[Edu-sig] re: Education Arcade

[Laura Creighton]

In a message of Sat, 13 Dec 2003 16:14:38 EST, Jim Harrison writes:
>
>And I don't buy the machine:power/kid:schmuck scenario. When kids can
>manipulate a simulation to produce a result, they feel empowered. If the
>result doesn't honor the parameters of the simulation, the kids immediately
>label the developer/machine "lame" -- not themselves.
>
>Jim Harrison
>Univ. of Pittsburgh

This may sometimes be a problem.  There is a difference between 'being
empowered' and 'feeling empowered'.  Some studies of children who
'play video games too much' indicate that they do this is because they
like feeling empowered -- and it feels better to be the Pokemon
champion than a mediocre student.

Laura