Kids, Games, and Learning

Article 1: The Games Children Play by: Nancy Padak and Rasinski

Padak, N., & Rasinski, T. (2008). The Games Children Play. Reading Teacher, 62(4), 363-365.

Description of different word games that children can play to enhance their vocabulary.  The writers explain that these are supposed to be for both children and their parents and that parents need to remember to not make the games “should never frustrate the children”, but “light and enjoyable” (Padak, Rasinski 2008) There are actually 12 that are discussed, and some of which sound kind of fun.  One of my favorites reminds me of what happens in J.R.R. Tolkein’s The Hobbit. It uses riddles to come to a word conclusion. This does not include “What is in my pocket?” The article concludes with the idea and research to back their idea that game play is more effective in teaching children than just helping kids with their homework. According to their sources, game play makes children and parents active learners.

Article 2

Promoting Language Arts: Through Vocabulary Development with Internet Resources in the Elementary Classroom by Edward J. Lazaros

Lazaros, E. J. (2012). promoting language arts through vocabulary development with internet resources in the elementary classroom. Children's Technology & Engineering, 17(1), 10-13

The basis of this article was just an overview as to how the Internet can be used as a resource to help children improve their language arts skills. Using the research based on Jalongo and Sobolak, the author breaks down how the Internet is not a hindrance on children’s learning, but if pointed towards the right direction and the right sources, it can be a very big help when it comes to learning. He makes the argument that the more actively engaged in the learning process a child is, the more they will retain and the better they will do in the classroom. He also gives free resources and explains that as children are growing up in the technology era, they need to be able to use it and utilize it in their world. He concludes with how these sources can be incorporated throughout a child’s learning process and in the classroom. Basically, teachers need to embrace children learning through technology, not shun it.

Article 3:  Teaching Tips: Using Theater Games to Enhance Language Arts Learning by Sharon Fennesey

Fennessey, S. (2006). Using theater games to enhance language arts learning. Reading Teacher, 59(7), 688-691. doi:10.1598/RT.59.7.7

Using her own research to support her thesis, Fennesey (2006) states, “From my viewpoint, drama is a time for my students to enrich their language arts learning in an exciting and pleasurable way.” She goes through five different dramatic games that all help to enhance children’s way of speaking. It enhances their learning and it can be really fun. It’s learning through art.

Article 4: Games, Gamers and Gaming: Games and Writing by Liz Danforth

Danforth, L. (2009). Games and Writing. Library Journal, 134(17), 54.

This article basis the idea that gamers are not unimaginative drones that just "hang out" and play video games all day. Quite frankly, it challenges the idea and makes the argument that instead of letting these notions take over, it makes more sense to try and open the worlds that gamers experience so that their skills also improve. Using the idea of Fanfiction to create stories that people actually want to write about versus what they have to write about. This allows for students to write about what they care about, teachers something to critique and look at their students' creativity and it also lessens boredom (at least, it should).









Article 5: Fighting Baddies and Collecting Bananas: Teachers' Perceptions of Games-Based Literacy Learning

Gerber, H. R., & Price, D. P. (2013). Fighting baddies and collecting bananas: Teachers’ perceptions of games-based literacy learning. Educational Media International, 50(1), 51-62. doi:10.1080/09523987.2013.777182

This is an overview as to how learning for children has changed with the integration of video games. Out of all of the participants (who were masters and doctoral students who were employed as school teachers) only two considered themselves "gamers" and the study focused on what teachers perceived to be the best way to possibly integrate virtual and video based games into their classrooms. The participants then discussed possible difficulties in involving games into their classrooms. These difficulties included funds, classical writings no longer being a part of the curriculum, and a resistance to change amongst staff members. All in all, a dry read, but it points out the uncommon challenges being faced in a technological world versus the traditional one.

Article 6: FunBrain Language Arts Games

Mandell, P., & Minkel, W. (2004). FunBrain Language Arts Games. School Library Journal, 50(6), 61. 

This is just an overview of games currently available for teachers and students alike. They seem fun enough and the article breaks them down by grade ranking. However, I find that they are lacking in something that makes kids/teens want to play them.


Overall, these articles are all insightful. I think I may now have a better understanding as to where and how to make an educational game better and more suited for people that makes them want to learn and want to play. There are several factors that need to be assessed, and I can't wait to see what is going to happen.

Hermeneutics: All Around Us

Hermeneutics, what is it? Why is it that every time I stop to think about the word, the first thought is "for a word that is the study of interpretation, why is it so hard to spell"? Then, it hit me. If someone were to say that word to five people, it is very likely that there would be five different spellings, but not because it is a difficult word to spell, but because how we hear words and have different ways of spelling them. Think about it, off hand there is the instant breakdown of "Her-men-oo-tics", or "Her-man-u-ticks" among the several variations, and believe it or not, this actually has a point.

The first of the five Hermeneutics that will be discussed is Natural. What has been described above is a very over generalized and rough idea as to what is meant by Natural Hermeneutics. Put simply, it is how people interpret the world around them. Most of the time it seems simple, almost meaningless, until it is put into context. Think about any event that was experienced with other people and then try and see that same event from someone else who was there. Even better, think of how someone who is being told about that event could be interpreting it.

The second of these Hermeneutics is Normative. Doctors, lawyers, etc more known as people who understand a technical language and make it so "regular people" can understand it. Example: you go to your doctor and tell them of your symptoms. The doctor listens, thinks about it, may send you for more tests, but eventually, they come back to you with a diagnosis and treatment plan. Doctors are able to see technical language, interpret it, and relay it to people on an every day basis. Lawyers look at documentation constantly that would make the common man wonder if it were in gibberish, yet when the lawyer talks to man X about what it says, the lawyer can put it into words and sentences that make sense, and when they don't, there are other ways to put it even simpler. In other words, this form doesn't come naturally to people, it has to be worked on and kept on top of.

Scientific Hermeneutics are the basis and foundation for the scientific approach to the world. It is how we look at the world in order to create experiments that lead to answers to the "big questions". Ideas like String Theory, Game Theory, etc come from. Basically, there is a question, and in order to figure out an answer, steps are taken, procedure is followed, experiments are made and then conclusions are come to. If these experiments are repeated and the same results happen, then eventually these results become laws or solidified as accepted rules or facts.

In nearly the completely opposite direction is Philosophical Hermeneutics. These focus on the WHO we are versus WHAT we do. It dives into the idea that we are interpreters and that interpreting is not something we do. In an overly simplified statement "It is not what we do, it is who we are".

Which leads to the idea of Depth Hermeneutics. These are the questions and the interpretations of what is beyond the physical human world. Freud referred to it as the unconscious, others have called it existentialism, and there are more theories as to why we are, what or what else is there to life. This piece of Hermeneutics begs the ideas of souls, afterlives, etc.

This is a fascinating area of study, and there is so much more that can be discussed. This blog will continue to be updated as it feels necessary to look further into these ideas.

Skyrim: Sexism, Racism, Lore and More

The basis for the next blogs are overviews to the Elder Scrolls Series from Bethesda, but with a focus on Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. As for the premise, I am going over the focus on the religion, and where the idea came from. Also, there seems to very strong distinction between classes, race and the sexes. There is an internal conflict within the series which makes these divides even bigger. If that fails to suffice for ten blogs, then I will begin to dive further into comparing games that are similar to what Bethesda has created, although some would argue that no one has created anything like it.