Video Game Introduction

afletcher23

The game I chose to play is called Back to School on the PBS Kids website, this game is based off of the TV show Arthur that is a cartoon for children. This game peaked my interest because I always loved back to school season and wanted to see what it was about. In this game, you do not make your own character, you play the role of Arthur, and are helping the kindergarten class at his school on their first day. You help their teacher do a number of things such as sharpen pencils, feed the class pet, and many other classroom activities to show the kindergarteners how to act in the classroom. It seems like it has a story line type of game and has a lot that goes into it which seems very fun!

I liked this game a lot because there is no type of competition in it so it is easy going for younger kids. I also remember that in the Gee article he talked about how for in order for kids to learn, they need to be in a positive environment that fosters positive learning. I believe that this game does exactly what Gee says, and I think it will be really beneficial for students to play if they are entering kindergarten so they can not be as scared when they are going to the first day of school. I also think that it is very beneficial to use Arthur as a character because it is something that kids like. I am very excited to continue playing this game and see how far into the journey of a kindergartener I can get.

7 thoughts on “Video Game Introduction”

  1. Hi Abby,

    This sounds like a great game to teach behavioral methods to incoming or current kindergarteners! I agree that Gee’s argument for a positive environment to result in a positive learning experience. Form what you’ve explained, it seems the game connects to the learning principle of well ordered problems. The player gets fairly simple tasks for their age and assists in the classroom of their grade level.

    Would you say that the game succeeds at being pleasantly frustrating? Or are the tasks overly simple for a kindergartener?

    Finally, would you integrate this into your classroom if you were a kindergarten teacher? If yes, how?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you for your comment Noreen! I appreciate your question a lot. I think this game can be used in the first week of school to have students play at home so they know what to expect when they are in person in my class during the day!

      Like

      Reply

  2. Abby, Thanks for your blog post. I’m a little confused on what Dr. Shutkin wants us to do this weekend. Are we supposed to post about 1 video game we have learned, or all 3-5 mentioned in the assignment? The assignment instructions seemed a little unclear to me. Thanks for any help you can provide. Regards, Father Conrad

    Like

    Reply

  3. Hello Abby,

    I enjoyed your post very much! I loved Arthur as a kid and I’m honestly a little sad that it’s ending this year. But still, 25 years is a great, long run!

    I think that the game you chose is ideal for students in lower elementary grades who are learning socioemotional and behavioral skills. I also agree that the lack of competition and absence winning and losing gives the game a calm, comfortable atmosphere, which I believe is ideal for younger children. Furthermore, Arthur is not only a character who children are familiar with and therefore be comfortable with, but also a great role model.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment