Video Games and Learning
This is the central argument Gee makes about video games in relation to learning.
What is "video games are powerful learning tools that promote active and critical thinking"?
According to Gee, literacy is not just about reading words but also about understanding and using this.
What is "semiotic domains"?
Gee identifies this key learning principle in games, where players learn by doing rather than just memorizing facts.
What is "active learning" or "experiential learning"?
Gee argues that video games encourage learning by allowing players to adopt and experiment with this.
What is "a new identity"?
Video games keep players engaged by maintaining a balance between difficulty and ability, a state often referred to as this.
What is "flow"?
Gee compares learning in video games to this real-world educational concept, emphasizing the importance of problem-solving in context.
What is "situated learning" or "situated cognition"?
Gee uses the example of people learning how to play video games to illustrate the concept of learning in this type of domain.
What is a "semiotic domain"?
This learning principle in games suggests that challenges should match a player's skill level to maintain engagement.
What is the "zone of proximal development" or "flow"?
In video games, players take on roles that allow them to learn in context, a concept Gee refers to as this type of identity.
What is "projective identity"?
According to Gee, a good video game ensures that challenges scale with the player's skill level, a principle that aligns with this educational theory.
What is "the zone of proximal development" (or "scaffolding")?
According to Gee, good video games create experiences that blend identity, interaction, and production, a concept borrowed from this academic field.
What is "literacy studies" or "new literacy studies"?
This term refers to the idea that people must learn both the content and the ways of thinking associated with a particular field or community.
What is "discourse" (or "discourse communities")?
Video games often allow players to take on new roles and identities, a concept that Gee connects to this aspect of education.
What is "role-based learning" or "identity-based learning"?
Video games allow players to interact with the game world in meaningful ways, which Gee compares to the process of mastering this.
What is "a discourse" or "a semiotic domain"?
Games often provide clear goals, immediate feedback, and opportunities for experimentation, making learning feel like this type of experience.
What is "problem-solving" or "exploration"?
In Chapter 2, Gee argues that video games provide this kind of learning environment, where players are encouraged to experiment and take risks without real-world consequences.
What is a "safe space for learning"?
Gee emphasizes the difference between these two types of literacy: one involving basic reading skills and the other involving critical engagement.
What are "print literacy" and "new literacy"?
Gee argues that video games promote this cognitive skill by requiring players to analyze problems and develop strategies.
What is "systemic thinking" or "problem-solving skills"?
Gee believes that video games motivate players because they make learning feel like this, rather than a forced activity.
What is "a meaningful experience" or "a voluntary endeavor"?
Unlike traditional schooling, video games encourage learning through failure, reinforcing the idea that mistakes are an opportunity for this.
What is "learning and growth" (or "iterative learning")?
Gee believes video games help players adopt new perspectives and roles, an idea related to this broader learning theory.
What is "identity-based learning" or "projective identity"?
In Chapter 3, Gee argues that video games encourage players to understand and critique the rules of a system, an approach similar to this type of literacy.
What is "critical literacy"?
Chapter 4 highlights the importance of players becoming part of a game's community, learning from experts and peers in a way similar to this real-world concept.
What is "apprenticeship learning" or "situated learning"?
By stepping into the role of a scientist, soldier, or adventurer, video game players engage with this form of learning, which is often missing in traditional classrooms.
What is "identity-based learning" or "situated cognition"?
Gee emphasizes that well-designed games use intrinsic motivation to drive engagement, meaning that players are motivated by this rather than external rewards.
What is "a sense of achievement, curiosity, or mastery"?