Week 13 / Final Paper Ideas and Resources

I have decided to do my literature review on the topic Video Games and Development. I am going to choose a few specific forms of development to focus on, but I have not narrowed down my resources yet. I have found the search for useful articles to be more than difficult. Many sources look useful, but once I open them and begin reading they become irrelevant to my cause. I seem to be finding more negative focused topics, against video gaming, than I am positive ones. I will continue my quest for resources and keep my fingers crossed that my luck will change. The following are sources I have come up with so far:

Gee, James. P. (n.d.). Why Are Video Games Good For Learning?

Gee, James. P. (n.d.). Good Video Games and Good Learning.

Helms, D., & Sawtelle, S. M. (2007). A Study of the Effectiveness of Cognitive Skill Therapy Delivered in   a Video-Game Format. Optometry & Vision Development, 38(1), 19-26.

Prensky, Marc. (2002) What Kids Learn That’s POSITIVE From Playing Video Games. (n.p).

Ryan, R., Rigby, C. C., & Przybylski, A. (2006). The Motivational Pull of Video Games: A Self-Determination Theory Approach. Motivation & Emotion, 30(4), 344-360. doi:10.1007/s11031-006-9051-8

Week 12 / Final Scratch Project

1. What: What is your project? How does it work? How did you come up with the idea?

My project could best be described as a variation of the traditional pacman game. I chose this because I have always enjoyed playing pacman, and I wanted to take a traditional game, that everyone has played or at least heard of, and spice it up. My project works by following the directional prompts on the screen; maneuvering arrow buttons in the maze and choosing particular letters to progress through the story and instructional slides. My love of literature is what inspired my idea, as well as the pacman tutorial. I wanted to incorporate literature and reading, content matter most individuals find boring, into an exciting yet educational game.

2. So What: What was your process for developing the project? What was interesting, surprising, or challenging? Why? What did you learn?

My processes for developing the game began with my first draft of the maze. I had the idea of using themed oriented items, but was still unsure how to set up or create the foundation of the game. That was when I came up with the story part of the game; to convey the information necessary to complete the maze. Creating this game was very frustrating and challenging. I spent HOURS working on simple little thins, trying so hard to get all the animation to work correctly. There were moments when I wanted to just give up so badly, but the success of the completed game was a glorious feeling; worth every struggle. I learned a lot about the Scratch project and the capabilities it has. I look forward to working more with the program.

3. Now What: What are you the most proud of about your project? What would your change? What do you want to create next? Why?

The thing I am most proud of about my project is the creativity of the content. The only thing I would change about my project would be adding more sound effects. I found this to be an impossibility though because of the limited file size the Scratch program can upload. I would like to create another project using some type of grammar exercise or practice. Grammar practice is another part of the educational processes that most individuals find to be tedious. If I could create a game to make learning grammar, or punctuation even, more interesting and exciting than I would be making a great contribution to the education processes; I would also use it in my own classroom.

Week 12 / Double Entry Journal #11

Quote one: 

"In any case, the fact that computer games have become a major industry means that in many people’s lives computer gameplay features as a very pleasurable and entertaining, but also at times frustrating and challenging, activity" (Amseth, 2006).

I absolutely agree with this quote. However, might I add that frustrating and challenging activities are the best outlet for learning.When a task, game, or learning experience is frustrating, than chances are the level of engagement is quite significant. When engagement in the activity occurs, learning is taking place. Also, there is no better feeling than conquering or solving a presented challenge. It is through the different experiences, entertaining and challenging, that the learning processes are most productive.

Quote two:

"What is more, they suggest computer games will shift people’s focus away from more worthy activities such as reading and writing, doing math and science or playing outdoors" (Amseth, 2006).

I truly understand the great debate about video games and education. I also feel that under the wrong circumstances, video games can be a very bad thing. If not monitored appropriately or chosen wisely, video game playing can be harmful and unproductive to the learning processes. The key to the battle is finding the right balance of formal education, added to a scheduled amount of gaming time; because both forms of learning have made great contributions to education.

Quote three: 

"There is some evidence indicating that students do better when learning tasks are embedded in a context of gameplay rather than, for example, a paper and pencil test" (Amseth, 2006).

I absolutely agree with this quote. It is no secret that all individuals learn things differently. I am not saying by any means that paper and pencil testing should be replaced by gameplay. I am simply saying that research has clearly shown that gameplay contributes to the learning processes; therefore, it should be implemented into the classroom as a secondary form of learning. As a teacher, I will always be supportive of the old fashioned style of teaching, but at the same time technology and the world are evolving at a rapid pace; as is the face of the educational processes.


Amseth, Hans Christian. “Learning to Play or Playing to Learn - A Critical Account of the Models of Communication Informing Educational Research on Computer Gameplay.” The International Journal of Computer Game Research 6.1 (2006): (n.p.). 

Resourceful link:

I chose to use an animated video titled Video Games and Learning which focuses on the importance of game based learning. The video discusses the difference between games created for entertainment purposes and games created for educational purposes. Also, it explains how video games relate to the learning processes by striking individual curiosity and evoking tangential learning. I thought this video was a great example of making the learning processes fun. It took a topic that can be overly complicated and made it interesting to learn about, simply by using animation and humor.

Week 11 / Scratch Project Draft Two

I have completed significant revisions to my Scratch project since last week. My new draft has four different backgrounds; two direction slides and two games slides. The first slide provides directions for level one of the games. In level one the player moves the sprite around the screen by following the commands provided. At this level the player is provided with clues and details to help them identify the properly themed elements in level two of the game; the maze. After level one is another slide providing directions for the maze; level two. In level two, just as my first draft showed, the player maneuvers around the maze collecting the objects that are thematically related to the writings and works of Edgar Allan Poe. If the player is caught by the ghosts that are flying around, or incorrectly identifies an object, the game is over.

Since developing more, my game now supports growth in reading, comprehension, coordination, complex thinking, and conceptual understanding. I now have two levels and the basic concept of my game has been fully constructed. In my finished project I would like to incorporate some music or sounds, and possibly another background screen with clues and details. I am struggling with limitations of file size though. My plan is to just keep working with the project, incorporating as many elements and finishing details as possible.

Below are snapshots of what my game looks like. Also, you can visit the Scratch website and play my game Identifying Edgar Allan Poe.

(Click on the images to enlarge them)