Exploring topics

Iam going crazy. Exploring topics for my essay five has not be a very placent experience. All the topics seem to be eather to broad or too boring. There are many different options out there, but to me it is like a unknown world. Well after looking and looking i found two topics that got my attention. The fist one was "video games addiction." I found it interesting because i see everyday how obsess people are about video games, and it is hard for me to understand that. So i believed that i could satisfide my curiosity by doing research on this topic. Then i changed my mind. I got more intersting in educational games. I have the idea that educational games will play a big role in children future. Also as an educator aspirant i feel that it is my responsability to learn more about topics that eventually will be affecting chidren. Even though i have no plans to teach in the United States after i graduated, i am sure that the educational video games will trascent oceans; So , i better be ready, and inform about the new ways to teach our children eather here or in any part of the world.

Field trip

The field trip to the game stores was a great experience for me. There are millions of diferent games for every one. The first store i visited was Toys R us. The place is huge, and inside is like another world. There are games for all ages. There are games for babys, teenagers, adults etc. One thing i found very interesting was that they have musical games. For example, they have a guitar game, that teaches you how to play the guitar at the same time that you have fun. Also my favorite one, a harmonica with its book. I was looking for a harmonica book for a long time because i lost the one i had. Unfortunaly i had to buy both things, the harmonica, and the book since they come together. But it does not heart to have an extra harmonica.
Also the prices of the games were good. Some were very cheap. Some were very expensive. A very funny thing happend to me at the store. A police man came to me and asked me how old i was. He though i was a high school student cutting class. I could't believe i was 23 and that made my whole day.
The secund store is also nice. It is call the "Game stop." The Game Stop is smaller than "Toys R us" and a litlle diferent because most of the games are video games. Also i was shot to see that a line of about 6 or 7 grown up men were playing as if they were litle kids. They were having fun. I realized that the game stores are for everyone whos heart is like a child. It was a very nice trip.

About the cluster.

To be honest at the begining of this cluster i did not know what to expect. The idea to shaere all my classes with the same people was not very intersting to me, but anyways i decide to take it, and it was worth it.
I have learned a lot in the past 7 weeks. One of the things that worried me more when i started school was that my computer skills were very limited. But to my surprise i have learned a lot. Iam able to look for my assignments, uploaded them, save things in my flash drive, and many other things that i never imagined i was going to be able to do.
The most interesting thing for me is the writting. I feel limited in that aspect too because i don't speack english very well. But everyday i feel more confortable. I feel that the most i write, the most i learn, and i love to feel like that. It gives me hope that one day i will be able to write without barriers.
The cluster is nice. I feel confortable being part of it. The people around me are also very nice and they together with the teachers have help me a great deal to develop my computer skills.
I still have many things that worried me. I know that the last weeks will be tough. Many new challenges are waiting for me. For example, i have no clue how to start my final essay about video games and my final media project for my mass media class. But i am sure i will do it. I felt the same way at the begining and so far iam doing good.

Digital Game Testing

The video game i was examining is call Super Mario brothers. This game is a nice and smoth adventure. I find it to be relaxing and fun. In my opinion the audience for this game will be kids and young adults. I like it a lot. It took me back to my childhood. I think the skills needed for this game are basic ones; concentraition and commun sense. One of the great things i learned about playing this game was to relax and enjoy. Even without thinking about it i found myself thinking and finding clues to get to the next level. The game was not difficult to understand, but it has little details that force u in a good way to be focus. It was a nice experience.

club fair

Last wednesday i went to the school club fair, and to my surprise it was very nice. I felt very welcome by the people working there. They were serving drinks and giving green coffee cups. The enviroment was good.
Most of the clubs are very interesting. There was a lot to choose from: Actors guild, break dancing, sign language etc. Two of these clubs i was very interested in, but iam very busy and my schudule is to tied right now. I spoke with the guy from the sign language group, and for a while i was very exited. I have been looking for something like that for a long time. I will love to learn sign language, but it is impossible for me at this moment. I hope to join one of the clubs in the future. I think it will be great.

Good video games and good learning

In James gee's article "Good video games and good learning he talks about his first experience playing a video game. He realized that video games are much more complex than he thought. After playing games James gee's belive that the video games are a great way to teach kids in schools, and help them focus more. Video games requiere a lot of concentration and if the kids could play and learn at the same time will be a great solution. Also he disagrees with teachers who believed that video games are a waste of time for children, and that they only bring violence and problems to the kids. After finding out how interesting video games can be, James gee's strongly believes in the positive side of games, and in all of it's benefits.

The matrix

The matrix, a futuristic movie that envols the reality and the fiction of a knew world.

The first time i saw the matrix was a tragedy. I hated it deeply. I couldn't understand anything, and i thought it was stupid. When the teacher said we were going to watch it i wanted to die, but for my sorprise this time i saw it with a very different point of view. I was able to understand more things, and i found it to be more interested. I stared to recognize the symbols in the movie. For example, the names morpheus, neo,mouse,trinity etc. They are more than just names. They mean something alse. Another curious thing about the movie is that even is very futuristic some how goes back to the begining. In one of the scenes we can see neo, the main character as a new born baby; no hair, no eye brows etc. The atmospheer of the movie is mostly low, and dark.
This movie has a big reality. It shows the big fight between humans and machines. Machines trying to over take power, and humans believing in the impossible; the one that will save us.