Hello Alan and Craig,

On Feb 12, 2007, at 1:39 PM, Gerstle, Alan wrote:


> I believe the technology in education debate has not changed much in

> 2,000 years. Plato's Seventh Epistle warns against using systems of

> writing because Plato feared they would lead to the decay of memory.

> Doesn't each technology provide something and take away something  

> else?

> And isn't the introduction of a technology into a culture have

> unintended consequences simply because we cannot foresee the future?

> How enthusiastic would the developers of the internal engine be if  

> they

> foresaw that automobile accidents would kill 40,000 Americans each

> year--chiefly owing to human error?

>

> Perhaps if there were a set of 'first principles' about technology,  

> one

> could begin to address their place in society and education.  Among

> these would be, I think,

>

> 1)  Decide what is worth knowing;

> 2)  Figure out a way of teaching technological literacy--not only the

> capabilities of technology as learning tools--but the moral philosophy

> behind those who encouarge the use of technology.

> 3)  Understand the motivation of technocrats; simply because someone

> avers, for example, that video games are 'good for you,' understand  

> the

> person's concept of good.  The assembly line was 'good' for

> manufacturers.  Was it good for workers?  Textbooks are good for  

> (many)

> teachers, and definitely for publishers.  Are they good for students?


I think James Paul Gee would not say that "video games are good for  
you." He might say that some games, well-designed ones, are well- 
designed learning environments.  He might say that some video games  
are good for some people, although I don't recall that he does. He  
has said that there are some learning design principles which apply  
both to well-designed video games and to classrooms.  He has a list  
of these in the appendix of his book, but frankly, most of them only  
make sense after you have "engaged" with the chapters of the book.


> Moral philosophy is of particular significance in a concern raised  

> here

> regarding a 'well-made' videogame that 'excites and stimulates' vs.

> poorly designed ones without any 'strategic challenge.'  Al-Quaeda  

> have

> reprogrammed video games and used them as recruiting tools.  Their

> objective it is to destroy the American military in virtual reality.

> Would anyone applaud a well-designed game of that nature?


Gee devotes a thoughtful chapter to this issue and cites an example  
of a game whose content is to teach those of one religion to hate  
those of another.


> -----Original Message-----

> From: technology-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:technology-bounces at nifl.gov]

> On Behalf Of Craig Alinder

> Sent: Monday, February 12, 2007 10:44 AM

> To: The Technology and Literacy Discussion List

> Subject: [Technology 845] Re: The magic of technology for learning

> isoutsidethe classroom

>

> I use the classic keyboarding software that incorporates games into  

> the

> learning experience Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing. It basically offers

> game breaks as rewards to significant progress during the "lessons". I

> realize this is not exactly what you are referring to when you mention

> games as a dynamic and challenging experience when designed correctly.

>

> Regarding the book by James Paul Gee, I am intrigued and think it is

> possible that games can be used to gain skills that are relevant in  

> the

> real world. I checked it out on amazon and found this:

> http://www.amazon.com/Video-Games-Teach-Learning-Literacy/dp/ 

> 1403965382/

> sr=8-1/qid=1171294424/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-0689205-7632717? 

> ie=UTF8&s=book

> s

>

> It seems that Gee is a serious scholar who is attempting to  

> overturn the

> notion that video games are bad for children. While I do see the

> potential for games as a learning tool, I have to say that I see  

> reality

> as the greatest tool for children to learn how to successfully  

> function

> in society.

> They learn to immitate and function as they absorb the particular

> cultural environ and the challenges therein.

>

> Basically my main concern is this: Where do you draw the line  

> between a

> badly made game that is designed to excite and stimulate without any

> strategic challenge and a well designed game? How can you tell the

> difference?


Gee's book addresses this in some detail.  From his study of video  
games and classrooms, he generates learning design principles which  
are evidenced in both well-designed video games and classrooms.


>

> Craig

>

> --------------------------------------

> Craig Alinder

> info at gaming-pc.net

> http://www.refinancequiz.com


It sounds like you might find this book interesting.

David J. Rosen

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net


>

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: "David Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>

> To: "The Technology and Literacy Discussion List"  

> <technology at nifl.gov>

> Sent: Sunday, February 11, 2007 7:47 AM

> Subject: [Technology 843] The magic of technology for learning is

> outsidethe classroom

>

>

>> Marianne, Steve, and others

>>

>> There is a magical, compelling learning technology which is almost

>> never used in the classroom, neither in K-12 or adult education.  It

>> is widely used at home, however, and in "computer cafes" around the

>> world , mostly by male "digital natives" under 30.  It is not usually

>> designed to teach anything that instructors would recognize as basic

>> skills or academic content, yet it incorporates some principles of

>> learning that at least one author has argued at length, are far

>> superior to what is found in most classrooms.  It is capable of

>> teaching content -- any content -- in ways that are more engaging  

>> than

>

>> most classrooms.

>>

>> I am referring to well-designed video games, and to the book, _What

>> Video Games Have to teach Us About Learning and Literacy_ by James

>> Paul Gee.  According to Gee, good video game designers carefully

>> create games so that players learn (and improve) strategies in

>> context, as they go, so that (using Lev Vygotsky's concept) each new

>> scenario presents the first-person, active learner-players with

>> challenges that are just outside their "zone of proximal development"

>

>> providing difficult challenges, but within reach, and hence highly

>> motivating.  Gee also argues that many of these games focus on  

>> problem

>

>> solving strategies and attitudes, sometimes those that are useful in

>> the workplace such as getting information from context, getting and

>> sharing information with co-workers, taking calculated risks, and

>> working as a team.

>>

>> There is at least one (free) computer simulation that incorporates

>> some of these good game design principles and that also has basic

>> skills (reading,writing and numeracy) content, The Office, by Mike

>> Hillinger. See the simulation at:

>>

>> http://www.lexiconsys.com/dswmedia/working_simulations.html

>>

>> and a description of it at:

>>

>> http://www.readingonline.org/electronic/elec_index.asp? 

>> HREF=hillinger/

>>

>> I have three questions for those on this list:

>>

>> 1. Would you (anyone on this list)  be interested in having a

>> discussion of James Paul Gee's book,  _What Video Games Have to teach

>> Us About Learning and Literacy_ , on the Technology discussion list?

>> 2. Do you know of any other engaging, well-designed video games for

>> adults or older youth that have adult literacy education skills and

>> knowledge (including adult secondary education and ESOL) as content?

>> 3. Do you use computer simulations or video games for learning

>> purposes in your classroom or learning lab?  If so, which ones, and

>> how do you use them?

>>

>> David J. Rosen

>> djrosen at comcast.net

>>

>>

>> On Feb 7, 2007, at 1:29 PM, Mariann Fedele wrote:

>>

>>> Hello Steve and all,

>>>

>>> Steve, you wrote, "staff and students now we seem to ask too much of

>>> technology, expect it to be like magic."

>>>

>>> I think this comment is important to consider when thinking about  

>>> how

>

>>> technology relates to the teaching and learning process and

>>> integrating it in a purposeful way. To begin grappling with that

>>> question a useful reference source is the report by the National

>>> Research Council titled "How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience,

>>> and School" (1999). Of course, there have been many advances in the

>>> technology we use since the time it was published, but many of the

>>> core findings I believe still hold true.

>>> What do others on the list think?  How can these recommendations

>>> inform our practice? Following is an excerpt from the concluding

>>> chapter.

>>>

>>>

>>> LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

>>> Tools of Technology

>>>

>>>       Technology has become an important instrument in education.

>>> Computer-based technologies hold great promise both for increasing

>>> access to knowledge and as a means of promoting learning. The public

>>> imagination has been captured by the capacity of information

>>> technologies to centralize and organize large bodies of knowledge;

>>> people are excited by the prospect of information networks, such as

>>> the Internet, for linking students around the globe into communities

>>> of learners.

>>>

>>>      There are five ways that technology can be used to help meet  

>>> the

>

>>> challenges of establishing effective learning environments:

>>>

>>> 1. Bringing real-world problems into classrooms through the use of

>>> videos, demonstrations, simulations, and Internet connections to

>>> concrete data and working scientists.

>>> 2. Providing "scaffolding" support to augment what learners can do

>>> and reason about on their path to understanding. Scaffolding allows

>>> learners to participate in complex cognitive performances, such as

>>> scientific visualization and model-based learning, that is more

>>> difficult or impossible without technical support.

>>>

>>> 3. Increasing opportunities for learners to receive feedback from

>>> software tutors, teachers, and peers; to engage in reflection on

>>> their own learning processes; and to receive guidance toward

>>> progressive revisions that improve their learning and reasoning.

>>>

>>> 4. Building local and global communities of teachers,  

>>> administrators,

>

>>> students, parents, and other interested learners.

>>>

>>> 5. Expanding opportunities for teachers' learning.

>>>

>>>      An important function of some of the new technologies is their

>>> use as tools of representation. Representational thinking is central

>>> to in-depth understanding and problem representation is one of the

>>> skills that distinguish subject experts from novices. Many of the

>>> tools also have the potential to provide multiple contexts and

>>> opportunities for learning and transfer, for both student-learners

>>> and teacher-learners.

>>> Technologies can be used as learning and problem-solving tools to

>>> promote both independent learning and collaborative networks of

>>> learners and practitioners.

>>>

>>>      The use of new technologies in classrooms, or the use of any

>>> learning aid for that matter, is never solely a technical matter.  

>>> The

>

>>> new electronic technologies, like any other educational resource,  

>>> are

>

>>> used in a social environment and are, therefore, mediated by the

>>> dialogues that students have with each other and the teacher.

>>>

>>>      Educational software needs to be developed and implemented with

>>> a full understanding of the principles of learning and developmental

>>> psychology. Many new issues arise when one considers how to educate

>>> teachers to use new technologies effectively: What do they need to

>>> know about learning processes? What do they need to know about the

>>> technologies? What kinds of training are most effective for helping

>>> teachers use high-quality instructional programs? Understanding the

>>> issues that affect teachers who will be using new technologies is

>>> just as pressing as questions of the learning potential and

>>> developmental appropriateness of the technologies for children.

>>>

>>> If you want to read the whole chapter it can found at:

>>> http://books.nap.edu/html/howpeople1/ch10.html

>>>

>>>

>>> Mariann Fedele

>>> Associate Director,

>>> NYC Regional Adult Education Network

>>> Literacy Assistance Center

>>> Moderator,

>>> NIFL Technology and Literacy Discussion List

>>> 32 Broadway 10th Floor

>>> New York, New York 10004

>>> 212-803-3325

>>> mariannf at lacnyc.org

>>> www.lacnyc.org

>>>

>>>

>>> -----Original Message-----

>>> From: technology-bounces at nifl.gov

>>> [mailto:technology-bounces at nifl.gov]

>>> On Behalf Of Steve Quann

>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 5:41 PM

>>> To: The Technology and Literacy Discussion List

>>> Subject: [Technology 833] Re: Changing reading levels of text

>>> questions

>>>

>>> Hi Patti,

>>> Haven't used this, but I came upon it last week:

>>> http://www.usingenglish.com/resources/text-statistics.php

>>>

>>> Sounds like you already know much of this, but here is a site that

>>> might help with the creating/editing.

>>>

>>> http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/healthliteracy/materials.html

>>>

>>> I am finding that even though there are some things that just amaze

>>> me staff and students now we seem to ask too much of technology

>>> expect it to be like magic. Others?

>>>

>>> Good luck,

>>> Steve

>>>

>>>

>>>>>> "Patti White" <prwhite at MadisonCounty.NET> 2/6/2007 4:21 PM >>>

>>> I received the following request and I'm stumped.  Here's the

> request:

>>> -------------------------------------------------------------------- 

>>> -

>>> -

>>> --

>>> --------

>>>

>>> Do you know of a computer program that takes text and offers

>>> suggestions for dropping the reading level.. As in maybe 10th grade

>>> to 5th grade...Is there software that does that other than just  

>>> using

>

>>> the Flesch-Kincaid Readability stats and doing it by hand???

>>>

>>> Next question..When you are adapting text for folks with literacy

>>> issues....you know how you drop the reading level down and augment

>>> with pictures...Is there a term that is used for that ..something

>>> like .modified text with pictures or something like that...????

>>>

>>> -------------------------------------------------------------------- 

>>> -

>>> -

>>> --

>>> --------

>>>

>>> The only thing I can find that might help is the Auto Summarize

>>> feature in Microsoft Word, but it's not really appropriate.  Does

>>> anyone know of some software that will drop the reading level of

>>> text?  And is there a term for that process?

>>>

>>> Thanks for whatever help anyone can give, Patti White

>>>

>>> Patti White, M.Ed.

>>> Disabilities Project Manager

>>> Arkansas Adult Learning Resource Center prwhite at madisoncounty.net

>>> http://aalrc.org/resources/ld/index.aspx

>>> 800.569.3539    ph/fax/tty

>>> ----------------------------------------------------

>>> National Institute for Literacy

>>> Technology and Literacy mailing list

>>> Technology at nifl.gov

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>>

>> David J. Rosen

>> djrosen at comcast.net

>>

>>

>>

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>>

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>

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