James Paul Gee begins his classic book with "I want to talk about video games--yes, even violent video games--and say some positive things about them." With this simple but explosive statement, one of America's most well-respected educators looks seriously at the good that can come from playing video games. In this revised edition, new games like World of WarCraft and Half Life 2 are evaluated and theories of cognitive development are expanded. Gee looks at major cognitive activities including how individuals develop a sense of identity, how we grasp meaning, how we evaluate and follow a command, pick a role model, and perceive the world.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 27 reviews)

Taking games seriously

Gee's background in linguistics and current interests in education inform this discussion of video games, as he clearly outlines over thirty good learning principles that teachers can glean from the practice of gaming and apply to their classrooms. Gee's book should be commended for its detailed analysis of particular games--too often, theorists discussing games tend to shy away from minute description of their own interactions with games and go straight for lessons learned or abstract ideas garnered from gameplay. Gee also has a talent for talking openly and humorously about his development from non-gaming baby boomer to avid but still sometimes inept gamer.

If you're already convinced that video games are cultural objects worthy of study, Gee will only confirm your opinion. However, if you look at the book's title and can't contain a derisive snort, give Gee a chance. According to Gee, good video games (and yes, not all video games are good) model active, participatory, and embodied learning, a kind of learning often scarce in traditional school curricula. Good games demonstrate the effectiveness of pattern recognition over rule-based or rote learning, and they encourage players to reflect at a meta level not only about their own identity but also their practices, often via the formation of affinity groups both within and outside of the game world. At their best, gamers become producers, creatively "modding" their own gaming experiences and sharing information with others who take play seriously.
July 12, 2008

Makes me regret not playing more video games

I'd always sort of believed the "video games are a waste of time" thing just because I'd heard it so much. This book is good but I couldn't understand all the technical stuff but I think I got the just of it. I actually had to write a persuasive essay on the HSPA (High School Profficiancy Assessment) agreeing or disagreeing with the hypothetical decision of some kind of governmental authority (I forget which one, congress maybe?) to ban all noneducational video games. I'd read the first few pages of the book and it helped. Now I regret ever believing that waste of time stuff.
April 15, 2007

Good for research, not so much for general reading.

First of all, this book is not written as a general public book, it is written much more in the vein of a college graduate's analysis. Heavy discussion of the effects of video games on the semiotic domain underpin the analysis. That being said, this book is a good analysis of the effects of video games on those that play them.

If you want a general public analysis of the effects of entertainment (and video games) on people, check out Steven Johnson's "Everything Bad is Good For You." This book is a deeper analysis of part of Steven Johnson's book, so it might be best as a follow-up purchase.

My biggest complaint about James Paul Gee's book is more with the copy editor and publisher. There are so many poorly written or incorrectly written sentences that should have been caught and corrected. It really affects the perceptions about the book's research.
January 15, 2007

Provocative and balanced

Great book and delightful read. If you are a teacher or work in education to help direct new initiatives with technology and learning, you should read this.
January 09, 2007

Too long, too wordy, not worth the effort

Not sure why the author who does make some good points, couldn't find a way to express those without trying to sound important. The writing style got between his message (which was interesting) and his delivery. I finished it, got some value, but in comparison to other authors, this was a letdown.
December 16, 2006

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