Video Games in the English Language Arts classroom Pt 2

In my last post I suggested that there were three levels on which learning about video games in the English classroom might occur: using conventional textual analysis; through identifying gameplay and games design techniques; and through designing, making, remixing games.

My presentation about this at a workshop with teachers on Friday was well received and they seemed to see the value in the approach. It was interesting that the teachers believed one of the main motivations for introducing games into English was to engage male students who were reluctant readers: the teachers had degrees of success with engagement with games study where they had little success with literature. Our discussions around this focused on the importance of being authentic to gaming culture - with the teachers agreeing that the over-intellectualisation of games was counter-productive.

A concept I introduced - that teachers seemed highly interested in - was that of video games "para-texts". That is, texts that are produced as part of the discussion / critique / discourses around games - for example, forums on games websites; walkthroughs produced by gamers; games reviews and so on. One suggestion was to have students produced voice-over walkthroughs of their own recorded gameplay, with a focus on the ways in which the game engages the player.

I argued that this type of "critical" approach to games was likely to be far more authentic to gamers than exercises in which students are asked to deconstruct games using models borrowed from literary and even film and television analysis.

Video Games in the English Language Arts classroom Pt1

This Friday I am conducting a workshop at the Education Queensland's Innovation Learning Centre with a focus on studying video games as texts in English classrooms. Studying games in English makes sense as a natural progression from teaching literature, popular fiction, film and television. Or does it? Games are not books, television or film. Yes, games are texts, but they are not just texts. Yes, games are multimodal texts, but are not just multimodal. Yes, games are visual, but they are not just visual. Yes, games are interactive, but they are not just interactive.

In many respects gameplay may have more in common with something like playing sport (which also relies on language, narrative, structure, representations) than using books and other types of texts. Therefore why study in the English classroom? I think it is important to study games, but I think the rationale for their inclusion needs to be different than for studying other types of texts, particularly literature. In turn, this will change the types of activities that make sense for use in the classroom.

Games can be simulated worlds; puzzles; challenges; social experiences; affinity spaces; competition spaces (likes sports); they can be extensions of a person’s lived realities; they are spaces for experimentations with identities; they are good fun; and they are spaces which often (purposely) exclude adults – likes some types of popular music. For these reasons, the relationship between students, teachers and games differs (usually) than for students, teachers and books.

So we need to be careful about the motivations / rationales for introducing games into the English classroom. However, there is a level on which games can be “tamed” for use in English classrooms – and if done well, students may even find it enjoyable, will develop their language skills, and be motivated. This includes: Genre analysis; Narrative analysis; and Discourse analysis (including analysis of representations etc). Some approaches from the use of literature, film and television are useful here.

A second level (which probes further) and will make more sense to gamers (but is still a form of intellectualisation that is somewhat at odds with the whole purpose of playing games) Might include: analysis of gameplay (descriptions of levels and challenges – providing “walkthroughs”); Identifying elements of game design (immersion, increasing challenge, avoiding “dead man walking” etc).

A third level is important: This combines analysis of gameplay with game designs, remixes, and fancuts; (but also reflections / explanations of what the student is aiming to achieve (for example, via reflective blogging). This level of consideration also includes the gameplay experience of other (for example, through audience research – why do students enjoy playing, why do others enjoy playing?). This third level draws in questions of identity / subjectivity that are important to consider when studying games in English. More thoughts after the workshop...

ACMA - Digital Media Literacy initiative

The Australian Communications and Media Authority recently established a Digital Media Literacy initiative. The initiative aims to raise awareness about the need for media literacy in the internet era and to conduct / collect research that relates to the effectiveness of various approaches to media literacy.

It will be interesting to see how media literacy comes to be defined within the project. For example, will digital media literacy simply equate to being able to access and use media technologies effectively, or will there be some focus on critically reflective engagement, and creative participation, with new media technologies?

A step in the right direction would be for ACMA to recognise the media education work already being done in school systems across the country and to help raise the curriculum profile of the area.

More thoughts on this as the project develops...