I got pounded yesterday for not including “librarians” in my list of educators and education stakeholders who need to rise to the challenge of adapting to the opportunities of video games. Several comments accented this point, which was originally made by Jenny Levine…
AND libraries! Sorry to beat a dead horse, but I still believe that the school library is our best bet for introducing information literacy training and general assessment via video games into the school setting. In fact, I think libraries can do more than almost any other entity, inside and outside of the school.
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| I tried to find a picture of a LAN party that was coed. I know that girls use to attend the ones that my son would go to. But perhaps girls just don’t like to have their pictures taken there 😉 |
Well, I apologize, and I true wonder why I left our schools’ information specialists out of the list, except that perhaps it seemed too obvious to me, subconsciously. At any rate, Jenny and I’d had that very conversation at the GLS conference, that perhaps libraries are the logical place to bring video games into the more formal learning experience — the place to build our half of the bridge.
I’ve frequently suggested that librarians host LAN parties, include strategies guides in their collections, hold game discussion groups, suggest/feature video games related to units of study, and invite speakers who can talk about appropriate use of video games. So, I have to admit that I am a bit baffled as to why librarians didn’t make my list.
This brings me to another point. Now this is my opinion, but I do not believe that blog postings are meant to be scholarly dissertations, perfectly considering every point, every example, every definition, every eventuality. They should be better considered than IM postings and better crafted than most e-mail messages, but they (mine) are typically written in one or two sittings and rarely with more than an hour of writing. I leave things out. I leave terms undefined. Sometimes I get it wrong, and I’m happy that I do. Because everything that is not included, that is important, gets added through comments from thoughtful readers and through continuing conversations. If it’s an important addition, such as including librarians in a conversation about video games in schools, I will usually elevate it to a new blog posting to make it available to more readers.
As I’ve said many times before, I write this blog to learn…
I only wish that I had the time to address every question and correction!
Image Citation:
Lamotta, Jake. “FurLAN Party@Paparotti.” JakeLamotta82’s Photostream. 4 Feb 2007. 17 Jul 2007 <http://flickr.com/photos/jakelamotta82/379521568/>.
We’d all be much better off if school librarians would, as a profession, focus their attention on taking control of web filtering in schools.
Thanks, David. I didn’t mean to sound like I was berating you; I just wanted to add us into the mix because for some reason the folks in the gaming and education movement (and I’m talking generally here, not about you) just don’t seem to remember we exist, to their detriment, I think, as we bring a wealth of information, resources, and expertise to the table.
I also agree with Tom, but there are a lot of efforts by school librarians in this area, more than by teachers, so while one might argue the profession could do more, I don’t think it’s accurate to imply it does nothing.
Personally, I believe proving the worth of gaming and simulation via the library would be one more avenue for school librarians to take control of the in-house filtering. A multi-pronged approach, so to speak.
David, (I’m not sure if the last comment made it in.) I agree that the purpose of blogging is to learn. One of my greastest frustrations is not having enough time to read others’ blogs. It’s from these blogs that I really learn. I simply try and solidify my knowledge on my own blog.