Re: Hot topic games
Francoise Herrmann (fherrmann who-is-at igc.apc.org)
Tue, 14 May 1996 10:08:21 -0700 (PDT)
> The rational for using games in teaching is not just to have fun. The
> rational is in the engagement in a meaningful social activity. You are right
> that one does need some "background" to play games. In the instance of this
> game, "background" is the goal - learning more in order to continue playing it.
> The idea of using games in teaching is not new, but it should be given a
> more serious consideration in the light of Vygotsky's theory. For instance,
> Vygotsky claimed that the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) can be
> established in play before it can be established in reality (his example of
> the two sisters who when played "being sisters" could behave sisterly to
> each other while still having a lots of problems in their reality as
> sisters). Play and games open enormous possibilities for learning: from
> social interaction and social motivation, to being able to structure
> material according to rules, to being able to create different perspectives
> and models of understanding various areas of life, etc.
> This is why games *are* fun - not because they are relaxing trivial
> activities, but quite the opposite, because they enable realization of our
> potentials (ZPD) in a motivated and engaging (meaningful) way.
> The "fun" in the game I described lies not in the debate itself, but in the
> instance when one has to switch the position and not repeat previous
> arguments. But of course there are other games and plays one can use, too.
> Maybe Lois Holtzman (are you lurking) can describe some ways play and games
> are used and their effects in a very special school in New York (Barbara
> Taylor School) where everything is learned through play.
>
> Ana
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------
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Hi Ana, I am glad that you have clarified the use of the term "fun" because
I keep hearing defenses built around that term: "Don't children
need limits and discipline?"; "School is work." etc... "Fun" is the
way in to blame failure: "It is because children are having fun, and not
working that they cannot read or write or do whatever..." And I think
that we agree that pleasure need not be divorced from activity and
that indeed it is perhaps what fuels interest, motivation and part of
the acitivty itself. In my city, San Francisco, much effort is
devoted to enjoyable eudcational experiences. I picked up a copy of
a local free paper this morning and this is what I saw:
Students don costumes for annual festivities
>From exotic Latin American dances to ttraditional American favorites
such as the "Hokey Pokey" and "Blue Suede Shoes," students at Sanchez
Elementary school delighted parents witha variety of multicultural
dance performances as part of the school's sixth annual May Dance
Festival last Friday.[...]
"This is about teaching kids to be culturally sensitive and enjoy
dancing at the same time" said festival coordinator Lucy Harris. "It
also helps the self esteem of the chidlren as well as the parents".[...]
While Harris said the festival was originally designed so parents
could see their children perform, parents now take and active role
in the festival, helping to create the variety of colorful costumes.
"I do this for my chidlren and the exitement of it all", said Janet
Romero, parent of two Sanchez students, who along with her huspand,
Frank spent about a month deisigning many of the crepe-paper costumes
worn by the performers. [...]
"It was fun learning some dances form another country," said Precious
Crenshaw, who performed a dance solo during the calypso number. "I
learned that dancing can be a lot of fun."
(Sanchez Celebrates, The Independent, Tues. May 14, 1996. Barbara Nanney)
Francoise
Francoise Herrmann
fherrmann who-is-at igc.org