Reflection on Evan Schwab's Presentation about Video Games

During the 11th week of the semester, Evan Schwab spoke in Dr. Kist's class about incorporating video games in the classrooms. As someone who enjoys video games, I found this presentation very interesting.

Growing up, I loved playing sports video games. I remember that one of my favorites for the Playstation One system was Tiger Woods '98. What I loved about that game was how "realistic" it was, as what looked like poster cut-outs of famous golfers were superimposed onto a screen. At that time, this technology was cutting-edge. Playing the game was not just entertaining for me; it was informative. As I was learning how to golf properly, playing Tiger's video game was probably one of the most pivotal forms of lessons I could have received. As I watched professional golfers swing over 60 times when my dad and I would play a match, I learned the mechanics of the golf stroke: feet spread apart, placing the ball in the center of the stance, and twisting at the trunk for a smooth swing and release. I also learned how to select clubs based upon the lie of the ball (whether it's in the rough or the fairway) and how to read the slopes of a putting surface. I didn't notice it until afterwards, of course, but by playing Tiger Woods '98, I was actually learning the game of golf through modeling.

Video games have received an unfairly poor rep, in my opinion. Although many people think that gamers lack social skills and are mindless and lazy, I feel that my aforementioned experience is a testimony to the type of learning that can be achieved through gaming. Now, with the development of the Wii and the upcoming release of Playstation Move, gamers can practice the motions of bowling, yoga, throwing a frisbee, shooting a basketball, or even shooting archery. Eventually, students would be able to practice the basic motions of any sport without having to go out in the rain.

Although you cannot find much use for Wii Bowling in the English classroom, there are still some redeeming qualities of gaming for a Language Arts teacher. As video games' technologies are advancing, so are their story lines. As Evan mentioned, the new title Dante's Inferno includes a feature on which gamers can access the entire text of the classic epic poem by Dante. Additionally, video games like Playstation 3's Heavy Rain are proving that first-person video games are becoming user-controllable films, as the visual representation is almost indistinguishable from real life, and the story lines are sophisticated and complex.

So what does that mean? As video games become more like films, they are beginning to incorporate richer texts. As this continues, the themes presented in the story lines of video games are becoming more compatible with texts. How can an English teacher use a video game in the classroom, though? When comparing themes of a text to a video game, an educator could videotape a relevant sequence of a video game and re-play it for a class. In terms of assessment, students could create movie projects much like the television series which was created to the screenplay of Halo.

Back in the day, I remember playing Math Rabbit in my 1st Grade computer class. Who says that as educators, we can't use video games to leave the same lasting impression on our high schoolers? Truly, with the current technological advancements, our opportunities to do so are endless.