Computers and Video Games Emanuel M. and Alisa R. |
Unit Overview | ||||||
Over 3.24 billion people in the world play video games of some kind. That’s over half of the global population! Video games and the culture surrounding them are important to understand, since they’re so embedded in our daily lives. There are plenty of debates about whether video games are “good” or “bad” for young people and society. In this unit, we’ll explore some of those debates, the arguments that have been made historically and still persist today, and some specific aspects of video games like violence and monetization. With increasing trends toward gaming with others online, streaming, and advertising with gamers, it is important for young people to be able to think critically about the games they play, how those games are made, and what kinds of impacts playing has on them. We’ll explore the mental, physical, social, and emotional effects that video games have on young people. We’ll also get to know some of the hardware that impacts gaming, from devices to consoles to computers and online communities. |
Learning Goals + Objectives | ||||
|
Day 1 - Playing Video Games + the Gaming Industry |
Learning Goals |
|
Essential Questions |
|
Materials + Prep |
|
Lesson Procedure | ||||
Introduction | Group Discussion - To kick off a whole-class opening circle conversation, start by inviting learners to share their experiences with and opinions about video games. Example prompt questions: What games do you play? Where do you play them? Do you play online with friends? With strangers? What do you know about the video game industry and how games get made? | 20 mins | ||
Main Activity | Video games make up a big, complex industry–from design and development, to professional playing and eSports, to streaming and merchandise. We want to understand the way these industries interact to shape what games get made, how they get made, and how we as players get to engage. Conducting research - Using digital documents or pen and paper to take notes, learners will conduct their own research into these questions:
Allow for students to research online in small groups or individually. Learners can organize their research findings with the following pieces of info: Source - What I Learned - Connections to Other Industries or Topics | 60 mins | ||
Closure + Reflection | Group discussion and share out -Come together again as a whole group and share out responses to the day’s material. Prompting questions:
Here are a few examples to help your conversation if you get stuck: Console and device manufacturing, professional sports leagues, movies and other pop culture, the military, education, arts | 30 mins | ||
K-12 CS Framework Connections | ||||
|
Day 2 - This is Your Brain on Video Games |
Learning Goals |
|
Essential Questions |
|
Materials + Prep |
|
Lesson Procedure | ||||
Introduction | In Day 1, we talked about the video game industry and some of the trends related to video games today. Today, we’ll dig deeper into a very common debate about video games: Are video games good or bad for you? And is it really that simple? Read and discuss - Blog post: Video Games Make You Smarter: Backed up by Research | Healthy Gamer | 30 mins | ||
Main Activity | Since the start of video games with large arcade machines and the first home game systems like Atari, NES, SEGA Genesis, etc, people have had debates about whether video games are “good” or “bad” for young people and society more broadly. Of course, it is more complicated than that! Let’s get into some of the historical and current debates about video games and their impacts. Collaborative work - In a class-wide digital document* (like a Jamboard, for example), invite students to think, pair, and share(on the document) their ideas about the controversies that come up around video games. *Note: This activity can be adapted without computers too! If you have a large board and things to write with, or index cards, tape, post-its, etc, learners can write down their ideas and put them together on the board. Some prompting questions -
The class-wide document can be structured to include the following dimensions of video games’ impact on young people: Mental - Social - Physical - Emotional | 90 mins | ||
Closure + Reflection | Group discussion and share out -
| 30 mins | ||
K-12 CS Framework Connections | ||||
|
Day 3 - Debates about Violence in Video Games |
Learning Goals |
|
Essential Questions |
|
Materials + Prep |
|
Lesson Procedure | |||
Introduction | Group discussion - Recap together some questions and concepts that came up in Day 2 – How might playing video games affect your brain? | 15 mins | |
Main Activity | For decades, one of the most common debates about video games has centered on this question:
Today, we’re going to dig in to this question and debate the different arguments about it. Watch one or more of these videos to introduce learners to some of the arguments that are commonly made about violent video games: Are Violent Video Games Bad For You? Game Theory: Do Video Games Cause Violence? It's Complicated. Video Games Don't Cause Violent Behavior | 30 mins | |
Group debate - Split the group into an even number of smaller groups (4 might be a good number to aim for). Two groups will start by debating in favor of the argument that violent games are bad for young people. The other two groups will start by debating against that argument. Let learners spend ~20 minutes researching and gathering evidence for their argument. Then, let both sides debate the issue. Team 1 - In favor of the argument Team 2 - Against the argument Team 3 - In favor of the argument Team 4 - Against the argument Each team should make a Google Slide presentation outlining their arguments. | 90 mins | ||
Closure + Reflection | Group discussion - Come together as a whole group again to discuss how the debates went:
| 30 mins | |
K-12 CS Framework Connections | ||||
|
Day 4 - Gaming Gets Monetized $$$ |
Learning Goals |
|
Essential Questions |
|
Materials + Prep |
|
Lesson Procedure | ||||
Introduction | So far we’ve talked about a few different debates and controversies surrounding video games. Today, we’re going to add another ethical issue to our exploration: monetization and microtransactions. Group discussion - What do you think about video games where you can buy things with actual money? What about streamers and the way they are able to make money playing video games for others to watch? | 10 mins | ||
Main Activity | What are some ways where the video game world might spill out into the real world? What do you think of these instances? Here are a few examples to get your conversation going:
Individual research - Using digital documents or pen and paper to take notes, learners will conduct their own research into one of these questions:
How do social media companies play a part in this? Who gets to participate in the parts of gaming culture that involve monetization of streams or microtransactions like lootboxes? Who gets shut out of those experiences?
Think again about how we talked about design choices that might influence a player’s behavior or thoughts. What do you think are some ethical arguments related to microtransactions in games?
Lootboxes are a special type of microtransaction that allow players to purchase a mystery box in hopes of getting a particular item (or some other feature of the game). Some critics think lootboxes function a lot like gambling. What do you think? Allow for students to research online in small groups or individually. Learners can organize their research findings with the following pieces of info: Source - What I Learned - Connections to Other Industries or Topics | 60 mins | ||
Closure + Reflection | Group discussion and share-out - Let’s dig in again to the ethical complexity that these questions bring up.
| 20 mins | ||
Homework | Outline an short essay - Taking the ethical questions we’ve been talking about today and this week (like in Days 2 and 3 when talking about violence in video games or impacts on behavior and social life), start a draft outline to lay out your ideas about this question:
Think about your own personal responses to these debates, and use a 5-paragraph structure to craft your argument. Introduce what the debate/controversy/question is, and what your personal opinion is, using evidence you’ve gathered during your research time. | 1 hour | ||
K-12 CS Framework Connections | ||||
|
Resources + Extension | ||||
|
Day 5 - Computers, Hardware, and Devices |
Learning Goals |
|
Essential Questions |
|
Materials + Prep |
|
Lesson Procedure | ||||
Introduction | We’ve talked about some of the more abstract parts of the video games world, but what about the actual material things that make gaming possible? Today we’ll explore what kinds of hardware and devices are used in video games, and what broader implications they might have on the planet and for people. What does what in your computer? Computer parts Explained - 7 mins | 10 mins | ||
Main Activity | Sustainability in Video Gaming and Computers Today, we’ll explore ways that trends in video games might impact things like e-waste and recycling. Group discussion - Do you think a shift toward online gaming on computers, that people use for other things like work or school, signify a “greener” way to play video games, since new devices/consoles aren’t necessary? We’re going to explore two dimensions to this question: e-waste recycling and “planned obsolescence.” | 10 mins | ||
E-Waste and Recycling - What happens to old tech when it dies? Lots of types of electronics need to be disposed of in special ways. This is because some of the material that make up these computer or device parts are toxic to the environment and to humans. But what happens after those old broken tech dinosaurs are gotten rid of? Together, watch this video: The dark side of electronic waste recycling - 10 min Group discussion - Does this change what you think about the purpose of learning about what’s inside your devices and computers? What if you could repair broken and old devices, or remix them somehow? What would you need to know, and what kinds of skills and materials would you need? | 30 mins | |||
Planned Obsolescence - Together, watch this video: Planned Obsolescence Sucks. Here's Why It Still Exists. - 10 mins Group discussion - Why do you think that changed? Do tech companies stand to benefit from designing their products in ways that prevent people from making simple repairs? How might this change in the future? | 20 mins | |||
Closure + Reflection | Group discussion -
| 30 mins | ||
Homework | Continue working on your essay outline from the last class session. In the next class, we will workshop your outlines toward writing a final paper, or sharing an oral presentation about your argument. | 1 hour | ||
K-12 CS Framework Connections | ||||
|
Day 6 - Ethical Complexities of Video Games and Computers |
Learning Goals |
|
Essential Questions |
|
Materials + Prep |
|
Lesson Procedure | ||||
Introduction | Today, we are going to wrap up and share out what we’ve learned in the last week about the current debates and ethical questions related to video games. You’ll need the essay or speech script you worked on for the last two days’ homework. | 5 mins | ||
Main Activity | Sharing out in two groups - Split the class into two groups: those who opted to write the essay and those who chose to write a speech instead. Allow learners to workshop their essays and speeches together. This might look like sharing online documents and writing comments, or sharing printed copies, or actually talking through their writing. Suggestions for collaborative feedback - What is the argument they are making? What did you find not so persuasive about their argument? Do you agree or disagree, and why? How does this relate to the argument you’re making in your own essay or speech? | 90 mins | ||
Closure + Reflection | Group discussion - We’ve talked about a lot of ethical quandaries related to video games, video gaming culture, and particular features of games. Finally, let’s revisit what we thought at the beginning of our exploration.
| 20 mins | ||
K-12 CS Framework Connections | ||||
|