Video games in the classroom

UGH. Ever since the group presentation on WoW (World of Warcraft) as an effective way to utilize video games in the classroom setting, I couldn't stop thinking about it. So here I am blogging on a windy Thursday night.

I'm sorry, but as a professional gamer (I believe Chris is as well) I can't help but disagree with their topic. I believe video games CAN be used effectively in a classroom setting, very effectively actually. However, WoW was possibly the worst example to use to prove it. In fact, I could almost argue that Grand Theft Auto would have a more effective and educational effect on kids in classrooms than WoW. Why you ask? What is so bad about WoW?

I'll tell you.

Just like books have several different genres, so do video games. WoW falls under the genre of MMORPG, which stands for Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game. These kinds of games can be compared to social networking sites such as Facebook or Myspace, just with benefits. Benefits such as having your own avatar to represent you. In WoW, you make this avatar look like whatever you desire, and once created, you get to travel a digital world where several other people are as well. You interact with these other players (which are from across the globe) in many ways, from just sitting at a pub having drinks to banding together to take down a dragon. The players get to identify with their avatar more in WoW than a place like Myspace because you build that character up as if you were raising a child. The player strives to get stronger, gain better weapons and skills to make their life in the game easier. On top of that, players can compete against each other as well, giving plenty of room for (sometimes not-so-friendly) competition. This is what the genre of MMORPGs are all about.

Here is my claim as to why this genre is terrible in the classroom setting: MMORPGs never end. That's right, they don't END. Why do you think a game like WoW is so addictive? It is because the players must constantly strive to be greater and stronger, with no real end in sight. Even if you complete every quest and have the strongest weapons and armor, the game is not over. That is how MMORPGs work.

Now humans, ALL throughout history, have been ingrained with this idea of beginning, middle, and end. Our days begin with sunrise and breakfast and end with sunset and dinner. Even lives fall into this idea: birth is the beginning, death is the end; "mid-life" crisis can fill the middle. Every book begins and ends, every relationship begins and ends. That is just the NATURE of humans, beginnings and endings. WoW has no ending. Every game that falls under the genre of MMORPG have no ending. THAT is why they are so addicting, people. It is not the fact that the game is so amazing. Granted, WoW is considered to be the cream of the crop of this genre, but in the end it is the fact that it never ends that drives these children wild. Humans are built to finish things. How genius would it be to make money off something that can never be completed? That is WoW.

I speak from experience. I was once addicted to MMORPGs myself. I'm not sure if anyone in Wednesday's group has been, but from the sound of their presentation, I would argue that none of them have. I am not bashing their idea: I love it. I love video games, so I would love to see them integrated effectively into the classroom, but WoW...or any MMORPG for that matter, is NOT the example to use. There are so many other better choices, such as God of War to teach Greek mythology, or Final Fantasy to teach literacy, critical thinking, as well as mythology. They are not perfect examples, but in my opinion they are far better than WoW.

Many other genres of video games follow the beginning, middle, and end model. The best example I would give are RPGs, or role playing games. If you look it up, make sure they are RPGs, not MMORPGs. Big difference, people.

Well, there's my splurge. There's much more I can say on the topic, but I'm currently out of juice. Peace!

Post-Colonialization and Globalization

The culture of a post-colonial nation is often unfamiliar to everyone. The blend between the nation's original culture and the colonized culture is never simple. In Globalization and the Claims of Postcoloniality from the Duke University Press, post-colonialism as well as globalization seem to be put up on a pedestal of sorts as if they are the ways of the new world. I personally have to disagree. The idea of colonialism is bad enough as it is, even though that's what this country is founded on. No country truly has any good reason to colonize another place other than for their own personal benefit. I highly doubt there has been a time in history that a place was colonized for their own good. That makes absolutely no sense. Who is anyone to make such a claim like that anyway? Who has the gull to claim that they are invading and forcing change upon a place and that it is solely for their own good? It's a load of crap.

As far as globalization goes, the second article Towards a Critique of Globalcentrism: Speculations on Capitalism's Nature also from the Duke University Press, brings up an excellent point that the world generally views Capitalism as some kind of wonderful tool that governs society simply because of how it conquered socialism at the turn of the century. Because of this, of course, socialism is generally viewed as a bad thing, and so the world generally takes on a view that Capitalistic countries are far better than Socialistic ones. In reality, neither should be held up on any sort of pedestal! If the world uniformly agrees that, let's say, Capitalism is the greatest form of government, then so much will be lost culturally in the transition to capitalism. The idea of a globalized world reminds me The Borg from Star Trek: one hive, one mind. There would be no differences between people whatsoever. Everyone will love and hate the same thing, and those who choose to think apart from that will be ostracized. The idea of globalization sounds great on paper, but I believe that the world community is not ready for something like that. We as humans hate too easily. Things like love and hope would need to drive the togetherness of this community, but again, people are too emotional. It is just impractical, as far as I can tell.

Cineliteracy

Buckingham page 40-41:

He claims that through the study of Cineliteracy, there are several "stages" in which students are able to analyze videos on several different levels. A video like this to depict The Cask of Amontillado not only helps students grasp a better understanding of the overall plot of this poem, but they are also able to delve deeper into the mind of the main character. They can see his expressions and overall brooding persona where it is not so "obvious" by strictly reading the text on a page.