CARS Introduction

The importance of this general subject is based on our idea of the importance of learning; which is obviously a huge importance. School is the backbone to a countries success. Without intelligent, knowledgeable citizens, a community would fall apart. The incorporation of video games into our schooling system are simply additions to our already generally successful learning institutions.

One generalization about this subject is that video games would end up taking too much time to get too little accomplished.

Previous research in this subject have all provided reliable statistics as to why video games would be a valid source for learning yet no attempts have been made to apply these valid withstanding facts to any learning environment. There are still many gaps left in this research.

This research intends to evaluate both sides of the argument. There has been little research done to oppose the idea of video games as learning machines yet counter claims are and will always be present such as financial costs or being too time consuming.

As previously mentioned, there are a ton of gaps in this field of research. Learning itself is on a level of science that will continue to be under investigation for years to come. Other gaps are simply due to lack of research in terms of actually testing video games out in learning environment.

One part of this subject that interests me, which still has a lot to learned from, is the cognitive aspect of learning and how brain functions can be manipulated different ways in order stimulate how we use our memory and to initiate motivation to be better at a given task. The scope of this subject is far beyond that of an English research paper.

Lunsford Quiz. Arguments of Facts

My research definitely fits into the category relative to Malcolm X in that my argument revolves around a set of facts. Malcolm X had several factors about him being in prison that led to his eventual enhanced literacy. Like him, this research topic on the incorporation of video games into the schooling system as learning machines also has several factors that lead to an eventual enhanced literacy. Based from the discussion from Lunsford in chapter 7, the argument that I am trying to make in my research paper falls into a category of a factual and corrective argument. This means that it is an attempt to lay out all of the relative facts surrounding this area of research in an attempt to formulate a stance in order to change an already established institution; meaning that in order to change the community’s perspective on such a field as education will need some substantial and powerful facts to back up any new proposal. This argument is laying out the facts in order to get a point across.

Another direct comparison from the Lunsford chapter is when it states, “It’s especially important to have factual arguments that flesh out of correct what’s narrowly or mistakenly reported.” That is exactly what this argument plans to do. When people think of video games, they think of an activity that adolescents use as a means for entertainment. General belief has molded itself to think that video games are no more than just a form of entertainment and the subject has thus been narrowly analyzed to be no more than just that. That is why this subject needs to re-surface with new facts that many people might not have known about prior to viewing this argument. Video games have a great potential as learning machines and this argument intends to actually get those facts out there for the general public to view, and ideally from there we can re-structure our educational system in a completely different format, hopefully increasing literacy rates which in turn will benefit many other areas in our communities.

“Facts become arguments when they’re controversial in themselves or when they’re used to educate people, challenging or changing their beliefs.” (178). This quote just about sums up everything my argument stands for. Think about it, school has been the same throughout history. You learn facts. Then suddenly technology takes its installment into our society and what happens, computers and internet were incorporated into our schools because they followed the same guidelines of standard learning. Now we look at video games. Adding them would change the system. School would be different. The facts show that video games would be valid tools for teaching students applicable information yet people do not try to figure out a way to incorporate them. People fear change. Bringing this back to the quote from Lunsford, the facts are facts, but the topic becomes an argument because it will bring about complete change if actually incorporated into our lives as students. We need to embrace the facts, even if it means trying something completely new.

Research Reflection

I believe that there is not enough research going on about this subject I am investigating, regarding video games as potential learning machines. Ideally hundreds of more studies can be done with the testing of video games as learning devices yet not many people pursue this research even though it could yield a lot of positive results. This subject under research has far too many gaps in it so formulating justified solutions is not quite an easy task. I feel as though the research i have will provide a lot of useful information that will definitely help me formulate a stance but again, a lot more gaps need to be filled before that stance can be valid professionally.

As far as problems or concerns with the research process goes i don't necessarily have anything specific other then the fact that there simply isn't as much research as I'd like on my subject. I'm working with what i have to justify a stance.