Below you will find six games and two articles.
I played the first three games as a child. I spent hours in front of a computer screen because these games were fun. Little did I know, these games were teaching me problem solving skills. My parents did not see it that way...they thought I was just wasting my time.
The second three games also teach problem solving skills. As I played them, (for research purposes) I realized that they are not too different from the games I played as a child. Not only are the games fun and have much better graphics, they are readily available to the public and increase problem-solving skills.
The last article shares problem solving games that are not video game based. While computers and video game consoles can be great learning tools, it is important for students to be mobile and not become zombies in front of a screen.
I hope you have a couple of hours to enjoy all of the games and articles!
Part II
For this part of my project, I took a trip down memory lane. I chose to play the original Super Mario Brothers and write my experience below. Enjoy!
According to my research into video game based learning, Super Mario Brothers is a "complex game." It is not trivial, it requires multiple skills and takes hours to master. It is similar to Sonic the Hedgehog (actually Sonic is Sega's Mario) in that it is a "cultural model" because you are the good guy defeating the evil Bowser. Lastly, my research tells me that Mario Brothers in not a "serious game" because it does not take on any serious issues like how to lead an army or build a town.
Super Mario Brothers is a side scrolling game in which two Italian plumbers avoid, jump on or throw fire balls at mushroom shaped bad guys, square spikes with faces and mean turtles. The goal of the game is to save the princess from the evil turtle shaped, spiked back, two leg walking, boss named Bowser. All of this sounds ridiculous... and it is, but Mario and Luigi was the first of it's kind and they are still the most popular franchise in gaming.
As a child, I played and watched my siblings and friends play a lot of Mario. I played it on the regular Nintendo, Super Nintendo, Game Boy, Nintendo 64 and on the Wii. The main reason I selected the original Mario Brothers game for the assignment is nostalgia. I can still remember waiting for my turn to play and playing with my friends for hours and hours. I also chose this game because I want to know what Mario taught me. I played Mario and other games for fun and because it was a social event. Little did I know all that I was learning.
I learned to play by watching my older brother play. He and his friends played a lot and occasionally would let me in on the action. When I did get to play, I learned through trial and error (mostly error). The game challenged me because it was nearly impossible to beat. The quickness of the game challenged me. As a youngster, I had to learn how to keep up with the fast paced turtle shells and the jumping hammer brothers. That challenge contributed to my competitive nature. I believe that competition helped me with my school work because I wanted to be recognized for being good at things.
Through this activity, I learned that I spent a lot of time as a child playing video games, and I enjoyed it very much. I also learned that video games contributed to my good hand-eye coordination. I often think about how 'kids these days' are playing too many video games. But as I look back on my childhood, I wonder where I would be without games like Mario Brothers.
One thing that I have learned from this research on video games is how many things video games can and do teach. The readings and my reflections have helped:
- my hand/eye coordination
- my reaction time
- expand my creativity
- my problem solving skills
- challenge myself
- teach me perseverance
- learn how to focus on one thing
- situational awareness
- collaborate with others
- me realize that video games can and will be an important part of education in the near future
No comments:
Post a Comment