Marc Prensky makes an interesting observation on pg 10 of the reading; (paraphrased) Digital Natives have displayed a remarkable ability to learn and apply facts and statistics associated with various Pokemon characters. The challenge is to find ways to direct that focus to education-related activities.
Fact knowledge and application can be used in subjects like chemistry. For example, noble gases have a full outer electron shell and are less reactive than other elements. The periodic table is organized such that elements are grouped with those of similar properties. Students are reluctant to learn the basis for the grouping or how they react together because it is like rote memorization.
Rather than paper and pencil, two-column match style fact grouping, I would suggest a “Sims” style app that would require the student to learn about and then apply their knowledge of the properties of characters (elements) in order to direct their interactions (or group them according to similarities or reactivity) in different situations. The difficulty could be dependent on the grade level of the student (i.e. 5th graders may be required to know that noble gas characters are loners or only want to hang out with other noble gases. On the high school level, the same noble gases would interact with other characters if the conditions were correct). I’m not a programmer, so I don’t know how to make it work.
Your game idea seems to perfectly match up with Prensky's requirement that the video games we use "must be real games, not just drills with eye candy" (pg.20) in order to compel real learning. You should get with a programmer and make it happen! :)
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