digital documentary

The assignment… This is something that has been on my mind for the past couple weeks. Throughout those weeks I have been excited about it, frustrated about it, and stressed about it. I am excited because in taking pictures and video, I get to do what I love best, hang out with my boyfriend and friends. And in hanging out with them, I have kept them up-to-date about the assignment. They are very excited and a little jealous that this is actually one of my assignments. They are stuck with boring essays and tests, and I get to create a fun project. And I agree, this project is fun. However, when I run into computer difficulties, the fun disappears. I have lost my project two times now because my computer is completely messed up (not to mention, my lack of computer knowledge to fix the problems). It seems as if each time I show progress, I have to take two steps back. This is a little frustrating and disappointing. I am also I little stressed out about the project because, 1) it is an assignment and we are graded and 2) stressing out is in my nature. This weekend I hope to come close to finishing the documentary. This however depends on my ability to get onto a computer that works.

Action and Learning

The main idea I reached while reading chapter 5 of Gee was that in order to thoroughly understand and learn something, one must actually engage in the action of doing it. I like Gees example of learning physics. You can be given the devices to do physics but without instruction and practice the concepts will not be understood. The thing I am learning to do is to skate. I could sit in a classroom and learn all the dynamics and techniques needed to skate efficiently but without the actual practice, I will not learn to successfully skate. Video games creators incorporate this learning principle thoroughly into their games. I feel it is also important to not just expect a high level of action right away but rather build up to it. Video games do a great job at this with including different levels of difficulty. As you get better and better, you are expected to do more. As for my skating…I would not expect myself to be a pro right away. And I think that is important to keep in mind. Otherwise I would give up due to failure.

Situated Learning

In Chapter 4 of What Video Games Have to Teach us about Learning and Literacy Gee discusses situated learning. He states that “meanings of signs (words, actions, objects, artifacts, symbols, texts, etc.) are situated in embodied experience” However these experiences that we hold are not just stored but rather evolve as life continues on. In everything we do, we are editing our experiences and the way we perceive them. Gee said that we “edit them according to their interests, values, goals, and sociocultural memberships.” As we face new experiences, old experiences are remembered and are used to think about the new situation. After reading this chapter, I felt as if I understood what Gee was trying to say but didn’t really relate it to my own life. However, now as I am sitting down typing this I feel I have a great example of this. Today I attended a funeral viewing. I had only attended one of these a while back when my grandpa pasted away. I was quite young and although I remember bits and pieces, I do not remember the entire experience. Today while attending this viewing, experiences from my past arose and I was able to understand more about both my past and present experience.