Gee: " During the eary episodes, you gain a wide variety of such situated information from these kiosks, though you can pass them by if you feel you don't need any more information and know how to use the basic controls of the game."(136)
Schirripa: This is seen a lot in the school setting. Teachers often give additional information or avenues to help the student better understand the material, but many times students do not want to spend the extra time out of their schedule to do so. The way a player wants to rush into the next room or level becuase they feel that "know" what they are doing is the same way a student wants to rush off to their next activity without thinking they may need to know this later on.
When Gee talks about "garden paths" and fruitful patterns I wish he would have given specific examples. He seems to come down very hard on schools and teachers for these "garden paths" which makes me look at my own activities and the way to approach it. A specific example would give me a better understanding of what he was really talking about.
Gee: "But basic skills can be learned by playing the game- and not through decontextualized skill-and-drill - because the games are well designed in the ways in which they construct their training modules and early episodes..."
Schirripa: This to me is the key to learning. When reading this passage I immediately thought of learning in context as opposed to isolated facts. When a student learns in context they are able to see connections immediately.
Gee: " In fact, it is a crucial learning principle that people learn best when they have an opportunity to talk (and write) about what they are learning."
Schirripa: When a person is enjoying what they are doing they want to learn more and tell more people about it.
Reflection on Gee: The principles he included in each chapter were crucial for me to make a full connection between video games and learning. It did expose me to many games I have never heard of and realize their learning potential.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
blog 1
Elbow: "We should honor nonverbal knowing, inviting students to use low stakes writing to fumble and fish for words for what they sense and intuit but cannot clearly say." (6)
Schirripa: This statement is true in that many times students need to get what little they may be able to express in words out before it making complete sense. Students need to feel comfortable trying to put their thoughts down, and if they know they are not getting a number grade they seem more willing to put their own ideas down.
Elbow: "How we talk and what we say are probably the main basis on which people we meet look down on us or are impressed with us." (6)
Schirripa: People do make initial judgements based on the typed of language a person speaks. It is stressed in college to speak correctly without any accent. If you have a certain accent it is seen as a person being less educated than a person speaking properly.
Elbow: " Even when we write clear, accurate, valid, and helpful comments, our students often read them through distorted lens of resistance or discouragement- or downright denial."(9)
Schirripa: Past experience does prove this statement true in my case. I would sit for days going through papers trying to give as much feedback as possible and most of the students even came away disappointed when I wrote positive responses. I was thinking that they would use it to improve in the future, but they still seem to repeat the same mistakes. Thinking that it was the student not reading it, I planned to start conferencing with the students for this upcoming year. I thought maybe a one to one conversation might let them understand that I am also highlighting their strong points instead of criticizing their faults.
Elbow: "Minimal, nonverbal, noncritical response. We can note effective or strong or correct passages by simply putting a straight line underneath particular words or phrases or alongside longer sections." (9)
Schirripa: This strategy is something I will definately try in my classroom. It makes it easier for me, so I do not get too wordy with my comments. When a student glances over her paper she will see that I am acknowledging her effort and good work. Simple markings show instantly that something is important or correct.
Elbow: "When we assign s piece of writing and don't comment on it, we are not not-teaching: we are actively setting up powerful conditions for learning by getting students to do something they wouldn't do without the force of our teaching." (11)
Schirripa: Giving an assignment that is not being graded gives the students a sense of freedom when writing. They do not need to be worried about how they wrote something or if they did it perfectly. It gives them a chance to fully express themselves without criticism. A student gets the practice she needs before having to write a formal piece, building on her confidence in a certain area.
Murray: "Instead of teaching finished writing, we should teach unfinished writing, and glory in its unfinishedness. We work with language in action. We share with our students the continual excitement of choosing one word instead of another, of searching for the one true word." (4)
Schirripa: It is difficult for some students to interchange words once they put them on paper. It is a challenging task to get them to realize playing with different words can make a statement that much stronger. It is amazing to see the results once your students realize that looking at a sentence trying to tweak a word here or there can be a lot of fun and very rewarding in the end. The class ends up having a blast when you put a boring paragraph on the board and have different people change part of it to make it more interesting or complex.
Murray: We have to respect the student, not for his product, not for the paper we call literature by giving it a grade, but for the search for truth in which he is engaged. We must listen carefully for those words that may reveal a truth, that may reveal a voice. We must respect our student for his potential truth and his potential voice. We are coaches, encouragers, developers, creators of environments in which our students can experience the writing process." (5)
Schirripa: I needed to put this quote in because it is a philosophy I closely relate to. I am adopting this as my philosophy on teaching writing. Students should not be restrained by comments when they are writing. It is important that the teacher gives each student freedom and time to produce their work thoroughly at their own pace and with their own style.
Schirripa: This statement is true in that many times students need to get what little they may be able to express in words out before it making complete sense. Students need to feel comfortable trying to put their thoughts down, and if they know they are not getting a number grade they seem more willing to put their own ideas down.
Elbow: "How we talk and what we say are probably the main basis on which people we meet look down on us or are impressed with us." (6)
Schirripa: People do make initial judgements based on the typed of language a person speaks. It is stressed in college to speak correctly without any accent. If you have a certain accent it is seen as a person being less educated than a person speaking properly.
Elbow: " Even when we write clear, accurate, valid, and helpful comments, our students often read them through distorted lens of resistance or discouragement- or downright denial."(9)
Schirripa: Past experience does prove this statement true in my case. I would sit for days going through papers trying to give as much feedback as possible and most of the students even came away disappointed when I wrote positive responses. I was thinking that they would use it to improve in the future, but they still seem to repeat the same mistakes. Thinking that it was the student not reading it, I planned to start conferencing with the students for this upcoming year. I thought maybe a one to one conversation might let them understand that I am also highlighting their strong points instead of criticizing their faults.
Elbow: "Minimal, nonverbal, noncritical response. We can note effective or strong or correct passages by simply putting a straight line underneath particular words or phrases or alongside longer sections." (9)
Schirripa: This strategy is something I will definately try in my classroom. It makes it easier for me, so I do not get too wordy with my comments. When a student glances over her paper she will see that I am acknowledging her effort and good work. Simple markings show instantly that something is important or correct.
Elbow: "When we assign s piece of writing and don't comment on it, we are not not-teaching: we are actively setting up powerful conditions for learning by getting students to do something they wouldn't do without the force of our teaching." (11)
Schirripa: Giving an assignment that is not being graded gives the students a sense of freedom when writing. They do not need to be worried about how they wrote something or if they did it perfectly. It gives them a chance to fully express themselves without criticism. A student gets the practice she needs before having to write a formal piece, building on her confidence in a certain area.
Murray: "Instead of teaching finished writing, we should teach unfinished writing, and glory in its unfinishedness. We work with language in action. We share with our students the continual excitement of choosing one word instead of another, of searching for the one true word." (4)
Schirripa: It is difficult for some students to interchange words once they put them on paper. It is a challenging task to get them to realize playing with different words can make a statement that much stronger. It is amazing to see the results once your students realize that looking at a sentence trying to tweak a word here or there can be a lot of fun and very rewarding in the end. The class ends up having a blast when you put a boring paragraph on the board and have different people change part of it to make it more interesting or complex.
Murray: We have to respect the student, not for his product, not for the paper we call literature by giving it a grade, but for the search for truth in which he is engaged. We must listen carefully for those words that may reveal a truth, that may reveal a voice. We must respect our student for his potential truth and his potential voice. We are coaches, encouragers, developers, creators of environments in which our students can experience the writing process." (5)
Schirripa: I needed to put this quote in because it is a philosophy I closely relate to. I am adopting this as my philosophy on teaching writing. Students should not be restrained by comments when they are writing. It is important that the teacher gives each student freedom and time to produce their work thoroughly at their own pace and with their own style.
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