Double Entry Journal #12

1. What is the main argument the author is making in Chapter 5?

The main argument that the author is making in chapter 5 is that their is a connection between video games and learning. 

 

2. What constitutes a theory of learning?

Patterns and Principles. 

 

3. Why did the author struggle to learn to play Warcraft III? What needs to proceed before good learning principles?

The author struggles to learn to play Warcraft III because he "failed to engage with it in a way that full recruited its solid design and learning principles (Gee, 59)."  Motivation needs to be proceed before good learning principles.

4. How would have the authors struggle with learning to play Warcraft III been interpreted in school?

The authors struggle with learning to play Warcraft III would been interpreted as a failure in school. 

 

5. What kind of learning experience might be better suited for at risk students?

At risk students might be better in an environment where they can play video games. 

 

6. Why does the school-based interpretation of "at risk" lead to bad learning?

The school-based interpretation of "at risk" leads to bad learning because they are not challenging the students. 

 

7. What do schools need to do to function more like a good game?

Schools need to challenge their students more.

 

8. What is different about how good games and school assess learners?

Schools give students tests and then based on those tests teachers decide what is best for the student. Games allow students to make their own decisions and choose what level of learning is best for them. 

 

 9. What are the attributes of a  fish-tank tutorial that make it an effective learning tool? How is it different than school-based learning?

The fish-tank tutorial allows the player to asses their own learning style by actually playing the game and learning how they learn best. This is different from the way that learning takes place in schools because in school, the student is assessed and then adults decide what is best for the student.

 

10. What is a sand-box tutorial? Why is effective? How is it different that school-based learning?

The sand-box tutorial is where the student is free to explore. It is effective because it allows the students to decide what the best way to learn is. This is different from school-based learning because in school, the student is assessed and then adults decide what is best for the student.

11. What is a genre? Why is it important for good learning?

Genre means the "type of thing something is (68)." It is important for good learning because the students needs to know what type of things teachers are asking them to learn.  

 

12. According to the author, what do learning and play having in common?

You are always learning something even when you are having fun. 

  

13. How are the skills test in good games different from skills tests in school?

Skills tests in school are not usually "developmental for the learner and not evaluative (73)."

 

14. How does RoN support collaborative learning?

He allows players to work in groups.

 

15. Match at least one learning principle of good games (on page 74) with each the following learning theorists you have studied in 3352:

Dewey #1

Vygotsky #12

Piaget #5

Gardner #14

Bandura #9

Skinner #15