“Good video games incorporate good learning principles, principles supported by current research in cognitive science (Gee 2003, 2004). Why? If no one could learn these games, no one would buy them, and yet players will not accept easy, dumbed-down, or short games. At a deeper level, however, challenge and learning are a large part of what makes good video games motivating and entertaining. Humans actually enjoy learning, though sometimes in school you would not know it” (Gee, 2005, 34)

As a first year teacher, I’ve not only been trying to find fun games (virtual and in-classroom) for my high school students, but also trying to find the balance between how easy and how challenging they should be. I’ve been working really hard to find different games and apps to use on the computers, Ipads, and cell phones in the classroom. However, things have not been going well lately and I think it has to do with me underestimating my students and the lack of resources dealing educational technology out there. As Gee said, players “will not accept easy, dumbed-down, or short games” and unfortunately I think that is the problem I’m having with students. After we played some live, interactive Quizlet games  for a few days as a class, the novelty wore off and my students began to get extremely bored with the quick and simple game. Where they learning the material through the game? Yes. However, it wasn’t enjoyable for them. This is still something I am researching and trying to improve on. I think that all teachers should be required to take some sort of Educational Technology class in their schooling. One of the best things a teacher can do to get the students on their side is to add a little fun into the classroom, while still engaging the students with their classroom material.