Stupefy!!!

This week I've been exploring game-based learning and wanted to try out a game that I thought might be able to be used in a school setting. I have read all about complex games that help students with decision making skills, developing strategies, and improved hand-eye coordination. While the game itself does not have a specific subject area, there are many lessons and benefits of complex games. I chose an XBOX 360 game called Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I.  I chose the game because of the complex nature and also because it is based on a children’s novel. Also, let’s face it, I love Harry Potter. This game is most certainly a complex game. There are many small goals throughout the game and the end goal is to defeat Voldemort and his death eaters. Having read the book, I know that I haven’t even scratched the surface in completing my goals and missions, yet. The game leads Harry, Hermione, and Ron through the parts of the book. At each part of the story that the death eaters may be around, you must cast spells and defeat them. There are new spells and potions to gain as you go through the missions. Additionally, the game makes you choose the path that you are going to take and you have to keep your strategy in mind.

I had two excellent assistants to help me try to defeat the death eaters!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I...tougher than I imagined!

While playing this game, it is nice that there are short instructions that guide you to learn which buttons control movement or spells. It is difficult to remember what all of the buttons do all while being attacked with vicious spells from death eaters! I chose “easy” and almost immediately said to my fiancé, “this is difficult!” There is definitely a learning curve and you must have persistence to play the game and continue making the decisions necessary to complete missions. Whenever I failed a mission, it was a little easier the second time around. I did not kill enough death eaters or I was caught with my invisibility cloak on meant that I had to go back to the last time it auto-saved from the last mission. I like that games like this really make kids, and adults, think about how they messed up and correct it in order to move forward. It is very much like many instances in real life. I look forward to learning new spells and hopefully catching on with this game so that I can eventually defeat Voldemort! I really like that this is the type of game that saves throughout and you can continue at your own pace. I learned that these games are NOT easy. I also discovered that I can only play these games for a short time period and then I have to take breaks. I also tend to get frustrated easily when I can’t figure out how to complete a task. I reminded myself of some of my students while I was playing this game. It gave me an interesting insight into how they feel sometimes at school.

I have learned that video gaming can be very beneficial to students in learning real life skills and tactics. I never realized how much concentration and memory is needed for these complex games. There is also, surprisingly, quite a bit of reading involved in the learning of the games. I like that literacy is necessary to complete tasks. So many of them also involve calculating what move is best for your character and mission. I have truly seen what video games can do for children in today’s society through not only my reading, but through actually experiencing the learning myself. I certainly have more respect for the children who are relentless in their gaming techniques and are very goal oriented in their missions. Gaming is much easier to watch that actually participate!