Why can't school be like a video game?
In the James Gee article, Good Video Games and Good learning, the author makes very thought-provoking arguments about video games providing good learning principles. Many of the points that the author makes reinforce the argument that video games are designed to stimulate learning. If that is indeed the case, why can't school be like a video game? Can some of those elements that make a video game enjoyable be applied to classroom learning?
Gee uses biology instruction as an example to show that it is a "game" in which it is important to play the rules; is not school the same? Are there not certain practices and norms that are required in school in order to be productive and successful? If our schools are not producing successful learners, then perhaps some of the rules and practices should change in order to have students that are successful in school also be successful in life. If indeed we learn by doing, then maybe we should "do" things in school more like the way they "do" things in a video game.
One of the principles of video games that may help schools have more successful students involves giving students the opportunity to fail, so that they are not afraid of failure and so that they can LEARN from failure. In life, there are definitely more failures than successes. In school, however, failure is not appreciated as a pathway to success. It is important for students to feel comfortable enough in their school environment to not allow a fear of failure to keep them from taking risks. It is only through risk-taking in life that students, business owners, and people in general are able to achieve success.
Yet another principle of video games that the author highlights and that I was struck by is the principle of performance before competence. This is in direct opposition with the current school learning model, which insists upon having some level of expertise before even trying. How discouraging and daunting of a task is this? If that pressure is removed, perhaps more students would, again, not be afraid to try unfamiliar tasks and would develop persistence and cultivate natural curiosity about learning. Perhaps students would become better learners...
I completely agree with your last paragraph. Lately I've really been thinking about the quote "What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?" and I think this would be an interesting concept to bring into the classroom. We're encouraged to build a safe learning environment for students, and this speaks to level beyond just physical safety. If we could lesson plan around trial and error, then allow our students to experiment in a consequence free environment; would we make a better learner?
ReplyDeleteI find all your thoughts here fascinating; some I've been mulling over myself, others I hadn't yet thought of. I certainly have been wondering to myself how we could incorporate the aspects of video games that make playing it fun into the classroom. Honestly, I don't think bringing video games into the classroom is appropriate (students can play video games on their own time, time with peers and a school teacher should be devoted to activities that utilize the presence of these others). But, if students could come to approach school the way they approach video games, learning would occur with much less anguish and much more thirst and passion.
ReplyDeleteAs for the idea of performing before mastery (opposite to the current school paradigm) - I hadn't thought in these terms. Perhaps this is exactly what make video games so fun. Perhaps if we could truly create a culture in which trying before mastery is the norm, then kids would approach school-based learning with a lot more enthusiasm.
Dear Blogger,
ReplyDeleteYes, Gee says video games are designed to stimulate learning. His point is persuasive when he talks about how a good game offers the elements of cognitive and motivational engagement that have equivalents in the learning process in general. Much more than making me want to go play computer games or find good ones for my classroom, I liked what he talked about as a metaphor for planning and structuring learning in general. We should think about the elements that make a good game and try to include as many as we can when thinking about how students will learn and planning lessons.
That's the thing, though. Most games, I think, especially the popular ones, do stimulate learning. The player learns how to play them better. The player is taught to want to keep playing that game.