A certain phrase repeats in my mind lately: "family first." It's true but unrealistic, at this stage.
I honestly feel as if I have no time to spend with my son, no time to talk to my husband (as he's overseas). If I have a free hour or two, it is spent scrounging for food, hoping for sleep and maybe a shower. I know the program says 'family first' but if I really did put my family first, it would probably look as if I can't "handle" the program. I've been through far more rigorous classes, semesters, seasons, etc. in my life. I will push through this one.
On that note, I sat playing WoW with five other students last evening and realized I only wanted it to be over. I'm at level 11 and I'm just pushing through to level 15. I probably won't play afterward.
When I sat thinking about this idea later in the evening, it occurred to me that some tasks (classes, jobs) in life are just like that...and all I can do is try to make the best of it and find *some sort* of lesson in it all. So, I started to hunt for the lesson from last night.
I think simply coming to the realization that I was tired (bored?) of the method grasped me. It became very obvious to me just how many students must sit in a class and look at the clock...tick-tock, tick-tock...and wait for the session to end. They are bored with the method. It may not be the TOPIC that bores them (a little secret: I LOVE medieval festivals, books, movies, themes, etc. -- I even own some of the proper attire to attend a medieval fest!! Shhh!! don't tell anyone!). So, the question becomes DELIVERY. How to deliver the message, the topic, the information in a more receptive way for most of the students. I did struggle with the idea that there will always be that ONE (or two?) students who just can't dig what the professor is sharing - but I had to set aside the ONE student and concentrate upon the majority.
I don't know what that method of delivery is -- in fact, that method will probably change with each semester, year, class, etc. But it is very clear that students are NOT absorbing the information if they are not enthused with the delivery method.
I've come to a point where I've put aside *some* tasks in the program, in favor of others and now realized that I need to put aside others in favor of the neglected.
My family is understanding and patient (as I am with their chosen careers, ventures, adventures). I'm fortunate to have a family that can give me the time and space I need to ignore (?? I can't come up with a better term right now) them in lieu of a video game. Yes, I've attempted to explain the purposes behind playing WoW to many members of my family...I've shared the reading, the websites, comments on Sakai, professor's views, etc. with them --- I can't seem to convince anyone that I'm benefiting from the game. They trust me, I ask them to wait and see ... it's a process ... the end will have results and maybe it will make more sense by December. I hope they see the sense.
On a different note, I see (and read) how reaction times for students can be increased by playing MMORPGs. I wish there was some sort of reaction-time test I had taken PRE-WoW so I could compare it with POST-WoW. I think it would be VERY interesting. I would love to think that if the OLDER generation could be helped mentally with a game such as WoW (or whatever might interest them), that would be a HUGE leap for the medical field. I was very excited to think about the flip-side of the generations -- the older folks enjoying WoW and learning, benefiting next to the younger people.
I was realizing, as we played the game, that many of us don't "see" the whole screen - we see only our character and what surrounds the character by a couple inches on the monitor (or a few feet in the WoW world). The game is definitely forcing some of us "older" ;-) folks to do more than multitask physically...but to multitask visually and mentally. Keeping in mind that the mini-map should be in the peripheral, to know where the rest of our team is headed, clicking on hot keys to pull up status, inventory, aid for other players, etc....it's all a part of using parts of the brain that probably wouldn't be used in day-to-day life. (just covering the backside here: I KNOW we all multitask to the Nth degree, but multitasking in WoW is definitely a whole "nother" animal!)
Another thought that's been knocking around in my brain is the idea of the map in WoW. It's come to where I can find my way around the basic locations without much trouble -- I hardly need to look at the mini-map when in the 'noob areas.' However, when Bill had us all meet in the tram area...that threw many of us off kilter a bit. I wasn't terribly worried. If I use the hearthstone, I go back to the inn...no harm, no foul. If I die, I find my body on the map, use the hearthstone and return to the inn.
But is it really this way in reality? Sometimes. I mean, when we truly lose our path, many return to "home" (where ever that is for any one person). If folks lose their path in a Spiritual sense, they return to Church/Bible or whatever mainbase where the center of their Spirituality is strongest.
I worry, though, that some kids may become too dependent on that 'safety net' and not know what to do when it is gone or unavailable. Will they reach inside themselves and find "home" or "church" ?? Will they rely on themselves for food and water, healing, living, QUESTS, and such?
This generation (as compared to my own) has become one that learns in groups. They definitely look to one another for support, answers, sustenance, comfort, understanding.... I suppose that's okay in some ways. I don't think it's okay in others. Self-sufficiency is VERY important in MY family. It's all I know, in fact. It's all I was ever taught and it's a HUGE part of what we've taught our son. He lost the focus on the idea that he CAN take care of himself and has largely become dependent on everyone and anyone around him. And (unfortunately) this all started to change in the same time that he was getting into roll-playing games with other groups of kids. (we didn't allow video games until he was 17, and I don't regret the decision and I don't think it has anything to do with his current state)
I admit, the kid has an addictive personality and is a follower, not a leader. The world is full of both. These are the groups who are "at risk" (in my opinion) by playing MMORPGs.
Yes, I believe in the idea of making each learning goal more of a "quest" for students... but it seems difficult to put this practice into teaching methods in upper education. In fact, I can't find ANY professors who've done it within the college system -- I've found plenty who use MMORPGs as learning tools on METHODS of teaching, but I haven't found a college/university worldwide that has put to use the games AS their syllabus (or even just a large chunk of their syllabus). Even in this program, the WoW game is really only a minor part and the 'quest' at the end is gained through FAR MORE than only playing the game.
(this still leaves the games as a possibility - in my mind - for K-12, definitely - please don't misunderstand what I'm trying to get across)
Somewhere, sometime ? the idea was suggested to have classes set up with levels instead of a grading system ... getting experience points, rather than a grade. I like this idea for two main reasons. First, there are students who work and work and work and still will never receive the "A" that they clearly deserve, simply because they couldn't perform on an exam. Second, there are the students who lackadaisically flow through the class, FBing and IMing while everyone else is taking notes (these students will get the notes the day before the exam, from a hard-working student) and again, their grade - mainly earned from memorizing and regurgitating info that they won't remember the following week - is NOT indicative of their experience.
In fact, I thought this idea was so profound, that I suggested to Joanne (who is concentrating on "cheating on exams" for her AR project) that she might consider implementing some sort of 'experience point system' into one of her cycles when the time comes -- just as something for her to think about...I know we're not at the stage to come up with solutions quite yet. It's just thoughts and conversation.
So, there's been positive and negative this past week, in my thoughts about the program and the WoW stuff.
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