Gaming in the composition classroom

In his article "Gaming, Student Literacies, and the Composition Classroom: Some Possibilities fro Transformation," Jonathan Alexander argues for the inclusion of online gaming--and the written elements included in the gaming experience--within the composition classroom. According to Alexander, there are multiple opportunities for students to incorporate their gaming literacies into academic literacy, teaching the instructor about their literacies as well as learning something new from the instructor.

Alexander argues that "incorporating a strong consideration of gaming into composition courses may not only enliven writing instruction for many of our students, but also transform our approach to literacy" (37). The multimodal nature of students increases their ability to relate and incorporate classroom skills in the world outside of the class--in other classes or in a career. Also, Alexander argues that gaming increases critical thinking (36), a skill necessary for any career. By incorporating the literarcies a student already knows, say gaming, with new, rhetorical literacies taught in the classroom, a student will be more prepared to learn further and apply his or her knowledge in other situations; for example, students may be better understand culture through a game: "games and new media experience can promote not only a toleration of and even interesting in cultural difference, but also an understanding of the role of communication in mediating that difference and the role of literacy in working collaboratively with cultural differences in mind" (Alexander 49). The collaboration of people working with others and learning about different groups (the French Canadian learning what slang terms actually mean) can improve intercultural knowledge, understanding, and possibly acceptance. For a real life example of meeting new people and learning of different cultures, I will briefly explain the relationship of my teammate Luke and his girlfriend Rian. He is from Washington, and she lives in Texas. Through WOW, they met by fighting in the same Guild. Months after meeting, they have visited each other; her learning about the Pacific Northwest and he learning of the South. Is this an example of communication that Alexander promotes? Or is this a just an interesting story?

As these literacies of new media have implications for the academic classroom, I also think of other literacies of my own and potentially of other students that could be included in the composition classroom. For example, I know how to read music and understand an eight-part choral composition. In a different area, I am also literate in the languages of international track and field as well as that of western horsemanship. However, I speak nothing of any gaming language, unless you count Oregon Trail (Yes, I would like to raft down the river!) If Alexander is correct to promote the use of online gaming--World of Warcraft, in particular--how am I to understand, relate, or include this type of literacy in the classroom? Furthermore, how are other students whose literacies do not include gaming join in the conversation? I suppose this is where Alexander's assignment suggestions may be utilized and, perhaps, this is where I would learn something new from my students.

Doug Hesse and Cynthia L. Selfe discuss certain aspects of writing in the classroom, particularly what should be taught in the classroom. They counter each other in regards to various questions; in particular, this question stands out to me: "Whose interests should the composition class serve?" (Hesse 603). Selfe also asks, "What is the proper subject matter for composition classes?" (606). I, too, wonder. Can gaming be included in the curriculum and stand as a form of writing? And does it actually include a rhetorical situation that is complicated, critical, and applicable in academia? (In the reading, the rhetorical situation is defined as "the rhetorical situation is the situation in which we all write" [611].) Overall, if gaming is a literacy in itself and promotes writing, reading, communication, and critical thinking, it should be available for students to utilize as a tool for learning. Selfe suggests that educators are "obliged to teach [students] how to compose with modalities that may be unfamiliar and difficult but expected of educated citizen within workplaces" (608). If a student learns to communicate through multiple mediums, problem solve in groups, and write in a clear, purposeful manner, his or her education was successful... I hope.


Works Cited

Alexander, Jonathan. "Gaming, Student Literacies, and the Composition Classroom." College Composition and Communication 61:1 (September 2009): 35-63.

Hesse, Doug. "Interchanges: Response to Cynthia Selfe's 'The Movement of Air, the Breath of Meaning: Aurality and Multimodal Composing.'" College Composition and Communication 61:3 (February 2010): 602-605.

Selfe, Cynthia L. "Response to Doug Hesse," College Composition and Communication 61:3 (February 2010): 602-610.