What Video Games Have to Teach us about Learning and literacy…and how to age yourself by using video games. -Tice

I found this book to be informational and entertaining.  Gee uses a lot of gaming references and examples to show his points, which were helpful and kinda made me want to try out these games.  Though a lot of the games are considered old in comparison to how quickly games are being produced and graphics wise.  Looking back on my own gaming experience I had to see if there was anything similar to the many principles of learning Gee describes in the games I played.  Alright Cherie, get ready to be aged video game style

• Pong- Atari
• Super Mario Brothers -NES
• Duck Hunt- NES
• Toe Jam and Earl- Sega Genesis
• Mario Bros- Gameboy with headset
• Tetris- Game boy
• Alex Kidd in Miracle World- Sega Master
• Sonic the Hedgehog- Sega Master/Sega Game Gear
• Mortal Kombat- any system it was on
• Super Mario World- Super Nintendo
• Donkey Kong- Super Nintendo
• Mario Kart 64- Nintendo 64
• Mario Party- Nintendo 64
• Tony Hawks Pro Skater- Playstation
• Any wwe game no later than PS2
• Midnight Club Street Racing- PS2
• Tony Hawk Underground-PS2
• a sad attempt at Halo
• some random xbox games.
• Some random Wii games
• Driver- PC
• Tycoon games- PC
• Sims- PC

So as it can be seen, my gaming chops are a little out of date. In my heyday of gaming I just made a goal to get to the castle, and hoped i jumped high enough on the flag to get some extra points. It seemed less like learning and more like memorization. I would remember how to defeat certain things. It was all trial and error, no introductions on playing. If you died it sucks to be you and you started from either the beginning or the save point.

I think that in the end that is a big thing in gaming. The gamers are making goals to gain enough knowledge and experience to get past the area they died in.  Perhaps it is the goals that keep gamers gaming, and they don’t realize they are the ultimate goal setters  [Possibly connected to Principle 13. Ongoing Learning]

Gamer’s don’t see themselves as learning when it comes to games, and maybe that is something future teachers should look at. I find that when i don’t feel like i am learning i learn the most, or can at least remember an area of a book where i saw the information.  Even young children learn through fun and play and then things change. Maybe that is the problem. People a being forced to learn in a way that is not natural for us to do so.  WE NEED GAMES!