What an interesting topic in our videos this week.  We discussed video games in the classroom.  Really it described using virtual things and places to teach students.  Students can try out jobs, experiment, create, make mistakes, and solve real world problems in a virtual world at the fraction of the cost and without any lasting effects to the environment.  If the student does not like something or it does not work the student just presses a re-do button.   Many schools have gone to virtual dissections in biology classes or virtual experiments.   What a thought to get kids excited about what they are learning.  James Paul Gee talked about how a child would come across a chemistry problem in a game and then pick up a chemistry book to learn the vocabulary and how to apply it in the game.  This would make the learning very personal for each child.  Helping students internalize the learning.

                James Paul Gee also mentioned that schools are belittling teachers and their creativity, by moving to scripted curriculum.  I feel this in my own district.  Teachers are so afraid to leave the district curriculum and find material that might be better suited for their students.  In some departments the teachers have to get every handout approved by their AP before they can make copies and present it to the class.  They are no longer being treated like experts in their own field.