Fun and Games: Why Study Games?
To complete the "Fun and Games" unit:
1) Respond individually to each assigned text for the day.
Readings for this topic (direct links are available from the "Outline" page, available from the menu at the top of this page)
- Course syllabus
- Jerz, "What Is Fun?"
- Johnson, Handheld Learning 2008 Talk
- Jerz & Jerz "Civilization Review"
- Jerz & Jerz "Timez Attack Review"
2) Complete the unit's GriffinGate reading comprehension activity
Short, open-notes assessment questions, designed to help me evaluate your progress and focus your attention. These units are timed, so you should first familiarize yourself with the assigned text. Complete the "Fun and Games" GriffinGate component by 4pm Tuesday. New discussion topics will be announced at that time.
3) Post a reflective response here.
After you have read and reacted to all the assigned documents, return to this page, and post a reflection that demonstrates your ability to connect the assigned materials.
(See "How to participate online", below.)
4) Contribute to an online conversation.
Until the unit closes in a few days, generate and help mantain a productive online conversation.
How to participate online
For each of the media clips and readings that are assigned for today, post a brief response on the course weblog. Tuesday, I've planned a full introduction to the SHU weblog system, and sections 5 and 5.2 of the syllabus explain the online participation requirement in detail; but for now, keep in mind:
- Just think of whatever you would say in a regular classroom
setting, and instead of raising your hand and waiting for me to call on
you, just
post your observation or question.
- I can't promise to write a personal response to
every idea you post. In fact, I will sometimes leave a good post alone, in the hopes that students will pick up the thread.
- Whenever you have something substantial to contribute to an ongoing thread, you should jump in.
- To foster productive discussions, disagree respectfully; when you encounter an unsupported claim, request evidence and examples respectfully; when you are asked to defend your own claims, respond respectfully.
- Nobody loses points for saying "I don't know," "I never thought of it that way before," or "I've changed my mind."
- The course weblog is open to the general public. Don't
post anything here that you wouldn't want the general public to find.
You may, if you wish, share some of your insights with me by e-mail, or
we could set up a GriffinGate forum to discuss issues in a more
controlled setting.
Those of you who have blogged for me in other courses, you are free to start using your own blog as you usually do; the rest of you, don't worry -- on Tuesday I'll introduce the whole class to the blogging assignments.
The course outline page has a list of assigned readings (which may actually be media clips or games) for each day. I won't usually repeat that list on a discussion topic page.When you have finished looking through all the assigned media for the topic, return here and post a final reflective statement (a short paragraph is fine).
