Chapter 3. Chapter 3
Media Literacy Activity:
Electronic Gaming and New Technologies
Media Literacy Activity: Electronic Gaming and New Technologies
Activity Objective: In this activity, you will apply the critical process to explore how electronic gaming has changed with the development of new technologies.
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Media Literacy Activity:
Electronic Gaming and New Technologies
Reviewing the Critical Process
Developing a media-literate critical perspective involves mastering five overlapping stages that build on one another. Let’s review the critical process you’ll be using below:
Description: paying close attention, taking notes, and researching the subject under study
Analysis: discovering and focusing on significant patterns that emerge from the description stage
Interpretation: asking and answering “What does that mean?” and “So what?” questions about one’s findings
Evaluation: arriving at a judgment about whether something is good, bad, or mediocre, which involves subordinating one’s personal taste to the critical “bigger picture” resulting from the first three stages
Engagement: taking some action that connects our critical perspective with our role as citizens to question our media institutions, adding our own voice to the process of shaping the cultural environment
Media Literacy Activity:
Electronic Gaming and New Technologies
Description
Use the following prompts to gather information about electronic gaming over time:
- Identify ways that electronic gaming has changed from the time you first played any type of game which used electronic technology. What were the first electronic games you played at home or school?
- List as many electronic games as you can. Include older games or variations of games that aren’t available or played much anymore.
- Ask others to help you add electronic games to your list.
Use the space below to answer the following question.
Provide a synopsis of what information you gathered about electronic gaming.
Media Literacy Activity:
Electronic Gaming and New Technologies
Analysis
Look for patterns that emerged while you were gathering information about electronic gaming over time.
Use the space below to answer the following questions.
1. How have the technologies used in electronic gaming changed over time?
2. Compare older and newer electronic gaming technologies. In what ways are they similar? In what ways are they different?
3. What aspects of electronic gaming have changed the most as a result of technological developments? What aspects have changed the least?
4. Based on your answers to the questions above, how has the electronic gaming experience changed over time?
Media Literacy Activity:
Electronic Gaming and New Technologies
Interpretation
Now, let’s explore the meaning of the patterns you found regarding electronic gaming technologies.
Use the space below to answer the following questions.
1. What do these patterns tell you about game-makers’ focus on the content and structure of electronic games?
2. What do these patterns tell you about game-makers’ focus on the direction that electronic gaming is going?
3. What do these patterns tell you about how electronic gamers have changed their interest of gaming behaviors?
4. Why have some aspects of electronic gaming changed a lot and others have changed little as technology has developed?
5. How do these changes alter the meaning of electronic gaming in our culture and for individual gamers?
Media Literacy Activity:
Electronic Gaming and New Technologies
Evaluation
Through the following questions, assess whether technology has changed electronic gaming for better or for worse or both.
Use the space below to answer the following questions.
1. Is gaming better because of new technologies? How?
2. Is gaming worse because of new technologies? How?
3. Do technological developments always advance electronic gaming?
4. What do you think might happen in the future?
Media Literacy Activity:
Electronic Gaming and New Technologies
Engagement
Let’s take action! Consider what you’ve discovered about electronic gaming technologies over time and identify ways that electronic gaming technologies could make for a better gaming experience for you and others.
Use the space below to answer the following question.
What are three ways electronic gaming can be improved so it can be a better experience for you and others?