Friday, January 12, 2007

Games for Good

Darlene Wolfe is an inspiring person. WOW! The things that she's involved in and has helped create - it's simply amazing! Last summer she was involved in a session called Games for Good with Dr. Butch Rosser. Dr. Rosser is the surgeon who has done studies and proven that videogamers (especially those who play certain games) make better surgeons.

Lately all those video games are popping back up into conversations. David Warlick has a post on his blog, there was an article in eSchool News, and something on tv as I flipped through channels. Video games are not new to education. We had old Apple games when I was a student, as a teacher we used the PlayStation with games from Lightspan (now a Plato company), and I also used other online games to keep students interested in the curriculum.

There's even new articles being posted about how video games can help you lose weight, instead of becoming a couch potato. I'm thinking it's the Wii effect, where people throw their Wii in frustration or the heat of the moment and end up having to clean up the glass and broken items or chase it down outside after it crashed through a window.

Are you a gamer? Have you always been fascinated with video games and you want to see how they can be useful to education? Are you interested in how video games can help you become active and lose weight? Then I have some good news for you! No, I don't have another article for you to read, instead I have a great website with details on an event called OTRONICON. They claim this event, which runs from January 12 through the 21st, is the ultimate gaming experience. There are plenty of sessions for everyone, including competitions and even classes on how to create these wonderful games or to use them to our advantage. Darlene has been bragging about this event since I met her and so I think I'm going to have to take a trip out there. Check it out. I'm no competition in the gaming world to even a seven year old, but my interest is snagged.

Oh, and Dr. Rosser will be in attendance too!

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I used to be a gamer, but now that I am approaching the hill I gave it up. I don't think anyone would want me operating on them either. However, I would want my surgeon to be a gamer. These days everything is done on a computer with mechanical type tools.

Michele Futch said...

I have been seeing more and more research and articles on this same idea.

As a matter of fact, my son, Tommy AKA The Cosmeo Kid, told me the new Wii actually comes with a game preloaded where you perform surgery and medical procedures? He subscribes to the Game Informer magazine and read this information in there. However, much to his dismay, we do not have the new Wii to find out! (The X-Box 360 will have to do for now.)

Unknown said...

I replied to Warlick's blog on this topic as well. I've been a gamer for almost 9 years now. I've taken time off, but I always seem to come back. Brook, I have people in my online guild The Syndicate that are well into their 70s. Gaming is a GREAT way to teach some fine motor skills as well as hand eye coordination.