References


Literature

 

Gee, J. P. (2003). What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. 

 

Johnson, J. (2005). Everything bad is good for you: How today's popular culture is actually making you smarter. New      York: Riverhead Books. 

 

Prensky, M. (2006). Don't bother me, Mom, I'm learning!: How computer and video games are preparing your kids for

     21st century success and how you can help! St. Paul, MN: Paragon House.  

 

 

Internet Resources

 

10 Key Principles for Designing Video Games for Foreign Language Learning by Ravi Purushotma, Steven L. Thorne, and Julian Wheatley     

     Article outlining key foreign language video game design principles and providing an overview of the various genres of video games

     and how they might be used in the FL classroom.

 

Boom Culture Blog

     "Musings on pop culture, with an emphasis on technology, video games and education"

 

The Ecology of Games: Connecting Youth, Games, and Learning.

     From The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Media and Learning. Full text available online, featuring

     articles by Gee and others.

 

Fluency in Play by Ken McAllister and Judd Ruggill

     "Fluency in Play was written to provide K-16 teachers with an introduction to designing and building computer games for the foreign

     language classroom. At the heart of the book is the fact that computer games make excellent teaching tools. They combine two of the

      fundamental processes of new language acquisition—play and exploration—with the power and pleasures of fun."

 

From Age of Empires to Zork: Using Games in the Classroom by Todd Bryant

     Breaks some games into three categories based on difficulty to integrate in a course: simple simulations (e.g., Sims 2); games related

     to strategy board games (e.g., Civilization); games in which the student becomes the creator (e.g., game mods). Mentions Steinkuehler's

     work with World of Warcraft.

 

Games for Change

     "Games for Change seeks to harness the extraordinary power of video games to address the most pressing issues of our day,

     including poverty, human rights, global conflict and climate change. We are a voice for the transformative power of video games,

     bringing together organizations and individuals from the non-profits sector, journalism, academia, industry and the arts, to grow

     the community and provide a platform for the exchange of ideas. Through this work, Games for Change promotes new kinds of video

     games that engage contemporary social issues in meaningful ways to foster a more just, equitable and tolerant society."

 

Games to Learn: Language and Culture Acquisition through Computer Game Design and Play

     Podcast from CERCLL at the University of Arizona with project directors Ken McAllister and Judd Ruggill about language

     learning and game design.

 

Steven Johnson on NPR: Everything Bad is Good for You

     Morning Edition, May 24, 2005 · "Are Americans getting dumber or smarter? Author Steven Johnson discusses his book Everything Bad Is

     Good for You. He argues that the complexity of modern TV shows and video games might make today's media consumer sharper than

     those of 30 years ago."

 

Moving Learning Games Forward: An Education Arcade Paper

     The goal of this paper is to answer questions about learning games and to help plot a path for people and organizations interested in

     developing or fostering the development of video games for learning. The paper starts by making a case for learning games grounded in      principles of good fun and good learning. From there the paper explores the commercial games market, gleaning lessons from this

     rapidly growing and diversifying place. Much of the rest of the paper establishes principles and best practices for moving the field

     forward in a positive direction.

 

Marc Prensky - Writing

     Online versions of articles by Marc Prensky, who writes about digital natives and immigrants, gaming, technology and teaching.

 

Ravi Purushotma thesis: Language Learning with New Media and Video Games

     "Abstract: In recent years, a sharp increase in the number of academic studies around the use of video games and new media for

     educational purposes has greatly expanded our understanding of their potential for enhancing learning. At the same time, the field of

     foreign language pedagogy has been racing to keep pace with the numerous opportunities afforded by the internet and interactive media

     forms. Surprisingly, however, there has been little cross-over between the two bodies of academic literature. This site seeks to present

     many of the latest theories in game studies and new media literacies alongside theories of language learning. Numerous examples are

     presented of how video games and web applications such as The Sims 2, Grim Fandango, Google Earth, Social Networking, DVD

     functionality and others could shift the way we approach language learning."

 

Will Wright TED talk: Toys that make worlds

     In a friendly, high-speed presentation, Will Wright demos his newest game, Spore, which promises to dazzle users even more than his

     previous masterpieces.