Article Groups

I chose the group focusing on video games and literacy. I wanted these articles because I read What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Language(Learning?) & Literacy by James Gee for my book club book, and I found it really interesting. I like the idea that these so called mindless games are actually teaching us new ways to learn, and was interested in reading more about the subject.

James Gee is the goofiest looking old man I ever saw, but he is definitely on to something when it comes to literacy. I especially liked the pbs interview posted in the resource section, it sums up the whole book all in a nice and neat 5 minutes. The pbs interview with Katie Salen was also pretty interesting. I loved the idea that you could send a child to the type of school where learning is a hands on experience instead of forcing energetic kids to sit all day in a desk and stare at the board. It reminded me of a charter school in town where the Waldorf Method is used to teach children who cant sit in one place all day (which is all of them when you think about it).

It is just refreshing to read/watch/hear that there is something being done about this old fashioned, outdated way of teaching the youth of today. I think the creative observance of people like Gee and Salen can progress the schools of today into somewhere kids want to go to learn.