IP #1
Summary of Article 1
The author starts by making the claim that good videogames can be good learning engines especially when they rely on the aspect of discovery in play, which the author clarifies through his analogy to cats at play when they explore the world around them, discover something intriguing, become aware of new possibilities, and use these new possibilities to their advantage.
Then the author moves on to discuss how play mimics reality in that people engage in similar activities in both (play & reality) such as using complex language which in itself is a tool that humans can use in order to surmise new possibilities and manipulate it to build and transform knowledge.
The author concludes by reiterating that games and virtual worlds enable us to create tools that we can use to manipulate properties of possible worlds that can become niches for words which then can lead to discussions about new possibilities, new technologies, and unprecedented innovation.
Summary of Article 2
The authors begin by emphasizing the importance of human experiences through explaining how humans shape their futures through running mental simulations in which they play different roles in different scenarios based on prior experiences to plan courses of action, make decisions, and solve problems, which is exactly like playing videogames.
After that, the authors argue that playing videogames is an activity organized through affinity spaces-self-organizing spaces which allow people who share a passion to come together to share and discuss knowledge and learn from each other- which are one element of DTAL systems (distributed teaching and learning systems) that are the new form of informal, interest-driven teaching and learning of the 21st century.
Finally, the authors conclude by clarifying that DTAL systems enable us to create new worlds with which we can have conversations that can teach us things about ourselves and the real world; however, DTAL systems can have a dark side for two reasons: firstly, they can be used for anything including crime, and secondly, they may contribute to widening the gap between people of different learning ecologies.
Bridge
The two articles intersect in their emphasis of the importance of good videogames and well-designed, well-mentored experiences in both the virtual and the real world as they can lead to good learning and higher-order thinking. However, they diverge since the first, which builds on the aspect of discovery in play, focuses mainly on the learning that happens inside the virtual worlds themselves and how playing videogames is a form of practice for reality while the second article, which draws on theories about how the human mind works and the role of human experience in learning, extends the focus to include learning that happens outside these virtual spaces and how it is mediated through real social interactions with other people and through conversations with the world through actions.
Burning Question
In the first article, the author talks about learning that happens through an individual’s own discovery of new possibilities and new worlds, and in the second article he talks about learning that happens as a result of social interactions usually in affinity spaces and DTAL systems. Which of these two forms of learning is superior or more relevant today?
Safa'a Abusa'a 