Comments on: Gaming the educational system

By: Gaming the educational system, again.

Gaming the educational system, again. — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:00:28 +0000

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By: Ask Tony: “special methods” to study comp sci courses to ensure success

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 03:35:52 +0000

[...] Reasons to not get a Video Gaming DegreeMIT highlights for high school studentsGaming the educational systemMore on the future of Computer Science Careers – outlook still promisingComputer Science at Brock [...]

By: Pro Gamer

Pro Gamer — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:59:31 +0000

i understand there is a basis to be established through memorization… but why do we not practice control of memory, rather than using memory and not giving memory the recognition it deserves in comparison to its amount of use? if the truth be known, we could probably harness our power of memory to the point where we can decide to memorize something just by seeing it once… in fact many of us can. if we are taught about memory earlier though (or at all formally before college), then we could discontinue time wasting repetition for memory. i’m sure that for many if not most people, no matter how many times they’re “forced” to repeat something, it’s really a matter of choosing to take the effort to memorize something or not. you tell someone all day long the same thing as a broken record, but if they choose not to listen to you, it is like talking to a brick wall. however, if they chose to listen the first time you said something, you will likely not have to repeat it again. obvious things seem to be repeated naturally anyway… the sky is blue.

By: iluvchairs112

iluvchairs112 — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:39:03 +0000

Although I too dislike the memorization and regurgitation of facts in high school, it is simply a basis for future creativity. You need to learn basics. How would you even be able to find a new math theorem if you never learned how to do simple addition. And to do simple addition, one needs practice. So a certain amount of memorization is required. High school is all about learning the basis. I’m not in university yet so personally I don’t know how that is in comparison, but I am guessing there will be more of a chance to be creative.

By: Tony

Tony — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:31:14 +0000

The thing is, remembering facts on their own is useless. Some trivia knowledge is useful, and you do gain some related skills (such as map reading) through the raw practice of memorizing facts, but that comes as a side-effect.

The problem with raw memorization is that we have a very limited capacity for memory. Technology has also changed the play-field quite a bit, making facts trivially available. I’d much rather know how to look up, understand, and use the entirety of Wikipedia, on demand, that to settle for an ability to recall a tiny fraction of that resource.

By: Freddy

Freddy — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 01:04:56 +0000

I am a firm believer that the STUDENT bears 51% of the responsibility here. I also believe I learned 51% of what I need for my career and life OUTSIDE of the classroom, placing further onus(?) on the student for his/her own education.

By: Web Proxy

Web Proxy — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 06:14:52 +0000

I believe teaching students on memorizing since young helps stimulate the brain in remembering facts. When I was young I thought to myself why should I study stuff that doesnt seem to apply to me for example Geography, its all memory work. However if I had not studied about Geography and memorized the text I believe right now I would not know what really on in the world in terms of geographical terms much less knowing how to read a map properly when in an unknown place.

This is the gd side of education, there are bad points as well as stated above. I would say even gaming stimulates thinking. Sometimes schools are so rigid by blocking all kinds of social sites that students feel so restricted and have to access them by using a web proxy which doest help the school in any way.

By: wtd

wtd — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:54:04 +0000

Absolutely. You work hard to discover a technique that works, and then some pissant bureaucrat comes in and tells you to ignore all of that for no other reason than “because we say so.”

By: Pro Gamer

Pro Gamer — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 19:24:06 +0000

at the same time that “procedure” can take away motivation and cause frustration to teachers who don’t completely agree with specific procedure

By: wtd

wtd — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 19:04:19 +0000

Both approaches are at varying times necessary, and in some cases must be combined creatively. The ability to correctly apply these techniques is what separates good teachers from those slavishly following “procedure.”