Teaching with WoW

So, I have joked about using World of Warcraft at my job, but I was never very serious. However, I got this comment from my WoW at Work post from Lytlady:

We actually use WOW in one of our classrooms. For the students that do want to play, they are learning social skills, math, etc... These are students have disabilities that effect their daily social interactions, such as Autism. They must share a toon.. So there are two students per toon. Their time is restricted... each group is allowed to play for about 1hr a week, though they are able to earn more time if available. It is really a joy to watch a 5th grader and a 12 grader, who never normally would talk to each other, discuss how to do a quest or which items they should keep, use, vendor or AH. For the advance students who play there may be math problems that include % of stats and such. It keeps them engaged and learning. This would not be possible without the amazing teacher that is in that classroom. His success record with these students is 2nd to none. And his ability to see each of their needs and how to reach these through alternative teaching tools is..... He also is a huge advocate in self-control, which is also part of these students' learning. Yes, WOW in the classroom.

I really don't think the school district I work for would buy into it, but using WoW as a teaching tool really has a lot of potential. Just think of the reading, math, and problem solving involved in the game. You could teach social skills to children with autism. And there would be some instant motivation. I only wish more admistrators (and parents) would be open minded to something like this. Its actually a very good idea. I know a lot of students that aren't motivated to practice reading, but you have to be able to read to play WoW. My nephew actually started playing before he could read and I'm sure this was a motivation for him.

Interesting idea, I've heard of it before at the college level, but never in elementary or high school. Thanks Lytlady!

Happy Stupid Internet Day!

Okay, April Fool's day on the internet has become a "most avoid the internet at all costs" day for me. Its over the top and beyond ridiculous. Okay, I do enjoy some of the stuff. Especially the Bard class that Blizz did last year. I don't even have a clue what's going on this year. Our computer specialist has told us to avoid the internet if all possible. So, I guess I will. Need to do work anyway.

Are you planning on doing any april fools jokes on any of your guildies? I'm expecting my mother-in-law to call and tell me someone was in an accident. She does that every year. I think as my april fools joke this year, I'll pretend I completely believe it and have a nervous break down. Oh and I need to call my mother and tell her that we just found out that we're expecting again (we've done that several years in a row, I'm just waiting for the time we really are and she doesn't believe us).

Farewell BRK

Wow, I just read BRK's post about him no longer blogging. It was a moving blog entry and it makes you think about your own life. What is the most important things in our lives, and are we making the most important things the most important. That makes me think about Steven Covey's book First Things First. We often neglect that which is the most important.

Of course, we'll miss BRK's blog, I think there are many of us that got into blogging because of him. I remember first reading his blog a long time ago when I saw his links from WoW-Insider. He'll be missed from the WoW community at large, but its like hearing about one of my favorite bands breaking up because they want to spend more time with their families (Toad the Wet Sprocket), you can't get upset at them, but rather you look up to them all the more. Hopefully more people will look at their own lives and follow Dan's example and make sure we do not neglect our families, our spouses, and our children. I don't think this means that you have to quit the game, but cutting back and becoming a part-time player for some. For others the only answer is quitting. Some people can be social drinkers others can't.

Many of us will miss BRK's wit, humor, darn helpful information, etc.

Here's to you BRK, farewell and good luck IRL.


Edit: Just wanted to add this link, a request in the forums that BRK be honored in the game somehow.

Define Casual

I've been thinking about the definition of a casual gamer lately. I mean come on, I claim to be a casual gamer, I even named my blog after it.

So, what is a casual gamer then? Is this anyone who isn't in a super hardcore raiding guild? Well, that would be just about all of the people I know (or who are probably reading this blog - I imagine the word "casual" might shy some away from here to begin with). Maybe a casual gamer is someone that can only raid 2 or 3 times a week, or ... maybe not. There isn't a hard fast rule, or a magical number of hours played in a week that draws a fine line, one that separates the causals from the hardcores.

No really, what makes the difference between hardcores and casuals? I don't think its just the time spent (however that does make an impact). Hardcore doesn't equal full time player just as casual doesn't equate to part-time player. Instead, I think, its a state of mind or a player's gaming style. Using this definition I would probably consider myself a "part-time" player instead of a casual player. Why would I say this? Well, for one, I write a freakin' WoW blog. The very fact that I'm writing this probably kicks me out of the casual camp altogether and makes me a bit of a paradox, or a least a misnomer. I might not have ran Naxx yet, but I have quite a few WoW podcasts on my iPod, my Google reader is full of other WoW blogs, and I even have a WoW shirt that says "I'm not addicted to WoW, I just want to finish it."

Perhaps I should rename my blog, "The Part-Time Huntering Blog". I'll have to think about that. So, here's the question. What do you consider yourself? Hardcore? Casual? Part-time? Something else?

Level 80!!!!

Last night Kydra and I finally hit level 80!!!! Here are the screen shots to prove it.


I think we may be some of the last people who actual reached level 80 (even though we were 70 before the WotLK came out).

By the way, thanks to all who suggested mods to take the screen shot, I ended up going with Multishot (suggested by Anea). This is a great little mod that takes a screen shot when ever you hit a new level, down a boss, or get a new achievement. I would suggest that if you know you are about to down a boss that you try to position your screen so you can actually see the boss downed or at least angle it to show your better side. Here's a shot it took when we finished Culling the Strat:


So, now what to do, what to do? I thought I would get back with my obsession with mounts and get my hippogryph by getting my Cenarian Expedition Rep up. I need to also get my Chopper which means I need to get off my arss and get my engineering finally leveled. Oh yes, and the many heroics that need to be done. Oh and I could work on my DK who is currently level 71. So much to do now, so little time.

Any other suggests as to what I should do now? Go to disneyland or something? Any suggestions for a new dps pet?

Almost 80

So, this whole time I've been writing this blog I've had to admit that I'm not at level 80 just yet (and I'm still not, but I'm closer now than ever before. Now I'm only 1 1/2 bubbles away after running last night with my wife Kydra, my brother Kygongyn, Stromboli, and my cousin Delu. Wow, I have a lot of family play this game with me.

You see how close I got to hitting 80 last night???!!!

I did get this drop in the Halls of Lightning, Avool's Sword of Jin BoE, market value of 2162 gold. I've still been using this Legacy that drops from the crone back in Kara. Its probably about time I start getting some new gear. Heck I'm still wearing 5 level 70 epics. And they weren't amazing epics, mostly again just stuff from Kara. My brother has been primping over me and my wife's toons like a BFF Jill over a teen age girl at the mall in need of a serious make over. Ha! Could you see Aoirselvar in Gap clothes, probably not.

So, after this my brother has a regiment of heroics that we get to do to get geared up for Naxx. I still think my wife and I will probably quest when we play together, we've enjoyed doing that the most. However, even though Kydra hates PvP, she really enjoyed AV (where she wreaked havoc with her mage of death), so maybe we'll do some BGs as well.

So, does anybody know of a mod that will take a screen shot for you when you level?

Oh I thought this was funny. She makes my helicopter look like a slightly oversized remote controled toy.

WoW at work

So, here I am typing at work a post that I don't really have time to write. So, I write a little bit here and there when I have a free moment between students. (I blame my tangents on this very fact). I sometimes also read blogs a little bit during lunch, and I play on twitter, talking to tweet friends about random stuff.

I think a lot of us do something like this at work to help get along and to keep our mind off of the mundane drudge of work. Of course there are some of you who play while at work. I don't know how you can get away with that. I'm a little jealous. I mean come one, why not use WoW in speech language therapy, lol. I don't think the school district would been too keen on the idea.

There are several people in our guild who play during the day, my brother use to. It seems like most of them were IT guys. There is no way I could ever keep up. I had to decide a long time ago that its not a race. Some people can put more time into it than others. Some people can play at work, and the rest of us just have to shake our fists (not in anger, but in envy). Of course, how are you getting anything done if you are playing at work? I can see it with my brother, he would either read or play wow between tech support calls. Oh to have a job where you could actually read. /sigh.

I suppose you could play in class as well on your laptop. The other students might be able to see it, but the teacher wouldn't (I'm talking about college of course, not high school). Of course, your grades might suffer that way. Didn't some study blame WoW for the increasing college drop out rates? I did get started playing WoW when I was in graduate school, but we only had about 16 people in each class. It would have been far to obvious, and alas, I don't have a laptop. So, I guess that was out of the picture altogether.

So, do you do something wow related at work or school? Are you a work wow player?? And if so how are you getting away with this?
At any rate,