incorporating games in home/work/and classroom July 16,2009
How would you incorporate games into your work environment or classroom? Describe in detail why you would do this and what benefits you think would come out of it?
Kerry I think games could be incorporated into my work environment in several ways. (1) if a Wii Fit or Outdoor Adventure was set someplace quiet, co-workers could get up and move for a few minutes several times a day or at lunch. (2) a Wii Fit could be used at long meetings and retreats to break up the monotony, keep participants alert, and as a bonding activity (3) a classroom game integration workshop could be develop to deliver to the RETA K12 teachers (4) I am not actively involved in NMSU Wellness initiative, but I think it would be great to incorporate gaming into the Activity Center.
Gil Before this adult session I was very shallow in what the games could do, based on my own limited past game experience (video arcade). With modern technology and video capabilities there has been more possibilities to incorporate games at different settings. With the recent increase national rates of childhood obesity, I see exergames becoming very popular with those groups, individuals in combating the obesity rate, with being able to utilize more exergames into becoming physical active. I work with schools and community groups in developing programs to becoming more physical active and having exergames as a resource is a plus.
Dawn Sanchez - One idea is that when we are teaching WIC mothers, fathers, etc. about the new food roll taking place this fall we could set up some very simple games for their children. Only issue is the program is for kids 0-5 years of age so what we could use would be limited. Food Pyramid (food group) activities seem to resonate with younger kids pretty well. - Another part of the Healthy Kids Las Cruces initative is expanding health messages specifically for elementary age students to reiterate the Mayor's 5, 2,1, 0 challenge that is specfic to 3rd graders but would like to find a way to provide these messages to all elementary grades. 5-5 fruits and veggies a day, 2 - no more than 2 hours of screen time (exer-games exempt), 1 - at least 1 hour of physical activity, and 0 - zero sodas, less sweetened beverages. We did focus groups at Conlee for 3, 4, 5th graders this spring and the third graders had the best understanding of what they needed to do to keep healthy following the 5, 2,1,0 challenge. This would be a great partnership with the game lab if you are interested - let me know. The benefit would be a greater number of students understanding a simple "formula" to be healthy. Mantra's seem to help reiterate messages.
Work: I want to incorporate games for health and fun. I've noticed that a lot of my co-workers do not get much exercise, and maybe that is because they are not into traditional cardio and weights, so exergames would be something for them--plus my work is very tech. oriented, so I think it would go over well in general. Also, I think incorporating games into my work environment would ease some of the tension that tends to build up over time due to grant deadlines, meetings, work overload, etc. Over the last couple of weeks, I noticed that the members of the Think Tank started to relax around each other more, laugh, and generate more discussion the more we interacted with gaming. If we can stomp moles, play Wii tennis, and dance-off against each other, we can definitely effectively get through other stuff together (work stuff). It wouldn't be too hard to get something started at work--just start having certain day/times that people could get together and play, maybe a couple lunch times, and a couple of evening times... Also, maybe choose a few games as a group, so that as many people's interests are addressed.
Home - fitness/health games that track usage and would send an email when not used would be my ideal way. A feature to allow me to say I will be away from home for xx days would make the emails more meaningful. Simple games to keep me active and allow me to log in outside activity, blood pressure, etc. In effect it would become my fitness log and health log.
Office - health and fitness game that allow the group to strive for a goal could be useful. The goal would be made up of individual goals and allow for extra effort by some to make up for others that could not meet their individual goals. I would do this because it can be fun and add a reason to move a bit while at work. Often the every 30 minutes computer breaks are consumed doing nothing - or even staying at the monitor. The benefits would be a healthier and happier work group.
School - I am looking for online games that fit with the courses I teach that might help learn or demonstrate something just learned. I would do this as an alternative to plain old reading and motivation to demonstrate mastery of a technique.
There are several ways that I could see myself incorporating games into my classroom. I am excited to start doing so in fact! Since I teach Physical Education, I want to use DDR with the in-focus machine, have a couple of "leaders", and have whole group participation. I would like to use a few wii's, set up with fitness games, and set up as stations where I would have my students rotate, and workout at the various stations, and at their own rate. I am very excited about pursuing the options that gaming offers. (The drawback is of course the funding!!) Several benefits would be that some children who don't normally get excited or interested in exercise would be motivated to move. "Camouflage" fitness is what I call when children exercise without realizing it!
Laura Someone once told me...Why are so many teachers overweight? Well, its because they are not getting enough exercise. Perhaps, they are eating too many cupcakes from all the birthday parties that occur during the school year. I am glad that the schools are trying to cut back on the sweets and junk food allowed at school. Now, why not incorporate games into the school year? It is possible to set up an area where teachers as well as students can play exergames in the school environment. A good place might be an unused classroom or somewhere in the P.E. department. It should be a place that is monitored by an adult for the students and it can be used as an incentive for teachers that use it...perhaps they can log in the time spent there for a day off coupon or for a free health drink somewhere in town. This idea can be used for larger corporations too.
Nicole I think incorporating games into work and school is a great idea. Im not sure how exactly it would work depending on you job or class but it is a great idea. I think this would help with job maybe starting a new project and a game can be developed on directions about the new project. I think playing games might interest the people working on the project a little more just because of the interest the game has.
Games are an important part of learning when understood to be rule regulated play. Computer mediated (CMG) games, which I assume you meant, can, in theory, I think, be useful in learning, but they need a lot of development first, at least, the CMG I know anything about are far from useful for learning, so I would not incorporate them, at present, into my teaching or work.
The CMG I know of either try to present a wrong curriculum, are falsely implemented in the sense of using wrong virtual analogs, or the learning gain is overwhelmed by the harmful effects of the social isolation and somatic damage endured by repetitive movements, the eye strain, and the tension created in playing the games.
But the biggest worry is the cost of technology, which is far more than the cost in money of the equipment and software--the last natural resources of the planet are being destroyed to support the creation of disposable hard and soft ware and the electricity needed to power it all. Free play in a natural environment is the real test of a CMG's value, not the deficit comparison used to market CMG's--that getting kids off the couch and waving a controller in the air is good for them--or that recreating "adventures" imagined for them by programmers and developers is better than having real adventures in the real world!
Our challenges today are real, not virtual, and they are many, and pressing. I think we need the programmers and developers to help with the many adventures waiting for us all in solving real world problems--like hunger, pollution, violence and hatred, and I do not see CMG's as being, now or in the foreseeable future, anything but an impediment to this--just a way for a very few to make a big buck from the pain and suffering of the many.
Kerry
ReplyDeleteI think games could be incorporated into my work environment in several ways.
(1) if a Wii Fit or Outdoor Adventure was set someplace quiet, co-workers could get up and move for a few minutes several times a day or at lunch.
(2) a Wii Fit could be used at long meetings and retreats to break up the monotony, keep participants alert, and as a bonding activity
(3) a classroom game integration workshop could be develop to deliver to the RETA K12 teachers
(4) I am not actively involved in NMSU Wellness initiative, but I think it would be great to incorporate gaming into the Activity Center.
Gil
ReplyDeleteBefore this adult session I was very shallow in what the games could do, based on my own limited past game experience (video arcade). With modern technology and video capabilities there has been more possibilities to incorporate games at different settings. With the recent increase national rates of childhood obesity, I see exergames becoming very popular with those groups, individuals in combating the obesity rate, with being able to utilize more exergames into becoming physical active. I work with schools and community groups in developing programs to becoming more physical active and having exergames as a resource is a plus.
Dawn Sanchez
ReplyDelete- One idea is that when we are teaching WIC mothers, fathers, etc. about the new food roll taking place this fall we could set up some very simple games for their children. Only issue is the program is for kids 0-5 years of age so what we could use would be limited. Food Pyramid (food group) activities seem to resonate with younger kids pretty well.
- Another part of the Healthy Kids Las Cruces initative is expanding health messages specifically for elementary age students to reiterate the Mayor's 5, 2,1, 0 challenge that is specfic to 3rd graders but would like to find a way to provide these messages to all elementary grades. 5-5 fruits and veggies a day, 2 - no more than 2 hours of screen time (exer-games exempt), 1 - at least 1 hour of physical activity, and 0 - zero sodas, less sweetened beverages. We did focus groups at Conlee for 3, 4, 5th graders this spring and the third graders had the best understanding of what they needed to do to keep healthy following the 5, 2,1,0 challenge. This would be a great partnership with the game lab if you are interested - let me know. The benefit would be a greater number of students understanding a simple "formula" to be healthy. Mantra's seem to help reiterate messages.
Miley G.
ReplyDeleteWork: I want to incorporate games for health and fun. I've noticed that a lot of my co-workers do not get much exercise, and maybe that is because they are not into traditional cardio and weights, so exergames would be something for them--plus my work is very tech. oriented, so I think it would go over well in general. Also, I think incorporating games into my work environment would ease some of the tension that tends to build up over time due to grant deadlines, meetings, work overload, etc. Over the last couple of weeks, I noticed that the members of the Think Tank started to relax around each other more, laugh, and generate more discussion the more we interacted with gaming. If we can stomp moles, play Wii tennis, and dance-off against each other, we can definitely effectively get through other stuff together (work stuff). It wouldn't be too hard to get something started at work--just start having certain day/times that people could get together and play, maybe a couple lunch times, and a couple of evening times... Also, maybe choose a few games as a group, so that as many people's interests are addressed.
Joe Smith
ReplyDeleteHome - fitness/health games that track usage and would send an email when not used would be my ideal way. A feature to allow me to say I will be away from home for xx days would make the emails more meaningful. Simple games to keep me active and allow me to log in outside activity, blood pressure, etc. In effect it would become my fitness log and health log.
Office - health and fitness game that allow the group to strive for a goal could be useful. The goal would be made up of individual goals and allow for extra effort by some to make up for others that could not meet their individual goals. I would do this because it can be fun and add a reason to move a bit while at work. Often the every 30 minutes computer breaks are consumed doing nothing - or even staying at the monitor. The benefits would be a healthier and happier work group.
School - I am looking for online games that fit with the courses I teach that might help learn or demonstrate something just learned. I would do this as an alternative to plain old reading and motivation to demonstrate mastery of a technique.
Celsa
ReplyDeleteThere are several ways that I could see myself incorporating games into my classroom. I am excited to start doing so in fact! Since I teach Physical Education, I want to use DDR with the in-focus machine, have a couple of "leaders", and have whole group participation. I would like to use a few wii's, set up with fitness games, and set up as stations where I would have my students rotate, and workout at the various stations, and at their own rate. I am very excited about pursuing the options that gaming offers. (The drawback is of course the funding!!) Several benefits would be that some children who don't normally get excited or interested in exercise would be motivated to move. "Camouflage" fitness is what I call when children exercise without realizing it!
Laura
ReplyDeleteSomeone once told me...Why are so many teachers overweight? Well, its because they are not getting enough exercise. Perhaps, they are eating too many cupcakes from all the birthday parties that occur during the school year. I am glad that the schools are trying to cut back on the sweets and junk food allowed at school. Now, why not incorporate games into the school year? It is possible to set up an area where teachers as well as students can play exergames in the school environment. A good place might be an unused classroom or somewhere in the P.E. department. It should be a place that is monitored by an adult for the students and it can be used as an incentive for teachers that use it...perhaps they can log in the time spent there for a day off coupon or for a free health drink somewhere in town. This idea can be used for larger corporations too.
Nicole
ReplyDeleteI think incorporating games into work and school is a great idea. Im not sure how exactly it would work depending on you job or class but it is a great idea. I think this would help with job maybe starting a new project and a game can be developed on directions about the new project. I think playing games might interest the people working on the project a little more just because of the interest the game has.
Stephen DeGiulio
ReplyDeleteThis question is wrongly worded.
Games are an important part of learning when understood to be rule regulated play. Computer mediated (CMG) games, which I assume you meant, can, in theory, I think, be useful in learning, but they need a lot of development first, at least, the CMG I know anything about are far from useful for learning, so I would not incorporate them, at present, into my teaching or work.
The CMG I know of either try to present a wrong curriculum, are falsely implemented in the sense of using wrong virtual analogs, or the learning gain is overwhelmed by the harmful effects of the social isolation and somatic damage endured by repetitive movements, the eye strain, and the tension created in playing the games.
But the biggest worry is the cost of technology, which is far more than the cost in money of the equipment and software--the last natural resources of the planet are being destroyed to support the creation of disposable hard and soft ware and the electricity needed to power it all. Free play in a natural environment is the real test of a CMG's value, not the deficit comparison used to market CMG's--that getting kids off the couch and waving a controller in the air is good for them--or that recreating "adventures" imagined for them by programmers and developers is better than having real adventures in the real world!
Our challenges today are real, not virtual, and they are many, and pressing. I think we need the programmers and developers to help with the many adventures waiting for us all in solving real world problems--like hunger, pollution, violence and hatred, and I do not see CMG's as being, now or in the foreseeable future, anything but an impediment to this--just a way for a very few to make a big buck from the pain and suffering of the many.