Homeschool on the Run!

So I’m driving in my truck, going out to get groceries and I’m listening to XM Radio.  There is a program host who was obviously disgusted by the amount of time people are spending in front of the TV and on computers.  People were calling in and talking out their husbands addiction to the computer and some were saying how much they enjoy their zone-out time after work in these stressful times.  Yet others were saying how family time was being enhanced by use of the WII which sickened her even further.

So I’m thinking about that and feeling mildly guilty that my 5 year old loves and plays Timez Attack (a multiplication game) on the computer and I remember Daniel Pink’s book, A Whole New Mind.  In the section on play (see pages 193-4) he outlines many of the benefits of game play such as:

• video games can sharpen many of the skills that are vital to the conceptual age
• game players scored 30 % higher on visual perception tests
• enhancement of an individual to detect changes in the environment
• increased ability to process information simultaneously
• enhancement of the right-brain ability to solve problems that require pattern recognition
• exposure to thinking deeply about complex systems
• playing virtual world games requires the assumption of an alter ego, requiring the player to deepen his aptitude of empathy and offer rehearsal for the social interactions in real life

He quotes James Paul Gee, a professor in Wisconsin who says that video games can deliver a more powerful learning experience than that found in a classroom because learning isn’t just about memorization of facts but about connecting and manipulating the information.

And then there is this prestigious woman Katie Salen, game design expert and educator who is involved in some very fascinating projects.  I want to look further into what she is doing.

Anyway…I have gone down a bit of a tangent to assuage my guilt. 

…then I remembered about Daniel Pink talking about a video game put out by the US military called America’s Army that focuses of completing strategic missions through teamwork, values and responsibility.  His description sounded like a video game version of The Unit (it’s a Special Forces series on TV) which my husband likes.  And I happened to be driving past Walmart!

So I went in. 

I went to the computer games section and found a few PC games tucked away among isles of Playstation/WII/Nintendo games and found one very similar!  There was an army guy with a huge gun on the front.  I then discreetly held it and went to the self serve cashier machine. 

I scanned it and then came the flashing lights and a big beep.  The lady takes it out, looks at it and then at me and enters her security code into the machine!  OK…that was too much attention. 

I left the store and set off the security alarm!

I take out the receipt…yes it’s me… buying a shoot ‘em up game! in Walmart!

It’s now sitting on my husband’s desk.  I hope he likes it.

April 24th, 2009 | Category: Family | Subscribe to comments | Leave a comment | Trackback URL