a educational wake up call. The

implication of this in relation to the 

educating the our children leads 

me to the following thought. We as 

teachers need to reevaluate the way

in which instruction is delivered in

light of the psycho-social make up of

the desensitized student. 

To paraphrase  J. B. Funk, moral 

development is fostered through 

empathy. "Violence in screen-based 

media may affect empathy by 

desensitizing viewers to the true
consequences of violent actions...." 

The moral development of a child

directly effects the place in which

that child takes in society. Droves 

of  children that grow up with out

empathy leads me to believe that

the society in the  movie a Clock

Work Orange could become a reality. 

Where are we going as a society?

What can we expect from such

students in the classroom?  

LET THE GAMES CONTINUE #4 Lego Indy and then some

I tried some new games. Two card games 

in fact:"Tiks Texas Hold Em" and "Mystery

Solitaire". Texas hold em was just as I 

expected. It had all the technical aspects 

of playing poker with out any of the thrill

of the risk. The allure of gambling is the

thrill of risking your money ( fear) and the

thrill of winning money. This is an excellent 

example of why video games should be in 

the classroom. The student should learn

how to play poker before they risk 

playing in a real win/loose game.

The other game solitaire was quite 

interesting take on the traditional game. 

It laid out the cards in geometric patterns.

It also played with multiple decks of cards.

The game was very entertaining for its

use of problem solving properties.

I also played Lego Indy in the free play mode.

Layer upon layer and problem upon 

problem to navigate. These game designers

are brilliant. 

Learning Spaces The Final Frontier

What are learning spaces? I can define them 

in two different ways. Both are very important 

to the future of the Information Age student. 

The kind of student that we have in our classes 

today.  These students are described by Marc 

Prensky as "Digital Natives" and "Digital 

Immigrants". 

The first is the physical classroom including the 

teacher who facilitates the learning and the 

curriculum. Each and every classroom should be

 well equipped with the latest technology. A 

classroom should not have any computers that

have Windows 98 or system 9 in the case of a

Macintosh computer. The classroom should have 

XP or Vista in the case of a Windows PC or 

System 10 or above in the case of a Macintosh 

computer. We shouldn't have tape players but 

rather I-PODS should be the norm. Also the 

teacher needs to have the ability to evolve to the 

changing nature of E-education. And the curriculum

needs to be modified to include E- literacy.  

Adding  video games and the like to the 

curriculum should become the norm not the 

exception. Thus the student will become more

and better prepared for the future.

The second, learning space is the one that is

created not in the physical world but rather is 

created in the digital world. In the creation of

"worlds" any thing and any where is possible.

For example, Second Life  is created by hundreds 

of people for any number of reasons. All of which

have real meaning and purpose.  But the worlds

that are relevant to the educator are the virtual

Universities and other places of interest.

You as an avatar (not very risky) can fly in the 

Sistine Chapel to study Art and religion  of the

time. Or have a further understanding of 

schizophrenia by hearing voices in your head.

 

But this is already being done. Why not take 

the class on a field trip to the bottom of the 

ocean to learn about deep sea fish. Much of the

bottom of the sea was photographed. It could

be done.  Or go to Mars to explore the 

surface for possible colonization. The entire

surface was mapped by NASA and  a world

could be created with little effort.  The 

technology is already in use. Some school

districts like Jersey City have ITV Labs that

could accommodate a classroom of students.

Space could be obtained to create these worlds

by creating partnerships with science and 

technology concerns. Both governmental

and private industry could partner with 

universities to make this happen. 

  

   

LET THE GAMES CONTINUE on and on #3 Lego Indy

Well I beat the last level. It didn't take as 

much time as I thought. The game has 

rules of the road so to speak. Once you 

figure them out it becomes easy. It is a 

matter of solving several littler problems 

to finish the puzzle the gamers call a level.

And as we all know the levels continue on 

and on until the next new game comes out. 

It's just like living a  productive life. 

This is just another reason why video games

should be part of the curriculum.

This week I'm going to survey some 

games, for real.  

 

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.