Talking to my daughter tonight, I had a bit of an aha moment. I have been playing the Design Home game for about 2 years. My daughter just started playing on her own a few months ago.The game involves using furniture to design rooms in different homes. It also has a component where you can design your own home from the drywall up. It also encourages voting on designs and lists the top designs each week for everyone to review.
She was describing her experience with the game to me. What level she is on, how she is scoring, and what she is spending her time on.
What we discovered is that while we are both playing the game, we are engaging with it in completely different ways. She really enjoys the build your own home component which includes picking a city and an exterior of the home. I hardly use this part of the game at all and have never chagned the city or exterior of the home. Instead, I really enjoy the challenges and seeing how my designs score against others. She isn't all that intersted in how she score or compares.
What we do agree on is that we both love that it is based on real furniture and an approximate actual price. It is authentic enough that we actually go to furniture stores and see the products. We happen to currently be living in one of the furniture capitals of the US so there are huge warehouses and display centers that we can visit.
This just really made me think about how using a Web 2.0 tool can allow different learners to engage in the way that connects for them but may be completely different than others. Nothing different that we have discussed in class, but hit me in a new way tonight. So excited to share this produsage experience with my daughter and excited about the possibilities for my students.
This is really interesting! Thanks for sharing. I've definitely seen these kinds of differences in the way people use facebook, but I never really thought about the multi-facets of a game like that. How cool that you're able to see some of the furniture in real life! I should check this game out, I feel like I would really enjoy both aspects that you mentioned!
ReplyDeleteOh, the stuff that one misses out on having three boys. We shared sports, with the exception of my youngest, we shared sports and music. We would play the “Name the musician” in the car during long drives to soccer fields or home from weekend regattas and he didn’t feel like riding the bus. I do miss those (long) days. It’s good to see Web 2.0 connecting Mom’s and daughters. I think Web 2.0 can get a “bad wrap” sometimes for keeping us isolated when it can really keep us involved and interacting even though we may be physically far apart.
ReplyDeleteFresh perspectives indeed! Good luck with your produsage assignment. I enjoy reading your posts. Press on! We are almost at the end of the semester. One more semester to go!
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