What are your initial thoughts and concerns about game-based learning?

First off, let me say that I can't complete the reading because -- living in Canada -- I am still waiting for my textbooks to clear Customs and wend their way to my house. Unfortunately this has happened before, and the arrival is unpredictable at best. Doesn't matter how much in advance I order . . . it never seems to happen the same way twice. I've had at least two shipments never arrive, and never knew why.

So -- my initial thoughts and concerns about game-based learning. Thoughts first -- I can really see the applicability in my content area. In fact, this would have been really useful for Shakespeare last term, when we were doing Macbeth. I could see setting up a VR based in Scotland during the time of Macbeth, so that the students could take roles and see how the characters' lives were impacted by the political, social, and economic environments. I can also see its applicability and huge value in social studies -- for the same reasons. Much easier to "live" the life than to just read about it. Learning sticks with you when you can experience it. I need to learn more about how it all runs, though, before I could even begin to approach being able to design and implement my own "world".

My main concern with game-based learning, however, comes from my recent experiences in dealing with my current district's tech department, and the complications the lack of technology caused for my students. Our district does not support wi-fi, and the computers they have in the schools are for the most part slow and tired. Streaming video and gaming bogs down the system to the point of being cumbersome; in fact, bandwidth can be such an issue that even if you aren't gaming, sometimes all the students can't access a particular website if you have more than a set number of students in your class. I started a wiki for my students last term. Initially they had difficulty with it, because the browser in place at the school was outdated, and wouldn't allow all the functions of the chosen wiki site. I couldn't download and install the newer version of the browser myself (which would have taken a little time, but not much!) because all the computers are in "deep freeze" -- no one is allowed to download and store. I understand the reasoning behind this, but when your tech department takes months to respond to requests for technology, it can be a bit much. However, they did install the much-needed browser update during Christmas break, which did help. So my first concern in game-based learning is the technology, hardware, and software available in our school.

Secondly, certain sites are blocked at the district level, so I would have to gain clearance for use of game-based sites if they had been deemed unsuitable by the district tech department for whatever reason. Individual schools as well block certain sites -- Facebook, for example -- so there is a second level of clearance that needs to be addressed before I could institute game-based learning.

My final concern would be access to the technology outside of class time. If I were to require game-based learning and assign homework based participation in the game, it would create serious issues for some of our students. Not all of our students have home computer access; some that do still only have dial-up service, which is unable to cope with the demands of online gaming access. I ran into this problem with my wiki as well, as some of my students could only work on their wiki pages at school, due to home computer issues. And though I would love to be able to accomplish all of the computer-based learning during class time, the problem arises of limited computer access at the schools. Most of our high schools have at best one or two computer labs, and a handful of computers in the library; during certain terms and certain times of the year, the labs are virtually inaccessible, as there is competition among the teachers for lab time. Certain courses -- particularly those which are computer-based such as Info Tech -- take precedence over academic courses which don't necessarily "need" the computer.

So although I am intrigued by the concept of game-based learning, I am hesitant to commit to incorporating it in my instruction, because of the concerns I have over its viability in my current system.

About Me

Hi, I'm Lisa McElroy Hunter, although at some point in this term I'll be dropping the Hunter (when I finally get all the massive amounts of paperwork completed!) I have essentially completed all of my coursework for my master of science in education technology, but there were still a couple of courses that I wanted to take while I work on completing my thesis.

I am a single mother with three sons, ages 14, 12, and 10. These are my boys in the photo, taken at Mt. St. Helens in the summer of 2008. I was born and raised in Seattle, Washington, and graduated from Washington State University with a bachelor of arts in English. I went on to obtain my teaching certificate from Western Washington, married and moved to Canada with my Canadian husband. We have since divorced, and I find myself wanting to move back home to Seattle . . . so if anyone hears of a good position, please let me know!

I am an avid soccer player. That is probably an understatement. Throughout the year, I average about three or four games a week. In the winter, I play indoor soccer. I coach soccer for at least one of my sons every spring -- sometimes two teams -- and have coached high school girls' soccer during the same season as well for the past three years. So spring can be kind of hectic, between coaching and playing (I think I'm in three divisions this year!) I have played in two World Masters Games, most recently in Sydney in October 2009, where I played for the Kiwi Miskicks, a team out of New Zealand. I also play in alternate years in Australia at the Pan Pacific Masters Games for the Perth Strikers out of Perth, Western Australia. I have already been invited to the next World Masters Games in Turin, Italy, in 2013 by two teams -- so this time I'll have to choose. I love to travel, so I never turn down an opportunity to combine the two! In the picture, I'm the one in blue -- my NZ team kit.

Currently, I am between teaching contracts. I completed a contract last week in upper-level English and art. I still have some wrapping up to do -- finishing my marks, getting all the assignments flogged out of my students, and so forth -- so I'll be in and out of the school for a few more days yet. If I don't end up getting a contract, it simply means back onto the sub list here, which isn't a bad thing -- subs here actually get paid quite well, at times better than on contract (but without the benefits).

That about sums it up. I'm looking forward to a new term and new ideas!