Student Voices: Game Development and Gamestar Mechanic

I continue to train my video on a few of my students as we move through the Science-based Game Design Unit. I am curious about what they think and what they are experiencing. The other day day, one student asked “Why are we making video games anyway?” and so I launched again into the rationale: the information and visual literacy, the connections to the writing process, the engagement with technology in a way that connects to what they often do outside of school, etc. I think they wanted a simpler answer (it’s cool!) but I was ready for it, mainly because if my principal or superintendent or a parent asks, I want to be ready for them, too.

In that regard, this reflective space on the blog has been helpful to me. And I appreciate the comments that some of you have been leaving. I am sure some of you are scratching you heads over this entire unit but it does have many solid connections to the science and language arts curriculum, particularly if you consider it in light of the Common Core (which our state has adopted). I am going to try to connect it more solidly to our state curriculum one of these days.

Anyway, here are two of my students, talking about the development of their video game project, their early prototypes of games, and their impressions of Gamestar Mechanic. (And should you think this is just cheerleading for Gamestar, I’ve had  a few students tell that they wish Gamestar were more advanced, and had more options, and they suggested we move into some programming language for, as one put it, “real game design.” Sorry, kid, that’s beyond me right now.)

Peace (in the games),
Kevin