Cartoons & Video Games

The article, “Understanding Comics” was fun to read since it was in cartoon form. The article discuses how cartoons grab our attention and how we become one with certain objects, such as a car, bicycle and etc. I found it interesting that we like plain cartoons because we can fill in the blank and relate it to ourselves. Writing and drawing are separate because they give us two forms of expression.

 

The article, “Semiotic Domains: Is Playing Video Games a “Waste of Time” gave a great overview on why video games are useful and not a “waste of time”. There are many different domains and each domain can link to the other like a building block of knowledge. This article uses evidence from a six year old boy that played “Pikmin” a Nintendo game. Throughout the article they proved that the game benefited the boy. It is important that the semiotic domain is active. In other words learning is taking place. A person needs to learn internally and externally because they work together. The boy now eleven is involved with a game called, “Naruto” which is more advanced than what he was playing. He learned to problem solve and reflect throughout the games. After reading this article I feel different about video games. I also thought they were a waste of time. Now I realize some games learning takes place. Video games are also like cartoons with images and words working together making the person think.

A Rape in Cyberspace

I found the article by Julian Dibbell quite interesting. Obviously, Mr. Bungle was a sick and twisted character, but I feel like that’s the extent of it.. He was just a character. Do I feel that what this person did was right? Definitely not. However, I feel that the women who were “raped” in this virtual space understood going in, exactly how people can get on the internet. The anonymity of places like LambdaMOO gives people the feeling that they can do or say whatever they want. This is exactly how it was for the person who created Mr. Bungle. While I do understand how the women felt violated from these violent online attacks, I feel that they may have exaggerated a bit. I find it really interesting, though, how close someone can feel to a virtual character they create online. It’s almost as if they were the character on the screen.

Video Games and Learning

Video Games

I remember when I was younger my mother always yelling at my brother , “stop wasting time playing video games and go do your homework.” My mother would never agree that video games can be a learning experience. I on the other hand would disagree. I think video games are a great way to learn. I think it is important to remember though that too much of anything is not good, but in moderation video games can be a great way to learn. The article discusses the multiplicity of literacy. We tend to define literacy as the ability to read and write but it can also be applied to other domains. In order to play a video game you must be able to understand how to read signs such as images and symbols within the game. Going back to my mother, she thinks learning has to be limited to simply reading text books and listening to a teacher lecture, but in essence we learn everyday without knowing it. In the article he says on page twenty three “We always learn something.” All video games make us think in a different way and also help children think independently and critically. For example some video games help some practice self discipline and definitely help develop motor skills but children at young ages do not see playing video games as learning which is ultimately the best part. The Sims is another game that promotes learning. This games allows one to build a house establish a career and eventually get married and start a family. One must pay bills and make sure they arrive to work on time. This teaches the responsibilities of real life in a computer game. This are all examples of what the article refers to as active learning.

Digital Learners

Engaging Students

“Join Jamie McKenzie for an exciting day of hands-on learning activities devoted to the concepts of originality, synthesis, invention, imagination and novelty.”  Full description is at this site.  You can register and pay for the seminar at this site.  “New standards from the American School Librarians and ISTE both call for students to do more than gather information when they research.  They set the expectation that students develop good new ideas, not just scoop and smush, copy and paste.  This Feb. 3rd seminar in NJ will provide participants with a toolkit of synthesis skills required to invent good new ideas along with strategies to equip their students with the creative capacity to meet the standards.”

Take Away The Stress!

There has been ample medical evidence over the past decade or so that confirms that stress is bad for our heart.  It’s not just our heart—many chronic illnesses are now linked to stress and the way we live our lives.  The Institute of HeartMath, a research organization in Boulder, Calif. has found that the electromagnetic signal of the heart is approximately 50 times the amplitude of the brain signals.  There turns out to be much more information going north from heart to brain than the other way around!  Since the brain is influenced by signals from the heart, school children can learn tools to decrease test anxiety, improve their emotions and attitudes, which could increase their scores and some students could get off their ADHD medications.  The avoided energy drain makes for higher performance. 

SMART Board Technology

Milwaukee-based InfoCor recently designed and released its new Satalight Interactive Learning Station with SMART board technology. The product is designed to increase productivity and participation for adults and children with disabilities. InfoCor designed the product with wheelchair-enabled students in kindergarten through 12th grade in mind.Check out this video for more information.

Parents Attacking Teachers

Are some parents becoming out of control? In Oklahoma they obviously are. In the following video called Parent-teacher attacks on the rise it expresses how Oklahoma teachers are facing violents parents on a regular basis.

Ability Grouping

I have been working on a paper for my Literacies in Today’s World class and I came across some interesting research. My topic was on ability grouping in the classroom. This is a popular method used in many classrooms. Ability grouping is basically self explanatory but for those who don’t know ability grouping is the placement of children in a classroom put into groups based on their abilities. These student can move from group to group when needed. I am especially passionate about this subject because I remember being in grade school and witnessing this method in my classrooms. I remember the first grade my teacher made four groups in the classroom. She named these groups the “Blue Jays” and the “sparrows” and so on. Even in the first grade we knew who was in the fast group and those who were in the slower reading groups. However I do think that it is very important to have students work in groups but these groups should be mixed ability. Ability grouping can be damaging to a young students self confidence and may have an effect on their future learning. I feel there is no room for improvement when students are limited to learning with students of the same ability because much of what we learn in school is from our peers. If a teacher groups low ability students together than he/she is setting low expectations for them. I just don’t think it is appropriate!! What do you all think???