Friday Favourites #4

Everybody has their favourite places in the world. A favorite holiday destination, a favourite city break, a favourite restaurant to eat out at, a favourite room in the house, a favourite chair to sit in at home or favourite side of the couch and that's great. These are places where we have created strong emotional ties or where we are most comfortable. I myself prefer the left side of the couch, there is a cafe in Hanley that I am rather partial to and I'm quite fond of Scotland. 

Friday Favorites #2

Sony's PlayStation division has always had a rather inventive approach to advertising their product. I have always been highly entertained by the adverts they create, even if they are completely bizarre as many often were. Just take a look at the PlayStation 3 "This is Living" campaign. With the recent lauch of the new PlayStation Vita Sony had some more marketing to do. The new campaign for the PSVita, "The World is in Play"does not disappoint me at all. It got me thinking about Sony's past campaigns and the adverts that captured my interest and imagination.

Friday Favorites #1

It kind of goes without saying already that videogames are among my favorite things in the world. As well as my family of course. My wife and son, so before my wife does read this and ask me "Why am I not there listed in your favorites?", mockingly in jest of course but it's no less of an awkward moment having to explain that actually yes, they are my my favorite thing. It's just that  this is not about them.
So what is it about? It's about favorite things of mine. Perhaps it will be my favorite brand of tea to drink (it's Lipton) or my favorite place in the world (that would be the place I consider home, which is not where I currently live). I intend to post a favorite something of mine here every Friday. Friday seemed appropriate because it's a pretty cool day of the week and only a day away from my actual favorite day of the week, Saturday. Also, the word Friday starts with the letter F just like favorite does. I already stated that videogames are among my favorite things and that is what I will begin with.

Schools Get in The Game. (originally published 03/06/2009)

Brock delivers his seminar

“Ok, it’s time to submit your school reports. Did everyone play Mario Kart at the weekend? Good. Let’s begin with group discussion, what is the premise and objective of the game?”
This may sound a little strange but for one Minneapolis teacher video games have become learning tools for his class of sixth to eighth graders.  Brock Dubbels of Seward Montessori in Minneapolis designed his ‘Video Games as Learning Tools’ class to span a three week period, requiring children to create detailed multimedia presentations from video games played in groups. He explains that the children are not just learning from the games content but also gaining key skills from playing and studying the games. Dubbels, who has a background in cognitive psychology, goes on to say “It connects to their lives. Research shows that children want to perform where they have competence.” Brock Dubbels spreads the word with training seminars and online courses designed to show other teachers how his three week course works.