Recently, a young male teacher approached me regarding purchasing Wii gaming consoles for the library. I reacted with surprise and laughter, “What for?”
He strangely replied that games were a great teaching tool.
“Really?” I looked at him with an expression that I am sure said, “Of course, you are a young male, who is addicted to gaming...”
And I walked away shaking my head, “Purchasing a Wii for the library! Hardly!”
I thought nothing more of the conversation until I began this course. Needless to say I began to wonder about my stereotyping of Clint and his request. Could games really be used as educational tools? How? Success? Types? Wii games? Educational?
I had only really considered gaming as fun, not a learning tool. I have 2 teenage boys who spend an insurmountable time gaming. And perhaps some of my stereotyping of games and males, comes from my age and personal experience. Were my boys learning as they play these games or were they just having fun?
As I began to consider the possibility of gaming in my classroom (i.e. primary school library) I am reminded of another great educational debate that raged not so long ago - Should children be taught to use calculators? (I am showing my age!) and I am reminded about the many naysayers who said that children will never learn to add up. Perhaps, for me this idea of using video games as a tool to educate children is another educational technological leap I must take and I have a personal issue with change rather than with the technology.
I don't want to be a naysayer - Children already spend too much time on computers and gaming; The curriculum is already overcrowded: Can busy teachers fit gaming into the curriculum?; Is there any real purpose or point. But on the other hand I don't want to be a teacher librarian who is archaic and out of touch with my students and who misses valuable teaching tools because of pre-conceived and stereotypical ideas.
Through this blog, I hope to begin a learning journey that will help me answer some of my questions. I want to make an informed and educated decision that benefits the students in my school.
Confused Teacher Librarian
Thank you so much for sharing this example! I’m sure it is one of many that you have had to deal with as a teacher librarian and I will have to in the future. You hit the nail of the head, the decisions we make should be of benefit to our students despite our preconceived ideas about teaching and learning, and living for that matter. So in my musing over your musings I can see that it is important for us to strive to really understand the world our students live in and not cling to tightly to the comfort of our past. Also, how great it is that a young teacher is able to bring new ideas and initiatives to teaching and learning. I think there is a lot we can learn by talking to our students and younger teachers about what they need to be able to teach and learn effectively, because, as shown in your example, often it is things that we have not even thought about before. So perhaps, in making decisions that are best for our students includes communicating with them during the decision-making process. Ahhh more to muse over...
ReplyDelete