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The Critical Gaming Lab welcomes Dr. Victor Kappeler as the new Dean of the College of Justice & Safety. Dr. Kappeler has long supported lab research and initiatives, and we look forward to him visiting and getting his ‘game-on!’
Welcome Dr. Kappeler, and congratulations! The Critical Gaming Lab in the School of Justice Studies recently hosted the participants of the Camp TRREE program (Teacher Recruitment and Retention for Education Excellence). The purpose of the Academic Leadership Academy is to provide middle school male students from the region with the opportunity to obtain knowledge about various aspects of teacher education. The participants spent an entire week in residence on Eastern Kentucky’s University’s campus. Dr. Gray, Director of the Critical Gaming Lab, provided a workshop exposing the students to different topics within Science and Technology. While video games may often get a ‘bad rap’ as a waste of time, there are important contributions video games can make within education. Many games have been created and some retrofitted to teach tough topics and encourage interest in these once ‘boring’ topics. Equipped with this knowledge, the workshop provided by Dr. Gray, focused on hands-on learning as participants were exposed to topics related to the solar-system, the systems of the body, and dinosaurs. “It’s important to find ways for students to be active participants in their learning and video games improve their engagement with these topics,” says Dr. Gray. “And instilling this passion early is imperative for their future outcomes.” And of course, there was much play after a day full of work! The pictures below reveal the fun! For more information on Camp TRREE, contact Dr. Norman Powell at norman.powell@eku.edu. For more information on the Critical Gaming Lab, feel free to send an email to criticalgaminglab@gmail.com or visit the website at www.criticalgaminglab.com. #NO MORE HARASSMENT: The Critical Gaming Lab joins the gaming community in its effort to tackle virtual and physical harassment of marginalized members of the gaming community. The CGL defines the gaming community broadly including but not limited to gamers, game developers, the gaming industry, game studies, etc.
The gaming community must address the culture that has allowed for the oppression and repression of marginalized gamers including women, people of color, sexual minorities, religious minorities, and others. No matter one’s identity, everyone should be free to game without fear of being threatened or harassed. Serious reform is needed if we are going to create a climate of inclusion. A few solutions include: 1) Game developers must abandon the practice of creating stereotypical characters and must diversify their staff whose opinions they take seriously. 2) Gamers must recognize and value differences. We are not all the same but that is no reason for disparate treatment. 3) The gaming industry must accept and cater to their changing demographics. Traditional means of advertising won’t work. 4) The gaming industry must create more efficient ways to report harassment within virtual gaming communities 5) Academics must be more inclusive of researchers and literature discussing marginalized gamers 6) We must all openly condemn not condone the harassment and victimization of members of our gaming family For more information on what you can do to stop online harassment, please contact the Critical Gaming Lab at www.criticalgaminglab.com. |
AuthorStay up to date with research and public engagements associated with Equity in Gaming initiatives. Archives
June 2016
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