Comments on: FERGUSON AND GEE: OVERDUE FOR REALITY CHECKS http://andrews06.wordpress.com/2007/04/22/ferguson-and-gee-overdue-for-reality-checks/ Enjoying the Academic Journey Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:57:57 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Ferguson and Myst IV « de-Constructing History 2.0 http://andrews06.wordpress.com/2007/04/22/ferguson-and-gee-overdue-for-reality-checks/#comment-608 Ferguson and Myst IV « de-Constructing History 2.0 Tue, 24 Apr 2007 20:24:40 +0000 http://andrews06.wordpress.com/2007/04/22/ferguson-and-gee-overdue-for-reality-checks/#comment-608 [...] My comment on Bill’s Blog [...] [...] My comment on Bill’s Blog [...]

]]> By: sscott4 http://andrews06.wordpress.com/2007/04/22/ferguson-and-gee-overdue-for-reality-checks/#comment-607 sscott4 Tue, 24 Apr 2007 20:02:44 +0000 http://andrews06.wordpress.com/2007/04/22/ferguson-and-gee-overdue-for-reality-checks/#comment-607 You said, "Niall Ferguson’s How to Win a War made an interesting case for wargaming strategic alternatives in war. My reaction is that it sounds like fun, but it isn’t history" and I thank you for saying it! See my Blog post on this as more support for that statement...playing the "what if" game is fun for class discussions (and for the occasional best-selling book!), but even referring to it in the same breadth as doing history is crazy talk!! The better approach, in my opinion, is to discuss the events that led up to the war and then, maybe discuss different tactics that could have prevented it and how likely those things were to have happened instead. Now, for me, this seems to be the best use of some type of interactive gaming device, to simulate the conditions of the drumbeat to war and, by plugging in different responses to crises, maybe a different outcome will result. But that does not sound near as much fun as playing Japan and taking over the world in 1942, does it? As for the idea of changing the outcome of the actual shooting war, that is great for gaming (I especially love that type of game, more than Myst I can tell you that!), but I am unsure of how much it really teaches a student of history. Once you start down a different path, all historic value seems to disappear. You said, “Niall Ferguson’s How to Win a War made an interesting case for wargaming strategic alternatives in war. My reaction is that it sounds like fun, but it isn’t history” and I thank you for saying it! See my Blog post on this as more support for that statement…playing the “what if” game is fun for class discussions (and for the occasional best-selling book!), but even referring to it in the same breadth as doing history is crazy talk!!

The better approach, in my opinion, is to discuss the events that led up to the war and then, maybe discuss different tactics that could have prevented it and how likely those things were to have happened instead.

Now, for me, this seems to be the best use of some type of interactive gaming device, to simulate the conditions of the drumbeat to war and, by plugging in different responses to crises, maybe a different outcome will result. But that does not sound near as much fun as playing Japan and taking over the world in 1942, does it?

As for the idea of changing the outcome of the actual shooting war, that is great for gaming (I especially love that type of game, more than Myst I can tell you that!), but I am unsure of how much it really teaches a student of history. Once you start down a different path, all historic value seems to disappear.

]]> By: tad http://andrews06.wordpress.com/2007/04/22/ferguson-and-gee-overdue-for-reality-checks/#comment-605 tad Tue, 24 Apr 2007 15:15:12 +0000 http://andrews06.wordpress.com/2007/04/22/ferguson-and-gee-overdue-for-reality-checks/#comment-605 I think you're absolutely right about the "payoff" of play being a carrot to the "learning" portion of video games... and that really does bring up issues when applied to the classroom-- the most effective method of education is certainly not letting students do something "fun" upon completion of learning-- it's making learning itself fun. I think you’re absolutely right about the “payoff” of play being a carrot to the “learning” portion of video games… and that really does bring up issues when applied to the classroom– the most effective method of education is certainly not letting students do something “fun” upon completion of learning– it’s making learning itself fun.

]]> By: Misha Griffith http://andrews06.wordpress.com/2007/04/22/ferguson-and-gee-overdue-for-reality-checks/#comment-602 Misha Griffith Tue, 24 Apr 2007 01:39:37 +0000 http://andrews06.wordpress.com/2007/04/22/ferguson-and-gee-overdue-for-reality-checks/#comment-602 Thanks for bringing in the aspect of chance and emotions in war--I see it missing from too many reports on battles. Very few decisions are made on totally rational basis, and the sky is not always clear. As far as counter-factuals, just the examining as many aspects as possible could be a learning experience. Makes it easier to understand why certain groups behaved certain ways. Otherwise, in a text the many reasons become laundry lists. I want to check out the game this summer, but with a pretty jaundiced eye. Thanks for bringing in the aspect of chance and emotions in war–I see it missing from too many reports on battles. Very few decisions are made on totally rational basis, and the sky is not always clear. As far as counter-factuals, just the examining as many aspects as possible could be a learning experience. Makes it easier to understand why certain groups behaved certain ways. Otherwise, in a text the many reasons become laundry lists. I want to check out the game this summer, but with a pretty jaundiced eye.

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