Why do we use books to study in school? Back when the first concept of standardized education was conceived, the main purpose was so that children would be educated enough to read the Bible. That being said, it is no surprise that the medium used for teaching and learning was text on paper, letters and words and phrases, books.
Fast forward to our present day society. Every moment we are bombarded with information from a variety of media. It is more common to see students reading news via social media feed on their smartphone. Adults listen to podcasts while driving to work instead of just the radio. News is searched for via video streaming online at real time rather than waited for eagerly around the television at the dinner table. Books have evolved into comics, graphic novels, etc. Even textbooks used in classrooms are now accessible as e-books, adding a new level of interactivity when reading, studying, and taking notes. (I love how I don't have to write in the margins of a new textbook anymore, just digitally highlight and make a note!)
But still today, we think of engaging in video games as a pastime for those who are lazy or unproductive. There is something wrong with this.
This video got me thinking about this mindset around gaming. Why don't we as a society regard video games in a higher standard as with our other media today? Certainly there is something to be gained from it right?
That's why I am developing "StupidSensei's Library". As great books have come to life, been studied and analyzed, enjoyed and passed along, stored away on a shelf for others to read, I would like to catalog a list of video games that serve the purpose of bettering society through the message they have to share. In particular, because I am an educator as well as a gamer, I want to highlight boo....er...games that might be suitable for a classroom of the future, and perhaps provide ways to teach it as well. I want to help change this perspective that games are for the lazy, unmotivated, and socially unacceptable individual.
My goal is to convince you that games can teach...that games are good for our youth's future.
~StupidSensei
