Week 7: Student Interest (Communication and Gaming)

This was a very challenging week for me as I explored the various resources. I use the word challenging because I couldn't help but view the material through multiple lens. While I tried to remain professional and first look at each source through the perspective of a library teacher, I found myself shifting to that of a parent of two young children who will one day be teenagers, when who knows what technology and communication will look like.

The fear of my kids being swallowed up by devices is real for me. At the same time, when I read the PEW research report on the importance of gaming in relationship to a teen boy's friendships I could completely understand why this is the case. One stat that stood out for me was: "78% of teen online gamers say when they play games online it makes them feel more connected to friends they already know. That amounts to 42% of all teens ages 13 to 17."

I certainly don't want my son to be limited socially because his mom was too fearful of letting him play MMO games or VR games. This is reality, this will certainly be the future, and having the opportunity to explore the importance and positive aspects of gaming and online communicating was valuable for me.