melaniemcbride.net

Resting in Teldrassil

the break ... for graduate study and writing (continues) As much as I love writing in this blog, I am still on a break for graduate study, research projects and a book.

The following post was originally published for Ryerson University's EDGElab blog

"In search of diamonds" Blocky mix (minecraft machinima) Last week I finally got around to playing the lavatacular 8-bit sandbox PC game Minecraft! In addition to having lots of fun, I'm also thinking all the great forms of learning it engages.  Bryan Alexander, was among the first to identify the educational virtues of the game's simple graphics, play/mechanics and sandbox maker-ness. I'd add: self-directed, autonomous, creative, metacognitive, social and experiential learning. That's right, the learning that already exists - not stuff you add to minecraft. Minecraft appeals to explorer type gameplay through open, self directed inquiry, exploring, testing hypotheses, reflecting and goal setting. While the game is lacking the kind of formal learning structures found in other games (i.e., starting areas, tutorials, tips or leveled activity), this is probably the best part where learning is concerned - because there is not only room for the learner but also for many creative adaptations and uses of the gamespace.  For me, the fun is all about the misadventures, retries and reflection versus the prescribed narrative, grinding and sensory overload most games pass off as "play". Since I haven't yet been playing long enough to formulate "educational" insights, I'd rather talk about what I enjoy about the game (which is actually all about learning) and offer a few thoughts for educators looking for a meaningful way in. Often, teachers come to games wanting to know "how do I teach with this" or "bring it into the classroom" before they've even explored it. They forget two things: gamers are already out there playing it (many of them the kids you plan to "teach") and all the most essential learning that is going to happen is already happening - type minecraft into Youtube and you'll get 235,000 results. That's 235,000 resources that have been developed since this past summer alone. This post is about the importance of the exploring part - as both the focus of this game and also as a philosophy for learning itself. So say goodbye to an evening or more, get yourself lost, die, make stuff, break stuff, repeat. I'm going to call this a Pedagogy of Noobing It Up. My first night in minecraft I began my first hours in minecraft in the company of my husband, a longtime gamer interested in using minecraft with his elementary students. Having another player handy - either in person or via IM - was useful given the lack of support for a game without scaffolding. This helps with what one of my colleagues (an early childhood educator) refers to as, the "guess what's in my head" design logic that alienates many players from less structured activities. Here's an idea of what to expect on your first night, simply articulated in this great tutorial: Minecraft Tutorial 01 - How to Survive your First Night. A lot of really basic things, like chopping trees with your hands, knowing how to build a crafting table and some of the "recipes" for basic objects you need to stay alive are not at all intuitive.   I'm a wanderer so I love just wandering around, checking out the flora and fauna and experiencing the world. I didn't realize how quickly the day goes in Minecraft! and soon realized that those few minutes of daylight are precious for resource collection and building. I realised this because I had neither of the items needed to survive at night: shelter and torches (light). With the sun descending on the horizon, I smashed away at trees to get enough wood for sticks for my torches and a workbench. With a little help from the tutorial and some conversation with my fellow-minecrafter, I got the resources I needed to make a torch and I dug myself a hole in the ground just as the sun was setting. It was nothing more than a dirt hole completely sealed in with a couple of torches to prevent zombies from spawning with me in the darkness. I could hear the zombies moaning and groaning above me along with the cows, skeletons and hissing creepers. I now had my first "authentic" goal (to build a proper place that didn't feel like a deathpit). The motivation was authentic too: this sucks being stuck in this hole! The day after, I was at a school and talking with a student who had told me played minecraft. He asked what I'd done so far and told me I should set the game to "peaceful" and "just build." He said the monsters were fun (survival mode) but building was, for him, where it was at. Several other students, hearing us talking minecraft, agreed: "yeah, build on peaceful! what have you made?" So I decided to go with their way and spend the next while just exploring the world and making things. That it felt like "cheating" goes to show how deeply rules and structures inform our idea of games and how we "ought" to play them (where do we learn this?). What the students had chosen to do felt more authentic (i.e., making our own choices about how to "play" rather than following the implicit logic of the game - surviving zombies). Though the minecraft creators likely had this kind of play in mind or else they likely wouldn't have offered the "peaceful" mode at all, right? Here is one of the homes I built for myself while on peaceful. It took me just under an hour to build (thanks to a convenient rock structure that formed the foundation. I left it until the second day to explore the minecraft wiki, where I'd be able to learn how to make objects I didn't initially have the resources for (and would have overwhelmed me to look at). I taught myself how to make glass, stairs, smooth stone, cooked meat, a boat and a compass." Given the time I spent making all this stuff, I decided to capture it in a short video. I made this one after discovering a great little mine and realizing that the choice of where you build your home shouldn't be arbitrary. I call the video "noobing it up" because I really am: note the abundance of doors and the crafting table affixed to my hand for the first part :)   Moving on to multiplayer: Eureka! When I tweeted that I was playing Minecraft, a few folks in my network told me I had to try multiplayer. A local indie game designer I know invited me to come and play on his friend's server inhabited by a very small group of game designers. I was excited to have the opportunity not only to play with others but also to see what kinds of things actual game developers had come up with. I was blown away by their skyscraper high lava towers and pathways, towns and minecart rollercoasters. Clearly the work of those who spend a lot of time designing things that both fun to look at and fun to engage - and something to contrast to my crude structural/design logic (though rich with learning for me). During my first few hours on the server I managed to flood one of their mines. The following day I met one of the guys who came over to my humble home and invited me to explore his creations -- along with playfully vandalizing another player's living room with hundreds of torches ;-> It was wonderful to finally see another player and chat and get through a couple of hair-raising monster attacks (I died twice during our brief tour). As an educator, it was also interesting to note how much prior learning I drew upon to engage this other player - jumping up and down to indicate "happy" (something WoW players do) and negotiating unfamiliar terrain (when your skills with the controls are still clunky) definitely draws on prior knowledge (i.e., transfer). When I finally got to talk to one of the guys offline, he talked to me about the pleasure he took in sharing his creations - and collaborating on new ones. My designer friend brought up the question of whether the game ought to have more built in structure and the need for this in future iterations versus the scaffolding thus far created around the game by players. Social and collaborative learning FTW One of the things I love about the game designers space is that they set up a kind of "safe house" which is right near the water. I didn't know or think of it as such when I spawned after a death but it was obvious that's what it was. A tiny building unlike all the rest, well lit with torches and not obscured by trees. Inside, there was a chest with some basic items, a crafting table, a stove and a bed (which allows you to speed up the night cycle within a few seconds). When you die, you have nothing, so this little place gave me just enough items to head back out into the land and get what I needed. Plus, it keeps you safe from creepers. Here's a picture of a couple of them hanging out outside the safehouse, waiting to blow me up. Notice the items in my inventory: a wooden sword and pick and three torches. Being collectively minded, I knew that any items I took should be replaced - and I also thought about the items that I might like to be there (and would probably provide - a sword, for example). At the same time, I think it's important that there's a bit of challenge for the survivor. My experiences at the safehouse got me thinking how minecraft can be used to scaffold: collectivity, resource sharing and community building versus the dominant message of our culture: consume and compete. Competition may well be another game element that players could explore but I'm more interested in collaboration. I also wondered about resource sharing. Would I use their mines or dig my own? I did end up mining a bit in one of their mines and then after learned that I ought to make my own. So when I created my own mine I made it clear that they were welcome to it - and anything they find there is theirs for the keeping. The more of the mine gets opened up the better - and I don't really have time to light up the huge caverns I've discovered. I built this walkway to my own house but the idea is that these structures can be used by anyone who wishes to avoid monsters while traveling to and from safe spots. Minecraft in school (and situated in player's spaces) This part is for those of you who have already noobed it up. Lucas Gillespie's Minecraftinschool wiki, a resource I was proud to contribute to, has some great starting points for educators interested in using minecraft in the classroom. What I like most about Lucas's approaches (in both WoW in schools and with Minecraft) is that they are highly open-ended, creative, exploratory and reflective. As a gamer, Lucas connects the curriculum with the gameplay in ways that feel authentic rather than forced and he never loses sight of what makes each game special to players. But locating the game in the classroom is not the only way to 'teach' with this game. Given all I've written about situated learning lately, I want to emphasize the importance of the community of minecraft players and makers already in existence and to emphasize the point that teachers need to be mindful of the abundant practices and culture that these people have developed -- and in a very brief time. And the ways we could tap into learner's insights developed outside of school. By mindful,  I mean before charging into this space with ideas of our own or locating the game in an educational setting, we think about drawing out the existing experiences and knowledge of players (and learners) to shape how it ought to be. Before we begin to "plan" how to use minecraft, it is more mindful to ask the students/players: What do they already know about it? How do they play it? Where do they play it? Do they play it with friends or alone? What kinds of things do they like to make? Etc. For many learners, the richest "learning" experience they're going to have is going to be out of school. At their own pace on their own time and on their own terms. The experience they have in their minecraft world (a truly magic circle). This is true of all situated learning that takes place in an authentic affinity space. Ultimately, great uses of minecraft in school will recognise that the "learning" is already well underway outside of schools and classrooms. Tapping into that, rather than trying to re-situate the game is key. Finally, minecraft isn't for everybody. From the aesthetic to the lack of structure and focus on "crafting", it's important to remember that games are as personal as music. Not every kid is going to go nuts when you propose the idea of playing a sandbox game. And for those who like other kinds of games, maybe there is a way they can tie those games to minecraft - as we might do with comparative literature study or other contrasting projects. Or, again, just ask them what they'd like to do with it - or maybe think about how minecraft might be used with some students but not all. Getting started with minecraft Without creating an overly structured approach (and leaving room for you to figure things out on your own and do some online inquiry and hands on problem solving), here are some tips:

1) Find out a bit about the game - what it is, what it isn't. That might clear up some assumptions before you get started. You mastery learners ought to watch yourself. There's a wealth of info out there that will rob you of some of the challenge and surprise you will otherwise learn from. This post alone might be enough (plus a visit to the included links).

2) Buddy: consider asking a friend to try the game out with you - or ask around to see if you know anybody who is already playing. That might be helpful as it was to me. If you're really lucky, you might even know somebody who has it on a server :)

3) Download and install the game (I suggest paying for it: best 20 bucks I've spent and goes a long way to supporting this indie game)

4) Watch the "first night" tutorial (link above) and make sure that it's open when you've installed the game.

5) Explore, test, experience, enjoy, die (yes. over and over. it helps, trust me). Try not to set anything but the most basic goals for yourself (i.e., learning from your mistakes, reflecting on what worked and didn't and setting goals that speak to those learnings). Building massive structures, creating eletrical circuits, monster traps and pvp might be thrilling to think about but you must face yourself before facing Darth ...

6) Share your creations (and accidents) - one of the comments that keeps coming up over and over again is the pleasure and pride players take in sharing their creations with others -- as well as their disasters - see below. Unlike many other games, the time you spend in minecraft yield's creative works worthy of showcasing and celebrating as any other artform. Create a log, take screenshots, do a machinima - put together a gallery of your life and times in the world. Here are some of writing/log ideas I included for students (what Lucas called "The Explorer's Journal", which I scaffolded).

 

 

 

Happy as I am that some educators have recognised the value and importance of videogames for learning Order Chloramphenicol with No Prescription, , I'm increasingly concerned about approaches that I think will suck the life out of gaming and play. I've already written about meaningful approaches to learning about and with games (which touched on gamification) but I felt a follow up was in order to get at gamification specifically:

1) gamification: the notion that the use of selective game mechanics constitutes a game (or, as I'm using it, canada, mexico, india, selective games as "texts" removed from their cultures or environments in which they are typically played and recontextualised according to schooly purposes). Buy Chloramphenicol without prescription, 2) additive: that games are merely a vehicle that learning is dumped into by "expert" educators/subject teachers.

3) creepy treehouse: the act of locating games and play within a context of evaluation, surveillance and assessment (the pedagogical influence of power relations that are largely not acknowledged reflexively on the part of power holders), ordering Chloramphenicol online.

Without a real love or investment in the larger culture of gaming, Purchase Chloramphenicol, there is a potential to negate a cultural expression that holds real meaning for learners. This may do far more "violence" to their minds and hearts than Call of Duty.  In essence, the act of colonizing and inscribing play, Order Chloramphenicol with No Prescription.

Let's face it, a lot of what we enjoy and call play isn't stuff we would say or do in a classroom or any space where we are being observed by power holders (or if we do, order Chloramphenicol no prescription, we do so out of their gaze). Chloramphenicol trusted pharmacy reviews, A boss might think a game of paintball, golf tournament or a night out at Appleby's is a fun night and playful icebreaker. But most  employees experience it differently, Chloramphenicol gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release. The un-reflexive lets-play-videogames together teacher is not unlike The Office's boss Michael Scott, Chloramphenicol for sale, whose total absence of perspective on power relations results in uncomfortable moments for his staff. Order Chloramphenicol with No Prescription, As teachers, we often do the same thing when we unpack "fun" activities that our students are obligated to participate in - often forgetting that having to do things and wanting to do them are two different things. But how could anything fun feel forced.

Have a look at this historical document on children's play from Peter and Iona Opie's Children's Games in Street and Playground (Oxford University Press) 1969, buy Chloramphenicol online cod. What they have to say about children's play resonates with me a lot right now in relation to the location of gaming in the classroom - and notions "adult" teachers have of what this play is and "ought" to be - and where adults situate themselves in relation to children's authentic cultures and games. Australia, uk, us, usa, Replace the word adult with teacher and consider the parallels to contemporary discourse and media frames. Consider also games with videogames and it becomes apparent that our impulses to control and inscribe children's play is nothing new:

“During the past fifty years shelf-loads of books have been written instructing children in the games they ought to play, and some even instructing adults on how to instruct children in the games they ought to play, but few attempts have been made to record the games children in fact play, Order Chloramphenicol with No Prescription. It seems to be presumed that children today (unlike those in the past) have few diversions of their own, that they are incapable of self-organization, buy Chloramphenicol without a prescription, have become addicted to spectator amusements, Where to buy Chloramphenicol, and will languish if left to rely on their own resources. It is felt that the enlightened adult is one who thinks up ideas for them, provides them with ‘play materials, Chloramphenicol samples,’ and devotes time to playing with them.’

I love the use of the word "addiction" - one often associated with videogames in moral panic media reports (and a common assumption among non gamers about the time gamers spend engaging in their cultures - playing games) the reference to "incapable of self organization" reminds me of the endless commentaries of those who wish to "teach" kids to be more critical about the games they play (reading only the surface aesthetics or themes of game rather than knowing what it is the learners enjoy). Buy cheap Chloramphenicol, These same frames are still very present in the language of adults and teachers when speaking of children and the presumed literacies they do not possess. As well, the commentary on the "enlightened" adult "who thinks up ideas for them" is very much the classroom2.0 teacher bringing in blogs, Chloramphenicol from canadian pharmacy, social media and other ostenisble "play materials" to "play" with them -- without considering how different their experience is when they have autonomy, Kjøpe Chloramphenicol på nett, köpa Chloramphenicol online, privacy and freedom to do so unobserved or assessed. Order Chloramphenicol with No Prescription, Consider this also in relation to Opies comments about peer-to-peer learning v. top down, adult-to-child learning:

‘Our vision of childhood continues to be based on the adult-child relationship, buy Chloramphenicol from mexico. Possibly because it is more diffficult to find out about, Chloramphenicol price, coupon, let alone understand, we largely ignore the child-to-child complex, scarcely realizing that however much children may need looking after they are also people going about their own business within their own society, online buying Chloramphenicol hcl, and are fully capable of occupying themselves under the jurisdiction of their own code.”

And the Opies made it clear that they were talking about the way kids play when they are alone, Where to buy Chloramphenicol, away from adults. Not playing sports or any activity requiring "supervision":

“we are concerned solely with the games that children, aged about 6-12, purchase Chloramphenicol online no prescription, play of their own accord when out of doors, Buy Chloramphenicol no prescription, and usually out of sight. We do not include, except incidentally, buy no prescription Chloramphenicol online, party games, Comprar en línea Chloramphenicol, comprar Chloramphenicol baratos, scout games, team games, or any sport that requires supervision; and we concentrate for the most part on the rough-and-tumble games which, buy Chloramphenicol from canada, though they may require energy and sometimes fortitude, Where can i buy Chloramphenicol online, do not need even the elementary equipment of bat and ball.”

I'd love to have gaming recognized as an important part of our culture and one that ought to be engaged as a form of learning and literacy like any other (not even as a text but as a method of learning). If anything, games could play an important role in radically reconfiguring school according to the more meaningful mechanics of engagement found in games (i.e., low to no stakes skill mastery v, Order Chloramphenicol with No Prescription. high stakes testing - see James Gee's definitions of these affordances).

Open assessment in situated learning spaces v, purchase Chloramphenicol. school

One idea of doing gaming right involves thinking about allowing learning to happen in the spaces it really happens and exploring the integration of open assessment in peer spaces with accreditation in schooly ones. Buy Chloramphenicol from mexico, Here's what the Peer to Peer University is working on:

But we also have to deal with the disposition problem - i.e., the ideological, social or cultural values within a teacher that contribute to their assessment of "good" and "bad" games for learning and their very notion of learning, play or power relations, Order Chloramphenicol with No Prescription. We have to think about the space of the classroom - in relation to more authentic peer to peer "situated" learning spaces, rx free Chloramphenicol. If we're going to do gaming, Online buy Chloramphenicol without a prescription, maybe we ought to situate those games within the spaces they are played and explore the idea of peer and community assessment rather than inscribing with our own ideas of what that literacy looks or feels like.

A call to action

While I try to focus on the positive  exceptions of in-school gaming that are coming from wonderfully reflexive gamer educators I still believe there are some ethics we need to unpack around coercing game-play within a context of assessment and power (a creepy-treehouse). I've written about some of the ways we could bypass creepytreehouses and gamification but was recently struck by another idea while talking to a student about minecraft:  if the students themselves were actually involved in the curriculum development we might actually get this right (though I think students should be involved in contributing to every aspect of school).

I will be reflecting a bit more in future posts about some of the ideas students themselves have shared with me about the prospect of gaming in schools and the way they situate themselves as gamers within particular gaming cultures and approaches to gameplay, order Chloramphenicol from mexican pharmacy. Order Chloramphenicol with No Prescription, In the meantime, talk to your kids or your students - what games do they play. What do they like about these different games. Or if you are a student, tell your teachers your idea of gaming in school - or whether you even like this idea.

Non gamer teachers: take a night off or a weekend and play some games. Think about what makes that fun for you and use that as your starting point. If you're like me, it might be the discovery that you'd rather spend several hours just roaming around and dying ("noobing it up" without any goal or objective but exploration) than looking up tutorials and going about things in a prescribed way. I wonder how I might have "taught" minecraft a few years ago given how much my own thinking has changed.

Me, noobing it up, in minecraft.

RELATED:

Sarah 'Intellagirl' Robbins offers some great definitions of games in her article "This game sucks: How to improve the gamification of education", which she argues that higher ed is already gamified via "pointsification."

Mozilla and Peer to Peer University explore the idea of open assessment for learning outside of schools.

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Order Theophylline with No Prescription, Remix artist Pogo's Disney remix "Alice"

In 2009, I came across the inspiring work of self-taught Australian remix musician Nick Bertke (aka "Pogo"). As a media teacher doing remix in my own media production classes, I was interested in learning more about Pogo and his creative process. So I interviewed him about it.

What I learned from Pogo, where can i order Theophylline without prescription, beyond his inspirations and process, is the central role of the philosophies that inform remix. Where can i buy cheapest Theophylline online, Philosophies that come into direct conflict with the policies and practices of institutional learning. This distinction is one of many that got me thinking about the differences between the real creative production process (i.e, the world I worked in as an early adopter and new media creator prior to teaching), what we're permitted to do in school, buy Theophylline no prescription. This post isn't so much about remix but how remix constitutes a site of struggle (and insight) between formal and informal learning, Order Theophylline with No Prescription.

While many educators have since adopted some of the practices of remix as a component of education (a wonderful thing), the acceptable remix products produced in a classroom are still mediated by explicit and implicit rules and expectations, Buy Theophylline online no prescription, many of which "nullify" the kind of authentic artistic expression that exists within real affinity spaces of maker culture and transmedia. As Henry Jenkins points out:

"It is not clear that the successes of affinity spaces can be duplicated by simply incorporating similar activities into the classroom. Schools impose a fixed leadership hierarchy (including very different roles for adults and teens); it is unlikely that someone like [maker artist] or [maker artist] would have had the same editorial opportunities they have found through fandom. .., where can i find Theophylline online. Order Theophylline with No Prescription, Even the most progressive schools set limits on what students can write compared to the freedom they enjoy on their own" (Henry Jenkins, Convergence Culture)

As well, truly situated cultures are rarely authorized within education unless they are unpacked by a teacher "expert" (i.e,. one with extensive "teaching" background v. lived experience with the tool or practice) or else reified by novel classroom projects that reflect the teacher's interests, Buy Theophylline without a prescription, values or priorities rather than those of the learners.

My lived experiences of these differences - as a learner, adopter, maker and teacher - speak to much larger questions about what is really possible within institutional learning at a time of unprecedented access to the figures, Theophylline gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release, communities and tools that allow learners an alternative means of learning that doesn't involve "qualified" teachers, institutional spaces or curriculum selected on their behalf. As I see it, Theophylline over the counter, we can choose to deny this reality or attempt to find our place with in it.

CONTINUE READING [below]

Situated creativity

Real learning in action is a form of (praxis). It is embodied, experienced and known in ways that are often social, physical and tangible, Order Theophylline with No Prescription. I knew this as a student and as cultural producer, but had to relocate these instincts when I went to teacher's college, where to buy Theophylline, where I learned about the externally defined and institutionally inscribed processes of teaching and learning (pedagogy).

Getting back to remix, Real brand Theophylline online, and drawing on the contrast between my lived experiences of media production and those of the classroom variety, I was stuck by several null, hidden or explicit curriculum variables that limited or negated what the students and I were able to do. These are just a few I observed:

1)  School doesn't encourage breaking the law: We can view a movie or hear about a remix artist who breaks the law, Theophylline price, coupon. We can discuss and debate and reflect on these things. Order Theophylline with No Prescription, But when it comes to openly and honestly sharing our own positions on subjects that involve transgression, how much agency do we have in a context of assessment and evaluation - that is mediated by an assessor whose own beliefs or positions may be explicitly or implicitly known via their disposition, identity or expressed affinities?

2) Neutered production (de-contextualized simulation): We can use some of the practices and tools of a real remix artist but what about their materials (i.e., we cannot take images, music, content that is meaningful to us if it is copyrighted). The choice and selection and use of particular content is as integral to remix as the act of editing and changing the meaning of those materials.

3) Using "original" v. Buy Theophylline without prescription, copyrighted material: Often, teachers are encouraged to have students create "original" material of their own in order to create remix content. This is perfectly valid (Pogo did so ... with pro tools that aren't available to students in most schools), Theophylline for sale. Unfortunately, this is also held up as an ideal, situating the use of copyrighted material as somehow less "creative" than making our own, Order Theophylline with No Prescription. We need to stop fibbing, and be honest about why we can and cannot do things in school. Purchase Theophylline online no prescription, Only then can we say our students are "empowered" to do or think anything.

4) The public domain is not the same as the stuff they want to use: I love the public domain content. And as a consequence of my school board's policies on creating works from copyrighted material, I had students use the internet archive as the source for their remixes. The reaction was: "this sucks, where to buy Theophylline. Order Theophylline with No Prescription, The music/video/etc I want to use is not here." While I'm not allowed to encourage students to break the law I am permitted to tell them what they can and cannot do at school versus what they may or may not do with their own tools, in their own homes, with their own internet providers - and share with them the potential consequences of doing so. If, after viewing the consequences they choose to break the law it is not because I have encouraged them to do so but they have chosen to enact their own political and civic identities outside of school. Order Theophylline online overnight delivery no prescription, But, again, what we do in the classroom is mediated by the law. It is a far cry from what is happening outside of school, canada, mexico, india. And they know it.

Rather than rationalizing, defending or avoiding this problem (a disempowered position that most of my colleagues have felt forced accept), I've chosen to address it via contrasts with situated learning and transgressive/critical pedagogy -- in hopes that we can: A) illuminate it for what it is; and B) start asking questions about what's really missing from learning experiences in school and the ways we can address this, Order Theophylline with No Prescription. Some if it will likely involve establishing a network between formal and informal learning spaces - where null curriculum is permitted and encouraged and some of it will interrogate the policies and practices that presently define professional pedagogy and practice. Theophylline trusted pharmacy reviews, Showandtellagogy v. situated exploration

If the classroom and school serve to hinder authentic self-directed exploration, then we need to find new ways to acknowledge or accredit the learning that is happening outside of school (though not necessarily via schooly assessment processes) or else find ways for situated and formal learning to coexist in a meaningful way that also validates lived experience. A travelogue is not the same as traveling, kjøpe Theophylline på nett, köpa Theophylline online. Order Theophylline with No Prescription, Real innovation has little to do with software or technology - though these tools can certainly be employed in the process. Innovation is really about thinking, disposition and motivating utopia. Buy cheap Theophylline, Reggio Emilia, Ivan Illich, Paulo Freire and others promoted the ideas I'm relocating here long before any of the so-called revolutionary tech emerged. So why don't we hear anything about this kind of pedagogy in Twitter or at educational conferences, order Theophylline online c.o.d. It's partly because of the belief that we can use new tools while maintaining old power laws. Unfortunately, new tools don't transform a normative disposition into a transgressive one or conventional pedagogy into situated learning, Order Theophylline with No Prescription. But this may be difficult for some: As bell hooks argues:

"We found, Japan, craiglist, ebay, overseas, paypal, again and again, that almost everyone, especially the old guard, were more disturbed by the explicit recognition of the role our political perspectives play in shaping pedagogy than by their passive acceptance of ways of teaching and learning that reflect biases" (hooks, order Theophylline from United States pharmacy, Teaching to Transgress)

At some point, we need to get beyond teacher-directed showandtellagogy and actually go places, Ordering Theophylline online, meet new people and do things that may not increase our social or professional capital or be validated via qualifications or professional status. This isn't so much about teachers "dipping in" to cultures unlike their own (we already do enough of that - it's called tokenism). It's about acknowledging their existence, respecting the existing knowledge, buy generic Theophylline, values and skills within those spaces and seeking the expertise of those within those cultures rather than attempting to colonize and reify these spaces for use in our classrooms.

One way of doing this is to actually go to these spaces and take part in them - authentically. Order Theophylline with No Prescription, Another way is to listen to and engage those who already teach and learn there and think about how our learners can situate their learning within those spaces (co-op, etc). Purchase Theophylline online, The learning that happens in these situated spaces is messy. It's sometimes unfriendly. You might even get hurt. You will be and feel like a noob, fast shipping Theophylline. And it doesn't come with catering, Order Theophylline with No Prescription. Just ask Gever Tulley, who proposes REAL tools, Buy Theophylline from canada, in REAL spaces learning. Tulley's 5 Dangerous Things TED talk helps to articulate the problem with inauthenticity as a mode of learning and challenges us to explore the difference:

 

QUESTIONS FOR TEACHERS:

Given some of the context and examples above - null curriculum, reification, situated learning - I'm interested in asking teachers how they are either transgressing or reinforcing the issues above, Theophylline from canadian pharmacy. The questions below are intended as a provocative prompt to get us (myself included) thinking about the environment in which we teach and how that environment reinforces and hinders authentic learning or expression. It's also intended as a prompt to start thinking about just how empowered our students are to truly speak their minds in the school environment if we ourselves are not permitted to do so.

Q: Learning culture: Order Theophylline with No Prescription, How often do you solicit ideas or questions or examples from your students about curriculum or culture prior to or during the planning of your units. Australia, uk, us, usa, (daily, hourly, monthly) How much of what you're doing strongly reflects your students identities, cultures or lived experiences (versus your own interests, comprar en línea Theophylline, comprar Theophylline baratos, preferred tools, communities). Buy Theophylline online cod, What are your students teaching you (or their peers) about media cultures. What opportunities do students have for 'scaffolding' 'showing' 'articulating' 'sharing' 'instructing' or 'empowering' your/their peers learning, skills or knowledge [note: these words are typically applied to the things we "give" /"provide" for students, situating us as the source and origin of their empowerment (empty cup thinking), order Theophylline no prescription. What is your advice for teachers who wish to engage their students cultures or lived experiences in a meaningful way.

Q: Content policy: What are your school's policies on the presence of provocative content (i.e., violence, nudity or other "inappropriate" stuff) in your own curriculum and your students spoken, performed, written or produced expressions, Order Theophylline with No Prescription. What words and/or images are not permitted in their works. Buy cheap Theophylline no rx, What are the consequences of the presence of inappropriate material in their expression or your choices of curriculum (that contains this material). How does the absence or presence of particular cultural forms, texts or subjects limit or empower what students learn in your classroom. If you teach in an alternative school, canada, mexico, india, what are your recommendations for teachers in mainstream schools - in relation to "transgressive" or inappropriate content.

Q: Tools and Technology: Order Theophylline with No Prescription, How much agency do you have as a teacher to select specific tools and software for your classroom - how long does a request take to process. How many open source tools do you presently use in your classroom. If you are without the tools and technology you need, how does this mediate the options you provide for the students. Do you encourage students to use their own personal tools or resources and how do you support those who cannot afford their own technology or tools. What is your advice for teachers who would like a more agile process of obtaining the tools they need.

Q: Ideology and self expression: Is your school administration, culture or local community ideologically, socially or culturally diverse, Order Theophylline with No Prescription. Are students, staff, administration or parents supportive of the free expression or inquiry into diverse, radical or transgressive. Do you model, embody or promote empowerment (or conformity/assimilation). How much freedom do students in your school/classes to express diverse identities or beliefs within the dominant culture of your school/community. What are the conditions required of a truly empowered classroom where creative works may contain ideas or expression that challenges the status quo. Order Theophylline with No Prescription, Those of you who do enjoy this freedom, please explain how or why your school culture does so and how you would recommend other teachers cultivate the same kinds of freedoms in their schools/classrooms.

Q: Situated learning: What creative communities of practice (groups, communities, spaces or forums) are you presently exploring that are outside of your existing social, educational or professional capital. What kinds of things did you learn about learning (in that space). How are these spaces different from institutional learning settings in terms of what you can say, do or create within. If you are a media teacher, what investment are you currently making into the media cultures or sectors you teach. How do you scaffold these explorations and practices among your students.

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Order Phenylpropanolamine with No Prescription, "Gee and other educators worry that students who are comfortable participating in and exchanging knowledge through affinity spaces are being de-skilled as they enter the classroom"- Henry Jenkins, Convergence Culture

Every day, I'm struck by the differences between the experiences I have in situated affinity spaces and those of my educational communities of practice (and the classroom itself). With Jenkins and Gee, Order Phenylpropanolamine online c.o.d, I suspect it's probably similar for learners in our classrooms. As Gee says, this not about a particular software or platform but the rich learning communities and environments that use those tools, fast shipping Phenylpropanolamine. Our approach therefore is really about identifying and cultivating investments in affinity groups rather than attempting to artificially produce or stage them (schooly uses of games/social media) around a chosen software or tool. Purchase Phenylpropanolamine online no prescription, When I talk with a student who plays World of Warcraft there is a shared recognition of the steep learning curve, massive time investment and knowledge base required of players. This recognition is meaningful because it conveys that I understand their mastery, knowledge and skill in a realm normally nullified by formal education (except if you're lucky enough to be in Lucas Gillespie's class :), Order Phenylpropanolamine with No Prescription. Jenkins frames it this way, Phenylpropanolamine price, coupon, via Gee:

"affinity spaces offer powerful opportunities for learning, Buy cheap Phenylpropanolamine, Gee argues, because they are sustained by common endeavours that bridge across differences in age, class, order Phenylpropanolamine online overnight delivery no prescription, race, Order Phenylpropanolamine from mexican pharmacy, gender and educational level, because people can participate in various ways according to their skills and interests" (Jenkins, Convergence Culture, Phenylpropanolamine gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release, p186)

In my affinity space (a family-friendly casual guild in World of Warcraft), Australia, uk, us, usa, I play and learn with people of all ages (10 years old to 60+) of varied educational, socio-economic, cultural, Phenylpropanolamine over the counter, political and experiential backgrounds. Real brand Phenylpropanolamine online, The barriers for acceptance in this affinity space are minimal when contrasted with the (often unspoken) hegemonic deference to qualifications, experience, credentials or social capital that determine who is heard or valued  in spaces associated with formal/institutional learning, where can i buy Phenylpropanolamine online.

Transgression, Phenylpropanolamine from canadian pharmacy, embodiment and empowerment

For me, truly situated affinity spaces are also highly transgressive and empowering. Hegemonic power laws are often reversed or reconfigured in radical ways by participants whose identities and lived experiences are valued and celebrated rather than nullified or de-skilled, purchase Phenylpropanolamine online. Order Phenylpropanolamine with No Prescription, While affinity spaces are not devoid of hierarchies and may mirror hegemonic systems, they can reconfigure these structures in creative and empowering ways.

For example, Buy Phenylpropanolamine from canada, I might take direction from a teen raid leader who possesses the mastery, knowledge and skills I do not. He may not be my age but he is a "peer" in this group, where to buy Phenylpropanolamine. The people I learn with in my affinity space (my community) may not be"qualified" teachers but their methods and approaches rival anything I've observed among my professionally trained colleagues. Phenylpropanolamine samples, And as Herbert kohl and others have pointed out, the decision to learn from another person is often a product of feeling rather than credential. In my observation, the most meaningful teaching experiences have occurred when one of my friends self selects the person they wish to learn from, Order Phenylpropanolamine with No Prescription. I've seen profound learning experiences occur in those who were not compelled to change but open to trying something different when the advice came from "a friend", canada, mexico, india.

Fighting 'Blaze of the Heavens': Learning to "kite"

Here's an example of what I'm talking about. Where can i buy cheapest Phenylpropanolamine online, The kind of experience people have in affinity spaces of every kind. And a typical scenario within MMORPG guilds. Order Phenylpropanolamine with No Prescription, The other day my guildies invited me to join them for a "heroic" dungeon. A dungeon is a series of encounters with increasingly difficult groups of monsters ending with a final series of bosses, buy Phenylpropanolamine online cod. A heroic dungeon is a more challenging version of this. Buy generic Phenylpropanolamine, Given their difficulty, heroics often call for a little bit of prior knowledge, particularly if you are leading the group, ordering Phenylpropanolamine online. Tankspot is a website that creates instructional videos just for this purpose. Here is a tankspot guide to the dungeon we did (a relatively easy one as heroics go), Order Phenylpropanolamine with No Prescription. Online buy Phenylpropanolamine without a prescription, At a certain point in the fight, one of the bosses requires a tactic called "kiting" .  Up until this point I had thought I knew what kiting was. It turns out I did not and had been doing it wrong, buy Phenylpropanolamine no prescription. So I wiped the group (everybody died thanks to me). Online buying Phenylpropanolamine hcl, More than once, too. Had it been a random group Order Phenylpropanolamine with No Prescription, I would have been kicked (out) by now. Given the time commitment of this dungeon (we were already an hour in), where can i find Phenylpropanolamine online, I felt it was unfair for me to keep noobing things up and suggested somebody else take on the kiting task. Buy Phenylpropanolamine without prescription, But the group leader, our guild officer, assured me that I would not get out of learning so easily, buy Phenylpropanolamine without a prescription. "No. Canada, mexico, india, You're going to learn how to do this. However long it takes." Everybody agreed, Order Phenylpropanolamine with No Prescription.

Insights (so far) from this situated learning experience:

• Supportive = friendly, easy-going, buying Phenylpropanolamine online over the counter, good humoured, Rx free Phenylpropanolamine, non-competitive, cooperative


• Everybody is the teacher though experience/confidence may influence who self-selects to do so


• Everyone is responsible for some self-directed learning (visiting forums, watching videos, Phenylpropanolamine gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release, practicing skills, Where can i find Phenylpropanolamine online, etc)


• We all accept that learning takes time and will be patient with those who need more time to learn what we might know


• We get to know each other's personalities, learning styles and communication preferences by playing together


• We challenge each other to overcome our limitations and offer meaningful and supportive feedback


• Talking and post mortem is key to our learning. After an instruction is explained, where can i buy cheapest Phenylpropanolamine online, the player then confirms their understanding. Phenylpropanolamine trusted pharmacy reviews, After we've completed the task, especially if it goes wrong, there is discussion about what we did or did not do and what we need to change or alter.

The group leader went over it all again (note: this was the third time it was explained to me). In detail. Order Phenylpropanolamine with No Prescription, This time, there was a little piece I'd missed before - and I only knew this after communicating what I'd been doing: "I was throwing everything I had at it and it was killing me!" Group leader: "Aha. OK. You only need to *ping* it. Get its attention, keep it interested. You're not burning it down. And yes, it will destroy you." And then another guildie said: "choose one of your instant DOTs (damage over time), just ping it enough so that it keeps following you, Order Phenylpropanolamine with No Prescription. That's it."  I dotted the bird with Insect Swarm and Moonfire and it worked. It was a bit like flying a kite too, a giant flaming bird of a kite :)

"Awesome Mila. Woot!" is what I heard through my headset. And it felt great to finally get it right. Order Phenylpropanolamine with No Prescription, The experience of being "noob" in my game often helps me understand some of the learners in my classes who may be new to the stuff I'm teaching. An affinity group structured around a foundation of commitment, trust, respect and general goodwill makes all the difference to those who may feel inexperienced, frustrated or even angry about their learning challenges. Some of this goodwill is often, arguably, a product of affinity (the simple awareness that the person you're playing with shares the same investment in the game/space) but much of it is socially constructed through simple gestures of kindness, humour and patience - that doesn't require a teaching degree but basic human empathy.

Our investment in the game and the knowledge and skill required to play it also contributed to our sense of pleasure in attaining the mastery or achievement of both. This was made even more meaningful by our shared investment in this culture. There is quite a lot more I could write (and plan to write) about my experiences with this form of learning outside of traditional education so this is really a first, non theoretical, stab at (for me) trying to articulate it, Order Phenylpropanolamine with No Prescription.

I'll let you make conclusions about what you think is valuable - or not - about my experience but I wanted to share it as an example of what I mean by learning within an affinity culture.

Learning in "magic circles"

Aside from the fun of game play, I have discovered that in addition to authentic offline situated learning I enjoy learning in "magic circles" (i.e, within a cultural or social membrane where I may inhabit more than one identity or reality). Playing wow, particularly with different guilds, has helped me to understand different ways of learning and relating that I have not observed in any other space. The closest thing I can think of to this would be team sports though the context is quite different.  As an educator, and gamer, I see many different play styles being engaged and think that the learning we do in schools must be tied to authentic affinity cultures - either offsite (out of school) or re-situated within school (Lucas Gillespie's Wow in Schools is an example).

Myself (the big feathery creature with the pillar like staff) resting between boss fights. We are all "eating" our magical foods that give us added bonuses, heal us and contribute to our general well being :).

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Know your Meme: Leeroy Jenkins (if you don't know this meme, read on :)

"By convergence, I mean the flow of content across multiple media platforms, the cooperation of multiple media industries, and the migratory behaviour of media audiences who will go almost anywhere in search of the kinds of entertainment experiences they want." -- Henry Jenkins, Convergence Culture

A while ago, in a galaxy far far away, I had an interesting conversation with a student (henceforth "Paul") who had been asked to leave his class and work independently in another space. I was surprised to find out that it was English class. Where to buy Metoprolol, Surprised because I've never seen Paul without a book in his hand. I probed further and he explained: "the books we're reading in class, they're obviously really important, order Metoprolol no prescription, but I find them boring. Ordering Metoprolol online, I'm just not interested." Like other disengaged students, Paul found himself distracted, off task and disrupting others in his class, buy Metoprolol online cod.

Instead of inquiring further into his disengagement in the chosen text, I chose to ask, instead, what did engage him.  I asked what he was reading, Order Metoprolol with No Prescription. He smiled sheepishly and held up his book. Buy cheap Metoprolol, It was a novelization of  first person shooter videogame. "Cool. What do you like about those books?" Paul explained that the stories had a lot of action, comprar en línea Metoprolol, comprar Metoprolol baratos, interesting characters and took part in a setting he enjoyed participating in - both as a reader and game player. Order Metoprolol with No Prescription, He also told me that he wrote fan fiction (a form of writing not typically engaged as part of the English writer's craft course). Order Metoprolol from mexican pharmacy, There are millions of people like Paul reading, writing and engaging in fan fiction and cultural production. They demonstrate their fandom and investment in these communities via literacies of participation and mastery, fast shipping Metoprolol. In this they are masters of their (cultural) universe - just as English teachers are masters of the domain of English literature. Order Metoprolol online c.o.d, And it is a form of vital cultural participation Henry Jenkins refers to as "convergence culture." I'm going to refer to the works of cultural production celebrated therein as a kind of "convergence canon" (i.e., definitive memes, remixes, buy Metoprolol online no prescription, maker culture and other works).

This post, and the resulting unit I'm presently teaching, are inspired by Paul's story and dedicated to those who are disconnected from a curriculum that doesn't reflect their interests (or does so in a marginalizing way), Order Metoprolol with No Prescription. Buy cheap Metoprolol no rx, "Gateway" fiction or primary texts.

If you're currently working as a teacher-librarian or following emergent literacies, the story above is no surprise, buy Metoprolol from canada. In fact, Metoprolol from canadian pharmacy, you are likely already using Graphic Novels and other popular/'alternative' cultural texts to engage "reluctant readers" at your school. You get it. Order Metoprolol with No Prescription, I'm really glad this is finally happening. But I see a few problems with the way we, buy Metoprolol from mexico, as teachers and schools, Kjøpe Metoprolol på nett, köpa Metoprolol online, are situating these literacies.

Transmedia is not adaptation

Programs like "Me read. Where can i buy Metoprolol online, No, Way!" aim to inspire "reluctant" readers to engage in reading via self selected popular culture, validating their interests while encouraging literacy, Metoprolol for sale. This is a great strategy as long as we don't situate popular texts (graphic novels, Metoprolol price, coupon, fan fiction, non-fiction consumer content) as somehow sub-par to what we might deem "real literature." All too often, teachers position alternative literacies as a kind of 'gateway' fiction rather than identifying these works as primary texts that are part of larger worlds and cultures their readers/fans inhabit and participate in, purchase Metoprolol. Or else they confuse "transmedia" with cross platform, Japan, craiglist, ebay, overseas, paypal, safe with translations and adaptations of chosen texts into other formats (Hamlet, as a graphic novel). While these forms often serve to connect readers - via popular formats - this is not the same as transmedia storytelling (see Jenkins core concepts Order Metoprolol with No Prescription, ). Transmedia is all about the user/fan/learner located within an authentic affinity space creating works for and with peers - not teachers or the forced community space we call the classroom, buy generic Metoprolol. Transmedia is also quite distinct from schooly production because it negates the central authority (teacher) as cultural "director" of the student's creative expression (i.e., Buy Metoprolol no prescription, creative projects, products or processes devised by the teacher on behalf of the learner v. wholly driven by learners themselves), order Metoprolol from United States pharmacy.

It's not enough to "accept" popular culture texts or define them as somehow "alternative" to the canonical curriculum. We need to find ways to incorporate these works into the curriculum that is just as meaningful and validating as our approach to the more canonical or critically acclaimed works, Order Metoprolol with No Prescription. Metoprolol samples, I'm not suggesting a binary either/or - that we ditch Shakespeare and teach Halo novels instead (as critics of the inclusion of multicultural literatures did back in the 80s...).  It's not merely a pedagogical imperative to do so either. bell hooks, author of "Teaching to Transgress", buy Metoprolol without prescription, suggests that popular culture is exactly the right place to start, Buy no prescription Metoprolol online, not only as a means of critiquing the hegemony, but also a culture that many people invest with profound personal and collective meaning. When schools deny this - or situate it only in relation to critique - we simultaneously "nullify" the identities, where to buy Metoprolol, cultures and experiences of learners. Australia, uk, us, usa, Approaching popular culture: Mastery v. permission

If our starting point with popular cultural texts is critique Order Metoprolol with No Prescription, , we're already communicating bias. Don't get me wrong, critical engagement and inquiry is at the heart of my own educational philosophy and is still a central priority for schools to empower active, order Metoprolol online overnight delivery no prescription, reflective citizenship. Purchase Metoprolol online, Most popular culture is deeply inscribed with enormously problematic ideologies (of power, classism, corporatism, real brand Metoprolol online, consumerism, Purchase Metoprolol online no prescription, sexism, racism and etc). That said, critique still shouldn't be the starting point for engaging in popular texts - but open engagement. I'm asking that we think more like anthropologists than reviewers.

Some of us may not like or play first person shooter games - and for very good reasons, Order Metoprolol with No Prescription. And I'm sure we could probably catalogue the reasons - I could. But one thing is certain: we will never fully understand why a young person engages a particular game if we don't ask -- or leave it to the mainstream media to do so. We will certainly not inspire learners to share, authentically, what they love about these texts if we are already communicating a bias (possibly even through our lack of knowledge in the form/text). Students pick up on these biases and frequently pander to them (because it's what schools have taught them to do by denying their own interests and cultures - or situating their interests as secondary or non essential to the primary learning we deliver through the curriculum). Order Metoprolol with No Prescription, It's not enough to "allow" students to read a Manga if we ourselves haven't taken the time to do so - or convey a lack of interest or knowledge in the form. The message of "permission" curriculum communicates that there are two distinct curriculums: the explicit one that we teach and approve of and the stuff they consume. One of these is treated "seriously" the other merely tolerated. You know you're probably delivering "permission" curriculum if you use words like "allowing" "letting" or "permitting" to describe your classroom practices.

In my view, teaching with the convergence canon requires us to engage directly in pleasure, play and creativity within those cultures. We need to begin with a context in which students are encouraged to engage and discuss the "pleasure" they take in a particular text is the first step in developing our own knowledge of that genre or culture, Order Metoprolol with No Prescription.

A teacher who can reference a specific level of a video game or a cut scene is more likely to communicate a genuine investment in that text (yes, games as texts)that constitutes the same kind of literacy and "mastery" an English literature graduate conveys through similar referencing of definitive scene or trope.

"My kids play that game" is little like saying, of Jane Austin, "that was my mother's favourite book." What you're actually saying is that you're entirely unqualified to know or understand anything really vital about that text because you haven't invested in it directly. Nobody wants to learn something from a person who merely "permits" engagement. We're far more likely to listen to a teacher who conveys shared mastery or investment in that culture. Order Metoprolol with No Prescription, What I'm asking teachers to do is to go a step further than permission curriculum. I'm asking them to engage in the cultures their students engage with as much interest or seriousness as they would engage a cultural work that appeals to them -- and in doing so they will also possibly appreciate what it is like for the student to be asked to engage in cultural narratives that were not written with their age group or identities in mind.

I see the integration of transmedia as kind of continuum. Many teachers are presently at stage 2 and 3, which is great. But I am advocating that we move on to 4 and, especially, 5. And I think it's a worthwhile challenge for myself and others who wish to engage in more meaningful pedagogy that reflects the identities, experiences and interests of our students by exploring their interests more directly, Order Metoprolol with No Prescription.

1) Denial (that the form engages anyone or should)

2) Acceptance (that the form is actually meaningful to others)

3) Inclusion (acceptance and integration of the form into existing curriculum)

4) Participation (engaging the form directly as an object of study/pleasure/creative works)

5) Mastery (conveying/sharing knowledge of the form beyond initial engagement through varied and meaningful expression)

Teaching with transmedia: My own work in progress

I'm currently in the process of developing some transmedia curriculum to extend and redefine the English Writer's Craft curriculum (secondary school). I'm doing so in an alternative school context and within a short time line so it's somewhat limited. I'm hoping other teachers will expand on this unit - or build their own - as a means not only of developing our own literacies and mastery of convergence culture but also to make a legitimate place for it in the curriculum. Here is the unit (in progress) and unit blog (which has a few videos and notes about things we're doing).

In the coming weeks, I will be writing a follow up to this post (the "why" of teaching transmedia) about the challenges and discoveries I made in the process of teaching this unit and whatever I learned in doing so (the "how" of teaching transmedia). I'm no "expert," just a fan of the cultures and interests that excite many of my students and finding ways to celebrate those cultures as a meaningful part of my practice as a teacher.

FURTHER READING

My collected transmedia links - to videos, articles, essays and more.

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Gamers enjoying the "retro recroom" at gamercamp

Institutional and informal game play: What's at stake for learning Order Lasix with No Prescription, .

The image above is from Gamercamp, a Toronto gaming unconference where I moderated a panel on "Play". Online buying Lasix hcl, What I saw there and pictured above was an awesome example of truly holistic, situated, informal learning. And the kind of thing I would like to see in our schools, order Lasix online overnight delivery no prescription. What do I mean by situated and holistic learning.

1) autonomy --nobody was forced to be in this room, they just wandered in
2) choice --some are playing, others are watching
3) self direction-- choice of a variety of consoles
4) play focus - learning is a component but not the end goal of this activity
5) interactivity and participation - participants can interact with the games and each other
6) sensory stimulation - the experience is mediated by multiple-sensory experiences and physical learning
7) basic human needs - beanbag seats, comfortable clothing, food, Order Lasix with No Prescription. the conference offered various cereals and choice of regular or soy milk. Buy Lasix without prescription, Unlike other conferences, gamercamp envisioned the event as a "non-stuffy" experience where participants had the freedom to move around, check things out and play. Nobody was expected to dress up in a suit and tie, buy no prescription Lasix online. In fact, we were encouraged to show up in PJs ... Order Lasix with No Prescription, this is just one, of many, things I loved about it. Where can i find Lasix online, With educators finally embracing electronic games as a legitimate context for learning, there is some debate about how to situate games/gaming in schools. In addition to exploring this question, I'm interested in the ways gamers transgress the limitations of institutional/formal learning and the nature of authentic gaming spaces/contexts (outside of school) as a key to learning with games but also the very future of education, purchase Lasix online no prescription.

Null curriculum v. school curriculum: Excluding the real

I am currently researching situated and informal learning (non skooly, Buy cheap Lasix, non classroom, teacherless) via online gaming and virtual worlds. I'm especially interested in how these spaces illuminate the "hidden" and "null curriculum" and how the absence or presence of this knowledge impacts a learner's success in an educational learning space (school/institution), Order Lasix with No Prescription. Null curriculum in the context of gaming relates to the absence or presence of "appropriate" and "inappropriate" videogames or content that is excluded from a formal learning environment because of institutional policies, standards or rules, buy Lasix from mexico.

While many institutional learning environments would favour edugames over commercial games, evidence suggests that commercial games offer as much or more real learning in the form of team work, Buy cheap Lasix no rx, strategy, creative thinking, problem solving, narrative inquiry, online buying Lasix hcl, role play, exploration and etc (see James Gee, Lasix gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release, in particular, for more about these literacies) are engaged.  I'd argue that many schools would favour edugames (or game making courses) over the use of commercial games due to the policies around appropriate/inappropriate content rather than any real pedagogical reason for excluding these games. The content learners really need to understand and engage is aggressively excluded (e.g., "nullified") from the curriculum due to policy, fast shipping Lasix, not pedagogy. And this is where formal education fails as a model of "learning."

As a media teacher (and gamer) with a strong social justice focus, Lasix over the counter, I see Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas as an IDEAL game for critiquing ideology, racism and stereotypes (for secondary and college learners - not kids!). Order Lasix with No Prescription, But I know that the content in this game (racist, sexist, homophobic, violent and vulgar) violates the human rights code that governs the resources we use in our school board. This isn't an issue of censorship, it's an issue of oppressive content, Lasix from canadian pharmacy. And I understand the reasoning here. Though as a teacher, Buy Lasix online no prescription, I feel that any kind of content, if properly scaffolded, is an "appropriate" learning resource. I had this very conversation with a Catholic school principal who said she felt that banning Youtube from the Catholic district robbed teachers and students of teachable moments (though views like hers are still in the minority, purchase Lasix, particularly in faith-based schools).

Whether I might be able to show "parts" of the game and restrict game play to only certain regions is another story, but that's not really inquiry - or learning (in any meaningful sense), Order Lasix with No Prescription. One of the things I'm fighting for right now is just this: the possibility of using the games students actually play (however transgressive) to critique and explore the dominant ideology - just as we have done with "controversial" literature, Online buy Lasix without a prescription, art or film. Only now, with the addition of a controller and avatar, we are participating in that content (though I'd argue that engaging a novel or other traditional curriculum is also participation), where can i buy Lasix online.

By negating certain cultural forms we relegate them to the domain of the "null" or "hallway" curriculum, where the things our learners enjoy and relate to are deemed inappropriate and unworthy of serious study - and that, Lasix samples, by extension, their identification and investment in these cultures (if not their very identity) is negated. When we tell a teenage boy, for example, canada, mexico, india, that playing Halo is "bad" or will make him "violent" or that he may be "addicted" we're imposing a value system on his play style and identity that does real harm. Order Lasix with No Prescription, For example, this same individual may read or write Halo fan fiction (but not enjoy the school's chosen curriculum), which got him writing, reading and creating by tapping into his existing, self selected interests. This is the essence of differentiated learning, Order Lasix no prescription, too.

While there are legitimate reasons to exclude questionable content when doing so may constitute a form of oppression if not properly scaffolded, ethically delivered and presented, these issues could be addressed in the same way they have been for other forms of content, where to buy Lasix, curriculum or learning activities. We could also think about alternative options -- students could do other forms of self directed inquiry-- for those who cannot or will not participate in this content for personal, Buy Lasix without a prescription, political or religious reasons. From a purely social justice perspective, I believe such accommodations are critical for equitable learning in any context. There are also issues of accessibility, disability and cognitive differences that will limit participation for many, Order Lasix with No Prescription. These are all important things to think about in general when talking about participatory gaming, order Lasix online c.o.d, virtual worlds or use of hardware/interface based learning structures.

Using the games gamers actually play: WoW in Schools

I'm going to call Lucas Gillespie heroic because he's doing the very thing I'm advocating above: using REAL games, Rx free Lasix, not edugames, for learning. His groundbreaking WoW in Schools project has learners using World of Warcraft as a learning space and activity for all kinds of curriculum - from English and history to math and science. Gillespie's project has gained much attention and I'm hoping his example will lead school boards to consider the value and importance of using the games learners actually play, comprar en línea Lasix, comprar Lasix baratos. Order Lasix with No Prescription, Yes, this is a commercial game. Yes, it is inscribed with the dominant ideology, Order Lasix from United States pharmacy, Yes it reinforces a very obvious hegemony. Yes, it contains questionable imagery and representations. Yes, ordering Lasix online, it costs money. BUT, Japan, craiglist, ebay, overseas, paypal, I would argue that any teacher interested in engaging the game critically (as well as playfully) is afforded with the richest opportunities for inquiry given the fact that this game is so deeply inscribed with all of the above. And while Gillespie may not have the same sort of agenda as I do (i.e., critiquing the game), his approach and those like his offer all sorts of varied learning opportunities.  And that is precisely why I play - and so should you, Order Lasix with No Prescription.

Though WoW in Schools pre-selects one game on behalf of learners (versus a self selected gaming project), it may be exemplary and instructive as a model for teaching and learning with self selected games as well. Ideally, Lasix for sale, learners would have the option to self select their own favourite games as they might do for novel study (i.e., go to the library and pick a book to do a report on) versus mandatory we're all reading the same novel/game. Real brand Lasix online, Given my training and background as an Media and English teacher, I see many parallels in the delivery of games-based learning via other traditional curriculum structures.

Gamification in education. Order Lasix with No Prescription, Skooly v. real gaming

There's a lot of talk right now about the pros and cons of "gamification, australia, uk, us, usa," which is the application of game mechanics to non-gaming tools or environments (mostly, currently, Lasix price, coupon, for commercial media, news and product marketing). Most of the folks I know and talk to have a fairly hostile view of this idea, which well articulated below:

That problem being that gamification isn’t gamification at all, buy Lasix no prescription. What we’re currently terming gamification is in fact the process of taking the thing that is least essential to games and representing it as the core of the experience. Points and badges have no closer a relationship to games than they do to websites and fitness apps and loyalty cards. They’re great tools for communicating progress and acknowledging effort, but neither points nor badges in any way constitute a game, Order Lasix with No Prescription. Buy generic Lasix, Games just use them – as primary school teachers, military hierarchies and coffee shops have for centuries – to help people visualise things they might otherwise lose track of. They are the least important bit of a game, the bit that has the least to do with all of the rich cognitive, emotional and social drivers which gamifiers are intending to connect with.

Recommendations

I have observed a few simple approaches that seem to be taking educators in the right direction with games in education. These are based on my own experiences but they might be helpful to another educator who is new to all of this.

1) Game!
You don't have to use every game platform to get a feel for gaming. Order Lasix with No Prescription, In fact, it's best that you find one you most identify with and really saturate yourself in it while trying other games on the side. Chances are, you will have an affinity for a gaming platform (console, PC, mobile, etc). Ask your students what games they are playing and explore them.

2) Follow other gaming educators (or better yet, gamers and game developers)
I created a few lists in my Twitter that you might want to check out. Otherwise, I leave it to you to ask your network who games. The more gaming educators I followed, the more I found. I also follow many game developers I knew from before I started teaching.

3) Go to the places that scare you
I hated WoW, Order Lasix with No Prescription. And I didn't understand PVP. Two good reasons to explore both. Doing so took me out of my comfort zone, misconceptions and attitudes about both and I learned a ton. Maybe for you it's first person shooters. In addition to choosing games you want to play, you should also explore games that you don't really relate to.

4) Learn about gaming culture(s) and history
Electronic gaming culture has a deep and meaningful history beyond the console wars. If you never played DnD, for example, you might be surprised to learn how many MMOs are derived from mind of Gary Gygax.

5) Explore situated, autonomous, self directed gaming
If you've got kids of your own you've already got a great opportunity to learn about games in an authentic environment: your living room (or wherever the gaming is happening). What are the features of informal game spaces. What kind of learning do you observe?

Other ideas?

I encourage you to add some of your own suggestions below!

FURTHER READING:

My previous posts on wow and gaming.

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