My 3rd game entry

This week, I spent almost two hours playing with my video game. I even got a headache! I was sweating after I was jumping and swinging my arms. I was able to win only one time. I realize now what James Paul Gee stated is true. He said, "Video games teach us that a good game teaches the player primarily how to play the game." I agree with his statement because I found this game difficult to play. There are lots of steps and rules to learn in order for you to have a successful game. I am also convinced that playing video games actively and critically is not a waste of time. I agree with this statement because throughtout this game there was a lot of learning going on even though it is a wrestling game. There is language involved because in order to play you have to read and understand in order to choose a player for example. Sometimes there is critical thinking because you have to analyze what you really want to do during your fight. There is exercise involved due to the amount of movement that has to be done while playing the game. Another thing I realized while playing the game is what Gee stated, "to learn either one at any deep level requires learning to play the game or at least to appropriate to sort what game it is." This means that the more you play, you become a better player. It is very important to know and understand patters and combination of elements and the game's internal design. At this point, I am only able to implement a little understanding because there is lot to learn in order to play at a more advanced level. What I have learned has been useful to me at this point. The two main thing I learned this week is that my video game has a lot of active learning and critical thinking. It is also a good game for obese children and adults because it requires a lot of movement and exercise. At the same time, it is good entertainment while you are burning calories! I think it would be a good idea to play at least 40 minutes a day or a couple times a week for exercise. I never realized that a video game of this type could be so helpful in many ways.

second entry of my game

After watching my son playing the game for the past week, this week i had the chance to play the game. This game allows you to choose a wrestler of your preference. Before you choose the wrestler you are able to view what each wrestler does for the fight. It shows you a picture of the wrestler, their name, weight, height, career highlight and where the wrestler comes from. The wrestler looks exactly like they do in real life. For example tattoo looks identical, even their physical attributes like their beard, mustache, muscles and clothing and down to their championship belts that they usually wear. Another amazing thing about this game is that during the fight, the wrestler shed blood when they get hit with a chair. This type of event happens in real life, which i never thought I would be seeing in a video game. After you choose your wrestler of your preference there is a United States map with seven symbols each with a different meaning. The first symbol is a locker room which is a place where the wrestler finds out the ranking or status on the fights. There is also a calendar to save various type of fights that you are playing. There is also a cell phone to call and see what is available for the matches. There is also a massage room that is used when the wrestler's energy is low and you are able to get a massage after the fight to recover for the next fight. Another symbol in this map is smack down which is the place that you go in to fight. The is the raw symbol which is another place to fight. Revolution is the symbol for a place that you go and fight for the raw of championship belt. The fifth ECW which is a different company to fight from the above fighting places because there wrestler uses chairs while fighting and the last one is called ECW One Night Stand. the wrestlers fight for the ECW championship belt in this match. In this game, the player goes the map before entering the fight and choose from one of the above. All these symbols are semiotic domains because they have words, symbols and images as stated by James Paul Gee because their meaning aren't just a general meaning. They could mean many different things. After you choose a place from the map and a wrestler you are able to walk to the ring for your fight. While you are walking to the ring you see the audience jumping and yelling out wrestler name's. All i have to say is that this week i ha a great experience playing with my son and learning the game i even got a headache. I'm still learning the game which i think is kind of hard due to all the steps that has to be done in order to start to play. My son is teaching me which i think he is an expert because he knows all the steps, movements. I feel kind of strange because how come a 9 year old know and have a better concept on a video game of this type, which to me is kind of hard. I'm glad to have this type of experience learning through play. I am learning as a parent, teacher and as a student for this course. All i could tell you is that this game require a lot of energy because there is a lot of jumping, and moving the arms all the times. I would keep playing and learning in all aspects this game and on my next entry i would inform you more of this exciting video game.

Wii Game "Smack Down vs. Raw"

The game that I chose to research is called "Smack Down vs. Raw" for the Wii video game system. The reason I chose this game is because I purchased it for my nine-year-old son as a Christmas gift. As a parent and as a teacher it is always important to research what our children are playing with. Now that I'm taking this course, I realize how important it is to search for information about games that our children are using. It caught my attention when I thought about what my son might be exposed to when he is playing this game.
The game "Smack Down vs. Raw" is a wrestling game which can be viewed as good or bad. Wrestling games have been around for a long time. Lately, I pay closer attention while my son is playing this game. With this game, the player needs to use the control to act out wrestling moves such as slams, strikes, taunts and finishers as they take place on the screen. This game also allows the player to decide how much pressure to apply with the control stick. It is a powerful, physical engagment between two players or even alone against the on-screen wrestler.
My goal is to find out how violent, educational and what type of wrestling this game portrays. During my research so far, I have found out that there are many types of wrestling. One of the most popular ones is called amateur wrestling. I have learned that the wrestling games show some kind of self defense system which I think as a parent is very important for our children to learn in order to defend themselves. I personally do not agree with violent games, however, there are people who enjoy them. As parents and/or teachers, we are responsible for the education and safety of children. I will keep learning and researching about this game to find out and decide whether or not my child should be playing it. Now that I have begun my research I will continue to research other games before I purchase them.

How I Learn

Learning can be something interesting, boring, nice even scary; depending on the situation and what you are trying to learn. The environment has a lot to do with how I learn. I like to feel comfortable, be in a nice, safe place and have all the materials needed. I learn in a variety of ways. I learn from others. I like to get ideas that may be useful for later. It is always nice to listen to others and to ask questions. Having a positive attitude is very important when I'm trying to learn. Learning is not just sitting down and listening or dictating. It depends on the technique used and how each person learns. As a parent, I learn from my own children and I practice what I learn from my children to be come a better parent. I am a positive learner because I like to explore new things. As a teacher, I learn from my students and coworkers. I always say that everything I learn today will be useful for tomorrow. Everyone has their own learning style. Some ways that are useful and that work for me are information needs to be presented in written words. I am also a visual learner. As an adult I like to compare new information with my previous knowledge and experience. In this way, it helps me to become a better learner. As a parent and as a teacher, I learn that children learn through play. That is why it is important for children to play alone or with others. I have different ways of learning depending on what I'm trying to learn and achieve. For example, if I want to learn how to define a word, I first need to say the word out loud a few times and also write it down to learn it. Using this technique, I retain information clearly and have a better understanding of what I'm trying to learn. As a learner, I like to practice and summarize what I learn and maybe use it in a different way or apply something different to it. My conclusion is that there is no right or wrong answer in approaching an effective way of learning. I always learn new things in every aspect of my life. I learn from my own children while being a mother. I learn from my students while I'm teaching. I have learned and am still learning from my parents while I'm being a daughter. I learn and keep learning from my mistakes on a daily basis. Mainly, I am a visual learner, curious to learn more and at the same time I love to listen to others and give others a chance to teach me.

Convergence Henry Jenkins

According to the article by Henry Jenkins, convergence is a continuous process that happens through the merging of several media technology and different disciplines. For instance, two of the most popular delivery technoloies now a days would be computer and television. Computer and television can be used to demonstrate the same type of media. Both are a transmission system that we use for several purposes. Television refers to the screen that we watch and in the other hand, computer is a system that contains various programs.
Jenkins stated that convergence can be seen in five different processes. The first type of convergence is called technological convergence. This means, a group of technology that is developed in many different ways to bring an endless amount of media. Technological convergence also refers to devices that are designed specifically to replace a number of different devices. One example would be cell phones that are used in many ways for communication. For example, text messaging, music and internet capabilities. That means, we are using the cell phone not only for verbal communication but also for computer and radio communication. Therefore, cell phones provide us with multi-services.
The next type of convergence is economic convergence. Based on the article, I have concluded that economic convergence is a participation of various programs. For example, internet, different television programs, variety of books and different types of games to explore brand names. Examples of such brand names are Walt Disney, Cinderella and Warner Brothers.
Social and organic convergence is the third type of convergence. Throughtout social or organic convergence, we utilize multi-devices at the same time without realizing it. One example is that sometimes we are on the phone talking to someone and at the same time, typing on the computer while watching television.
Cultural convergence, the next of Jenkin's convergences, gives average people the power to have access to storage for programs at a low cost. This way, an average person would be able to afford television. By having and watching television, people are interacting with other people in a virtual way. Although one can not talk through a television to the person on the other side, he or she can watch the news, for example, and be involved in another person's story.
Finally, global convergence gives one the opportunity to experience the "global village". For example, one can experience being in Hollywood even though they are not there physically. It also refers to how the newest technology is affecting our way of living. The majority of consumers seem to prefer the "digital renaissance" due to easy access to diversity. "Digital renaissance" can be good or bad. However, only time will tell if it will be helpful or harmful.

Hot and Cold Media by McLuhan

In McLuhan's article entitled, "Hot and Cold Media", he states that there are different types of media that require a different form or level of participation from the user or consumer. In other words, that a medium is considered hot or cold depending on the involvement required from the individual using the particular medium.
For instance, when someone goes to the movie theater, there isn't much effort to watch the movie. Basically, one just sits and watches the images. On the contrary, when one is watching a movie or show at home, there is more interaction due to the amount of preparation one has to do before watching television. For example, one has to turn on the television, look for something to watch, adjust the volume or set the language before they can start watching. This is considered cool media because there is more participation by the viewer.
Another example of cool media is a cell phone. With today's technology, a cell phone can be used for more than just making or receiving a phone call. One can use it as a computer, check the weather, look for information on the internet, as a calculator or even chat using text messaging. There is more interaction with this type of medium than there was years ago.
I found this article very interesting. Based on this article, my opinion is that today we have more hot media than cold media. For example, when you are watching television, everything is visual and exposed to you making it easy for you to forget to use your imagination. You may try to envision what will happen next, however, you are still given all the visuals. Today, there is a greater consumption of hot media because a lot of people choose to watch movies that are visually stimulating. As McLuhan says, "a person doesn't need to use too much imagination because the details if the images are visible in the movie."

My goal from Medi 506

Hi! My name is Zugehy Roman. Currently I am a pre-school teacher in Newark. This is my 5th year working in a pre-school setting. I am working towards my M.A.T. IN P-3. The purpose of taking this class, is because is a requirement. I think that by the end of the semester i would be able to become a better teacher in the classroom by helping my students to how to choose a game, i would learn more about what's right and wrong. I also would be able to understand the purpose of a lot of games. After listening to Dr. Dana i feel more comfortable in the class, because it's sound like is a very interactive class and it has a lot to offer. Mymain objective from this class is to practice what i learned through the semester. I think that now i would enjoy to search for video games and buy them for my class and my son. Also as a parent, i think that i would enjoy helping my child to become a better player, and would be able to assist him and to teach him about games and how to choose a good game.