Jared's+Journal


 * Journal 1 **

I have played video games for years. I have three older brothers and we played video games ever since I can remember. We had video game consoles, particularly the Nintendo systems growing up. I especially remember having a Super Nintendo and a Nintendo 64. We also were into computer games. We played a large variety of games from first-person shooters, to strategy and role playing games to sports games. After I graduated high school I played World of Warcraft with my brothers for a number of years. I have been into MMO games and recently have started playing Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (moba) games such as League of Legends and DOTA 2.
 * Describe your background and history with video and computer games. **

I don’t know if I take on virtual identities in an all-encompassing way. I have noticed that as I have begun student teaching, however, that I take on a real-world identity to be a laid-back, but positive and motivational teacher. I force myself to come out of my shell to engage with students who I would not have previously connected with. I also have taken on the more serious identity of being a motivator, especially when they are goofing off or being lazy, I try to motivate them, even though I know that is exactly how I was when I was in school.
 * What are some of the real and/or virtual ‘identities’ you take on? **

I have heard other similar theories to broadening our definition of literacy as well as text in other classes at the university. I think that it is important to broaden and change traditional views. Limiting our views to the traditional sense also limits the way that we can connect with students and how our students are allowed to learn. There are many different ways for students to learn content and the broader our definitions are, the more students we are able to connect with.
 * What impact might James Paul Gee’s definition of ‘literacy’ have on your teaching? **

This is an interesting question and one I discuss with my friends a lot. Because I grew up gaming, I assumed that my understanding of a wide variety of games, would translate to every game. This is generally true. However, when I first started playing a MOBA, I recognized that almost none of my known skills in other games translating to being “good” at a MOBA. This was because even though I was literate in other games types’ semiotic domains, a MOBA was a new semiotic domain that I did not know or understand. Even though the game did have many similarities, such as leveling up, gaining income and spending that income, it was not familiar or similar to many other games, such as MMOs. Once I began to understand the MOBA’s semiotic domain, I was finally able to start becoming successful at it.
 * What experiences have you had learning in new ‘semiotic domains’? **

I played Ludwig for a while. The game was similar to many MMOs that I have played in the past. It seemed very similar, but less fun and more educational than other MMOs. It also looked like a game for a much younger player than most MMOs are suited for. The tutorial was very slow, particularly for someone who has lots of experience with that type of game.
 * Reflections on any games you played or examined during the week. Educational games for the week include: Resilient Planet, Evolver, Dragon Box Algebra, Fair Play, and Ludwig. **


 * Journal 2 **

While reading this section, I was trying to think about how learning about these identities could inform my teaching. It occurred to me that students’ preconceived notions about their skills or ability to learn often become self-fulfilling prophecies. If a student, for example, thinks that they are a bad writer and cannot learn to become a better writer, then they are probably right. However, if a student believes that they can learn to become a better writer, they are correct as well. Whatever identity they project onto their abilities will probably come true. Furthermore, if a student thinks negative thoughts about one of their school identities, we cannot simply let them believe that way, rather, we must take the necessary steps to correct this, be it the three steps that Gee notes, or other strategies such as positive reinforcement or encouragement..
 * How might virtual and projective identities be important in your teaching? **

As a prospective German teacher, I had the opportunity to work in a First-year German Classroom. I particularly noticed one student who was often frustrated and lost in the class. The type of learning that was done in the classroom was a focus on using German and focusing on learning in an “authentic” was. This means that a lot of German was spoken and little attention was given to grammar. Because this was not an effective way for this particular student to learn, she often got frustrated and gave up. She also made no connection with my mentor teachers. Because of her frustrations, I attempted to give her extra attention and help her believe in herself. By the end of the first semester, I assumed that she would drop the class. However, shortly before the end of the semester, I began to work with her and help her understand some of the grammar principles and things began to “click” with her. She started to truly “get it” and began succeeding at a phenomenal rate compared to her ability at the beginning of the year. Because of this, she decided to continue to take German and enjoy it.
 * Describe an experience you’ve had in teaching a student with a “damaged” identity. **

The best term for situated meaning in my content area of social studies would be conservative. This word can mean a number of different things in economics, dress, and even environmental awareness. Even within social studies, this term can have different meanings whether one is talking about history and conservative institutions, or institutions that attempt to obtain the status quo or to stop change from happening, or talking about conservative politically and how that reflects a mindset and party in United States politics. In order to help students have a greater understanding of the term, I would see what students understand initially when they hear the word. Following which, I would redefine and point out differences between colloquial understandings of the term and what it meant historically. I would then have students read and understand differing definitions of the term so that they can see its differences in different situations. Finally, when talking about conservative institutions, I would give specific examples throughout history. One of the biggest which often comes to mind is an authority such as the Catholic Church which resisted change and attempted to squelch it, both in thinking and in acting.
 * Give an example of a situated meaning in your content area, and describe how you might help students gain a more embodied understanding of it.**

I personally went to several job fairs last week. As I read this prompt, it occurred to me that I used this cycle. Fortunately, at a job fair, one has the opportunity to meet and have “mini interviews” with a great number of people. As a result, I was try a specific type of introduction, after the conversation, I self-assessed, how well did with that introduction and discussion, then I tried it a new way or fixed mistakes with the introduction. I was able to work with this process approximately 100 times and rethink and change for the better or the worse. I definitely got better at these mini interviews with this practice and probing process.
 * Describe a recent learning experience that involved using the probe, hypothesize, re-probe, and rethink cycle.**

I tried iCivics crisis of nations. To understand the game, it took about 20-30 minutes, but after I got it, I found it very entertaining. Personally, I love strategy board games and this game is akin to something I would play with my friends in my free time. The premise of the game was to use resources to accomplish a taks/crisis and obtain more resources as a result. Each player wants to accomplish the task because they can lose resources if not accomplished, but they are trying to obtain 15 of a specific resource. As a social studies teacher, this seems like it would be applicable to my content area, I was trying to think of a unit in which I would use it. This could be used with some United Nations or other world diplomatic unit in order to show how countries want to work together, but still maintain power. It would be entertaining and applicable, however, I think students would need to be explained exact correlation to content in order for them to make connections with the content.
 * Reflections on any games you played or examined during the week. Educational games for the week include: //ReDistricting Game//, //Mission US//, //iCivics//, and //Quandary//.**


 * Journal 3**

When teaching a foreign language, students need to understand complex grammatical principles in order to use language effectively, however, students cannot and should not learn everything all at once. Therefore, in order to slowly incorporate grammar rules, the topics in class build upon knowledge they need and require students to go slightly beyond their current capabilities. For example, one lesson requires students to use modals (can, may, want should, etc.) in order to be able to have an effective discussion. These verbs are only presented just before their need. Up to that point, students would not need to know how to say can or want to. The discussions beforehand would have simply had students make factual statements such as “I go to the movies” or “I go to school.” After building these fundamentals, then students can begin to learn how to talk about opinions and obligations, such as: “I want to go to the movies” or “I have to go to school.” In this manner, the complexity of the discussion builds upon itself and is only required when students have mastered one part and are ready to move onto the next.
 * Give an example of 'Just in Time' information presentation in a classroom activity.**

In social studies, subdomains are a very necessary part of a real domain. In order for students to fully grasp and evaluate civilizations and situations, they first need to understand the basics. Therefore, they first need to learn the basic answers such as: what, where and when. Once students are able to answer these questions, they can then begin to grapple with the whole domain and focus on more complex problems such as: why things happened, the value of them, their opinions of them and if there was a better choice, among others. Because there are levels of understanding in social studies, students must first grapple with the subdomains before they can fully analyze the real domain.
 * In a content area of your choice, how might you incorporate teaching in a 'subdomain' of the 'real' domain?**

After discussing the Crusades in my seventh grade social studies class, we move onto discussing issues between Jews, Muslims and Christians today. In order to understand these complex issues, students need to transfer knowledge of what they know Jews, Muslims and Christians were fighting over in the Middle Ages to what is going on today. Therefore I ask my students to think about what sorts of issues that existed back then that could still exist today. While not all issues are the same, students must transfer some of their knowledge, but not all of it, in order to understand issues that still exist to this day.
 * Describe a technique that you might use to help students 'transfer' early learning to more complex problems.**

My most recent experience of my cultural model being challenged was when I arrived at a middle school that had a population of students who come from lower SES homes. Often, I found many students to be defiant and lack a desire to listen to or follow directions. My normal cultural model had been, “students should listen to and respect authority figures.” However, as I thought about this more, I began to think one of two other ways, “Many students at my school have not had family experiences where they feel the need to listen to and respect authority figures,” or “some students have had experiences where they have felt betrayed and therefore mistrust authority figures.” Thinking about cultural models in this way, helped me better have a perspective of where students may be coming from and not to take their behaviors too personally.
 * Describe a learning experience you've had where one of your 'cultural models' was challenged.**

This week, I tried the Mission US game. In this game, the player may choose one of a few different scenarios of people who may have lived in the United States. The scenario I chose was a 14 year old going to apprentice for a printer in Boston. Early in the game, the game teaches the player about some of the key experiences an apprentice could go through. As a player continues on the game intertwines learning how to be an apprentice with things going on in Boston just before the start of the American Revolution. I think that this is an effective way to use an educational game because there is a sense of legitimate immersion in the world where the focus is not simply on one thing or another, but rather on several aspects of life.
 * Reflections on any games you played or examined during the week. Educational games for the week include: //Villainy, Inc.//, //CSI: The Experience//,//Oncology//, //After the Storm//, and the //Sports Network 2//.**