Recent posts for David Williamson Shaffer
Buscando con poca luz: los videojuegos y el futuro de la evaluación
Publicación original:
Gee, J. P., & Shaffer, D. W. (September/October 2010). Looking Where the Light is Bad: Video Games and the Future of Assessment. Phi Delta Kappa International EDge, 6(1).
http://epistemicgames.org/eg/wp-content/uploads/06_shaffer_buscando1.pdf
Undergraduate Engineers Engaging and Reflecting in a Professional Practice Simulation
D’Angelo, C., Shaffer, D. W., & Chesler, N. (2011) Undergraduate Engineers Engaging and Reflecting in a Professional Practice Simulation. Paper presented at American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), Vancouver, British Columbia.
http://epistemicgames.org/eg/wp-content/uploads/2011_ASEE_Final_2481.pdf
Life imitates (terms of) Art
Still believe that video games are not about a “way of thinking”? Then consider this, from a recent news article about the Green Bay Packers’ running back Brandon Jackson:
Although not viewed as a dynamic runner, Jackson made a move in the open field against Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher in the NFC Championship Game that wowed his Packers teammates. Jackson caught a short pass, then squared his hips and made a sharp cut to his right, making Urlacher whiff.
When asked about his teammates’ reaction, Jackson laughed and said, “They said, that was the Madden R-2 button,” which is a button on the video game controller that causes the ballcarrier to make a nifty move.
So even pro ball players “see” their work in terms of the video games they play.
Q.E.D.
With a grain of salt
Knowing how I feel about the value of teaching spelling in school–which is that it is a waste of time–my daughters naturally delight in bringing me home their lists of spelling words.
Here were a few choice words from last week, which even they found hard to defend as important elements of 21st Century learning:
Salisbury Steak
Maltese Cat
Salt Cellar
Falconer
My daughter did say that her teacher always reminds the class: “You never know when one of these words will come up in your reading.” Which is true enough–although I have only ever seen “Salisbury Steak” in print in two places in my life: on a Swanson TV dinner package and on a poorly translated menu at a roadside cafe in Greece.
And I think by that logic Maltese Falcon would be a better choice than Maltese Cat. Regardless, I doubt either is worth much instructional time on those grounds.
The others got me thinking, though. There isn’t much call for Salt Cellars these days–nor Falconers, for that matter–but they are useful terms if you are interested in history.
So I guess the question is: what’s the best way to learn about something like a salt cellar? By defining the word, or by doing something–either historical research or some kind of historical game or reenactment–that uses the concept?
I think it depends on how you view learning:
If education is about learning a bunch of isolated concepts (like falconer) in the hope that they may come up some day, and when they do that you may remember them, then spelling tests (where you learn the definition of collections of words) are useful.
But…
If you think education is about developing ways of thinking, then you’re better off spending instructional time learning things (like what salt cellars are and why they were once so important) in the service some some larger goal–like playing an historical game, or doing actual research.
I wonder what kind of epistemic game would help you learn what Salisbury Steak is?
The Future of Serious Gaming Presentation
David Shaffer presented at the October, 20 2010 Expert Meetings: the Future of Serious Gaming. In this talk, he explores past educational settings and technological developments in order to provide historical context for his current research. With the Epistemic Games Group, Shaffer looks to effectively use today’s computer technology as part of education in a digital world.
David Shaffer from STT on Vimeo.
