Virtual Reality and Video Games as Literary Tools in K-16
Abstract: How can educators harness the power of new literacies like video games and virtual/augmented reality in their classroom, and what does good learning look like with these technologies at play? What does it mean to experience and learn in virtual and game-based environments? This presentation will give educators a better idea about it means to read, play, and experience with video games and virtual reality in the classroom. This presentation will highlight research about the classroom experiences of an 8th grade teacher who used virtual reality and video games as literature in his classroom. Nineteen students and their teacher used video games and virtual reality in small groups for five consecutive weeks and they recorded data about their thoughts, experiences, and learning in the classroom. Data from the study revealed the small groups were very social and academically engaged with the games they played, and they were able to make complex and relative connections to the games as literature. This presentation will talk about how to center video games and virtual reality as literary vehicles in many secondary and post-secondary learning disciplines.