A recent article highlights a Department of Curriculum and Instruction course, “Videogames and Learning,” as one of UW–Madison’s top ten summer classes in 2022. The course, which was offered again for Summer Term 2023, is taught by Krista-Lee Malone, a teaching professor in the department.
“One of the main things I want students to take from this course is how to look at the games they play with a more critical eye,” Malone says. “When I was a kid playing video games, I didn’t think about who was represented in them and who was not represented… It’s great to talk about this (in class) and see a lightbulb moment for students about how race, culture and other things play out on video game screens.”
According to the article’s author, Lisa Bauer, Malone’s PhD in anthropology greatly influences her teaching. Malone says, “I take a very anthropological approach to this course, but with all the same learning goals — what are things we learn in games and how do we learn them? Most importantly, I want students to look at all the games they play more critically.”
Bauer writes: “In the course, students critically reflect on merits and drawbacks of gaming by exploring six video games, including ‘We Become What We Behold’ and ‘Tranxiety,’ a role-playing game that explores early transition anxieties, focusing on topics such as HRT, family dynamics, friendships, being publicly trans and mental illness. With each game, students learn about a specific topic, engage with the game, do readings and journal on their experience.”
Read the full article, titled “Tech courses take top spots with students.”