“Couch Commerce”
That is the new catchphrase that I’m sure will be part of our everyday vernacular soon. The new smartpads are replacing laptops, and it is not uncommon to see people sitting around on mall benches, in passenger seats of cars, on subway trains, and waiting rooms at the doctor’s office with one on their laps and their eyes glued to the screen. Kids are playing more handheld games, too, and many teachers are incorporating these technologies into their classrooms. However, there is a storm lurking on the horizon.
Many of these handheld devices and videogames are now becoming shortcuts to the checkout counter.
The Kindle Fire is being marketed as the IPad killer. However, there are some huge differences between the technologies. The Kindle Fire gives quick access to all of Amazon.coms content: Streaming Movies, Books, Music, and store products. The device has limited storage because you are supposed to stream all of your movie, music, and book purchases to the device – it is not meant to store your current collection. Sure you can get streaming movies, and borrow books if you are an Amazon Prime member, but that cost an annual fee of $79.99.
The IPod family of products are also being used to make shopping easier. There are many free apps available, but many of the games kids play are “fishing” games: The games are marketed as “free”, but all the content you will need to progress costs money. Take the ridiculously popular mobile game Smurfs. This game is free to download, but if you want to grow your virtual Smurf community, dress your virtual character, plant virtual crops, buy virtual furniture, or decorate your virtual Smurf house, you will have to dish out real cash. Many games today are like this. I spent a few hours over this past weekend on my IPod Touch searching through the Top Free Games only to find that over half of them are “fishing” games. From The Huffington Post, “Capcom has also made it easier to make a large purchase of Smurfberries in one go. Previously, the highest two-tap Smurfberries purchase option was a “wheelbarrow” for $59.99. Now it’s a “wagon” for $99.99. Smurf’s Village” is the third-highest grossing game for the iPad. Other top-grossing “free” games for the iPhone and iPad, including “Tap Zoo” and “Bakery Story,” have $99.99 in-game purchase options and lack up-front pop-up warnings.”
Even games for the PS, XBOX, Wii, and Nintendo DS are not safe. The new game Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure has been designed in such a way that is virtual impossible to complete without purchasing additional content.
From Ign.com ”At $70, the starter kit alone is one of the most expensive kids games on the market. A three pack of figurines is $20 and there are 29 additional characters to collect. Plus level and item bonus kits.”
This worries me because as an educator I am finding that even the tools that we are told are educational devices are hot spots for new spending. I am sad that even the Kindle and Nook may be taking the road of the cell phones. No one uses their cell phones to talk anymore. Phones can surf the net, play movies, and play games. Now, our beloved e-readers are becoming entertainment suites. The devices, apps, and educational games we’ve understood as great classroom tools are now being infiltrated with commercials and buying opportunities.
We are becoming a world of shoppers who have access to products 24 hours a day from every device we own. As we use this technology in our classes, we must be aware of these changes.
With all the content being marketed towards students on mobile devices, it is vital that our youth understand that there is a world outside of technology. It is very refreshing to get back to the roots of education and work with a pen and paper.
There are plenty of ways to Gamify (or conduct) your classroom without a computer:
- Make a wall of badges and have the student’s faces placed under the badges as they achieve them.
- Make classrooms dedicated discussion time. The class time can be used for some in depth conversations about the content the kids read about the night before. Chronicle of Higher Education wrote an article about kids getting through the system because they learn to “trick” the system. Teachers rely so heavily on technology that the kids figure out ways to bypass the computer content in various ways. What the kids are unable to do (say many college professors) is have an intelligent conversation with you.
- Flip The Classroom – Teachers today are creating videocasts of their class content and posting them on Youtube, Teachertube, Schooltube, or on their site as a way get the information to the kids before class even begins. Then, during the class, they discuss the content or practice the skill. Camstudio makes a decent screen capture suite. I use Camtasia and Smooth Draw 3 to make mine, which are the same tools Khan Academy uses to make theirs.
An essential part of a great game is collaboration and interaction. Computer programs and learning games often strip that element out completely. The best games are co-op, so keep the classroom co-op, too! Students should understand that the companies that create these devices have one goal in mind: making money. Free apps and games are usually gateways to spending, so use these devices wisely. Better yet, limit the use of these devices and keep it real.
