Organized Education
While many may talk about the downfalls of the current education system, there are many benefits. It has motivated, enlightened and supported the many efforts to improve games and education. It's shortcomings in content and deliver have motivated hundreds to try to improve the entertainment. They also spurred education entrepreneurs in new directions for education. Those same shortcomings have given us measureless amounts of data and information as to how content and delivery can be improved. The support comes with things like game design degrees and other classes that help the uninformed get their start. For these reasons and more I am thankful that I have been able to attend several education institutions.
Government
The government gives us the opportunity to pursue our dreams. I can attend classes because of government grants. The schools I've attended are all public schools. The NCLB and other policy blunders in educations, while their intentions may be good, have made education a bigger topic than it used to be. The next President of the US is interested in stimulating small businesses and efforts for the public good. For me at least, there is plenty to be thankful for the government when it comes to the future of my efforts and goals.
Computers
I'd rather be able to play games and work faster than not. What about you? This is typed on a computer and I have plenty of tools on my laptop that I use for school and intend to use outside of school. There are many reasons to be thankful for computers.
The Internet
This is one of the great things about computers. Internet and high speed connections make it possible to do the cool things that are being worked on in both games and education. Without it I would still be just another person who wants to do something to fix some of the problems I see. With it I am able to participate in conversations with other like minded individuals. I am very thankful for the internet and my ability to access it.
Programs and Online Services
Blogger, Twitter, Feedburner, Google Analytics and more are online services I use in conjunction to the many programs I have on my computer such as Game Maker, Teamspeak, Skype and several IDEs. These are the tools of our trades like e-mail and blogs that keep us connected. I'm thankful for these works of code that allow me to do many things that I otherwise could not do, or nowhere as easily.
Communities of Support
Whether a part of these communities or the occasional viewer with a question, it's hard not to see the value of these communities. They've saved my bacon from the fire on more than one occasion, and are a part of why the programs and online services are workable solutions. Art programs, communication platforms and much more are supported by hundreds and thousands of people. I'm thankful for the time, the effort and the people who make what I want to do with games and education possible.
Progress & Experiments
Ideas are wonderful things, but to find out more about them we try them. The progress made in any direction has come because of countless experiments to test ideas and gain more insight into the problems being faced. This is part of what is so great about the communities of support, computers and the internet. They work together to make experiments, results and communication. I'm thankful for the rich history of research, experiments and progress made that enables me to do what I'm doing right now.
Each Other
I'm thankful for many people who have helped me in one or more ways. David Perry and Rusel DeMaria, working with Acclaim Games, gave me the opportunity to show what I could do as a game designer and team member. Rusel also gave me some tips on how to get started in networking for my goals of improving education with games. James Gee, Stephen Downes, Jim Groom and several others have shown approval and support in different ways. Links, e-mails and opinions help. There are countless others out there working on the same problems, dealing with the same obstacles and we are striving to cooperate for the sake of our goals.
Have fun, spread the word and tell me what you think,
Igen Oukan
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