laurie griffin jchs ninth grade campus gray, ga lgriffin@jones.k12.ga

Got Game? Alluring the non-reader to

investigate the media center while earning your street cred!

Laurie GriffinJCHS Ninth Grade CampusGray, GAlgriffin@jones.k12.ga.us

Today’s 16 year old

• was not even born when the Super Nintendo was released and the CD ROM was invented.

• was being born when the internet entered almost every home and the Playstation was released.

• was 5 when the Playston 2, Gamecube, and Xbox were released, and DSL gained popularity.

Statistics from Pew Internet and Life Reports and Entertainment Software Association.

Teens that have played video games at least once, with a majority of teens playing

regularly

90%

* Rainie: Pew Internet and American Life Project

Teens that play games online**

81%** Lenhart, Amanda et al. "Teens and Technology: Youth are Leading the Transition to a Fully Wired and Mobile Nation." Family, Friends & Community. Pew Internet & American Life Project. July 2005. http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/162/report_display.asp

Games can relate to books, they are just in another format

Why Include Games in the Library?

• By providing an outlet for students, I developed many strong relationships with the students and began to learn more about them as individuals.

• By doing so, I assisted many students that claimed they “didn’t like to read.”

Can It Make a Difference?

• Special Needs Student• Rarely visited MC before• Checked out Halo: Ghosts

of Onyx• Read it cover to cover

within a week.• 383 pages/ 6.6 AR Level

JCHS NGC Media Center Statistics 2010

• 2,153 visits • 1,057 check outs

– Less than previous year’s total

Issues to ponder:• 3 different day schedules throughout week• Minimal lunch periods• Only one staff member in the MC

Learning principles in games***

• Risk –tasking in a “safe” environment• Rewarding of practice• Use of affinity groups• Probing cycles• Situated meaning• Self-knowledge• Identity formation

*** Gee, James Paul. What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy. Palgrave McMillan, 2003

Side Effects of Video Games

• Hand-eye coordination

• Pattern Recognition• Reading & Writing• Physics• Math• History• Geography/Map

Reading• Social Skills

• Mentoring & Leadership

• Critical Thinking• Problem Solving• Creativity• High self-esteem• Loyalty• Teamwork• Calculated, Strategic

Risk-taking• Fun

Gaming builds developmental assets

7 Developmental Needs of Adolescents*

• positive social interaction with adults & peers

• structure and clear limits• physical activity• creative expression• competence and achievement• meaningful participation in families, school, communities• opportunities for self-definition

NMSA. NMSA Research Summaries. Young Adolescents Developmental Needs (1996)http://www.nmsa.org/Research/ResearchSummaries/Summary5/tabid/257/Default.aspx

Gaming Reinforces New Literacies

Exposing Knowledge21st Century Standards

Inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge

Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations, and create new knowledge.

Warlick, David. ”The New Literacies.” Scholastic Administrator. Mar-Apr2005 http://www.scholastic.com/administrator/marapr05/articles.asp?article=newlit

Exposing Knowledge

• Find information

• Understand and explain found information regardless of its format

• Evaluate information

• Organize information

http://www.fanfiction.net/cat/209/

Fan Fiction

Interaction and Ethical Use

21st Century StandardsShare knowledge and participate

ethically and productively in society.Pursue personal and aesthetic growth

Interact with diverse group of peers and share expertise with others.

Share strategies for gaming & learning

DDR Recipe for Success

• One console ($100-400)• 2-4 dance pads ($20-300)• 1 game ($25-60)• 1 LCD projector• 1 one large screen or white wall

WHAT IF I AM NOT READY TO DO A GAMING PROGRAM?

7 THINGS YOU CAN DO TOMORROW

to make your library welcoming to gamers

1. Use games to do readers advisory 2. Be a strategy guide3. Embrace your inner technogeek4. Be flexible5. Plan change 6. Immerse yourself in pop culture …

especially video game culture7. Try some games!

USE GAMES TO DO READER’S

ADVISORY INSTEAD OF: • What authors do you like to read?• What are the last 3 books you read and

enjoyed? • What did you like about them?

ASK: • What movies do you like? • What TV shows do you watch? • What games do you play?

www.mbmpl.org

Roleplaying/MMORPG Games• GAMES:

– Everquest– Runescape– World of Warcraft– Dark Age of Camelot– Ultima

• SUGGEST: – epic fantasy– historical– war – Authurian legend– fractured fairy tales

Historical Simulation Games

• GAMES: – Civilization– Caesar– Age of Empires– Oregon Trail– America’s Army?

• SUGGEST: – biographies– historical fiction– mythology

Sports Games

• GAMES: – Madden Football– NBA Street– Need for Speed– Tiger Woods– Golf– WWF

• SUGGEST: – sports– adventure– biographies

Strategy & Puzzle Games

• GAMES: – Myst– Tetris– Bejeweled– Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?

• SUGGEST: – mystery– thrillers– travel– puzzle books

First Person Shooters (FPS)

• GAMES: – Doom– Quake– Halo

• SUGGEST: – military fiction– horror– apocalyptic fiction– science fiction

Simulations

• GAMES: – The Sims– The Urbz

• SUGGEST: – sociology– dysfunction– relationships– romance– architecture

Japanese/Manga tie-in

• GAMES: – Katamari Damacy– Final Fantasy– Dragonball Z– Pokemon

• SUGGEST: – manga– Japanese culture– graphic novels– drawing books– anime films

Superhero Games

• GAMES: – Spider-Man– Fantastic Four– City of Heros

• SUGGEST: – comic books– graphic novels– biographies– mythology

10 YOUNG ADULT NOVELS WITH GAMING PLOTS

1. Bloor, Edward. Crusader. 2. Card, Orson Scott. Ender’s Game. 3. Horowitz, Anthony. Eagle Strike. 4. Lubar, David. Wizards of the Game. 5. Skurzynski, Gloria. The Virtual War. 6. Tangherlini, Arne. Leo@fergusrules.com. 7. Vande Velde, Vivian. Heir Apparent. 8. Vande Velde, Vivian. User Unfriendly. 9. Werlin, Nancy. Locked Inside. 10. Wieler, Diana. Ran Van series.

If you are a fan of____ Video Games

See Handouts

Simulation & Strategy

Action & Shooter

Adventure & RPG

GAMING MAGAZINES

• Computer Gaming World• Dragon• Electronic Gaming Monthly• Game Informer• Game Pro• Nintendo Power• Official X-Box• PC Gamer• Play• Playstation & PS2• Tips & Tricks

Our goal is to get them to READ!

• We must maintain our relevance in their busy lives and offer programs and collections based on their interests.

Changes Made to Program:• Gaming on Fridays only.• Sign up in advance & get

pass for video game console you are using before game day.

• Can play for the entire lunch period.