Bogost and Video Games- Blog Post #3

 At the very start of class, we discussed "Play". We read, wrote, and discussed on what we believe play to be, as well as where we see it take place in today's schooling system, as well as life as a whole for those who are affected by it. What I read from this week's article wasn't much different, except for the fact that it brought forth more questions surrounding the idea of play. We see Author Bogost write, "Play and learning have been segregated from one another in contemporary schooling, further cementing their perceived disparity." In the article, we read about a new perspective brought forth in the "play in the classroom" discussion. The new perspective being none other than Video Games. Can video games be classified as play? Do they actually support and boost learning? Or do they take a fairly heavy toll on mental development? I for one, full heartedly believe they do count as play. So for the most part, I disagree with what Bogost had stated, as I believe that when it comes to video games, learning and play have not been separated. There are all forms of video games, some exclusively designed for learning, especially in a school environment. Such as math or counting games, or games that have kids learn about colors and shapes. But what I find to be most interesting is that play/learning through video games, lasts just about forever! Students learn how to explore and go into more depth when it comes to working towards a specific goal. As well as picking up leadership qualities that may not only assist them in school, but also the real world! I'd argue that through video games, we have the most incredible and most helpful form of "play".

Speaking of the real world, I have an example of video games helps learn and connect even after school. 3 summers ago, my dad had to host/run a very big and important meeting for his company. He had people from all across the country come to his selected location, for him to host a presentation, and have the bigger higherups of the company all come together to solve an issue. It was during this meeting that my dad decided to have everyone take a break from their working and arguing/debates, trying to find the perfect solution towards their problem, and he had them all play video games! We set up TVs and Monitors and made sure we had enough systems for everyone to use. They all took a simple 30 minute break playing none other than Minecraft. Granted, some had never played before, but it brought a sense of community, connection, and overall a more relaxed state of mind, all from the half hour they had played. Afterwards, they were able to communicate more easily, and find the right solution for their issue.

I believe video games are the most powerful form of play.